BA only offered travel voucher

[Deleted User]

Hi all, 

I’m after some advice please. So sadly I’m another one who seems to have fallen victim to BA and their absolute refusal to stand by their customers. 

In March, I booked return flights online for myself and my partner, departing 10th April and returning 13th April 2020. I paid on a credit card. 

On 18th March I received a text message to advise my flights were cancelled (not a surprise, the pandemic was just ramping up to lockdown at this stage so I expected this to happen). In the text message there was a link to schedule a travel voucher. There was no option for a refund at all. I accepted the travel voucher offered as I was unaware there was any other option and I was legally entitled to a refund. 

Upon realising this, I tried to call BA hundreds of times and only ever got cut off. I submitted a complaint via their website in early April. Long story short, it has taken three months for them to get back to me and they are absolutely refusing to refund me as they say I have accepted the travel voucher and this is acceptable remuneration. After a few emails back and forth, I asked to be referred to a supervisor. I wasn’t rude, just stated facts and was firm. The guy emailing me refused and said my only option was to make a complaint with the CEDR. 

Has anyone had any success with contacting the CEDR? Are the CEDR worth involving? I’m a bit stuck really. 

Has anyone who has accepted a travel voucher managed to obtain a refund on the basis they removed the refund option and purposely misled their customers? Is there any action being taken against them legally due to this that anyone is aware of? 

I really am so shocked and disappointed with BA, I feel they have deliberately misled  me with regards to my rights. I would never ever consider flying with them again, even if this complaint is eventually resolved and a refund is obtained. 

All views and advice welcome.

Thank you! 

lawrenson

Hi, Like you I had flights cancelled. However I rang them, and stayed on hold. The first time was over an hour.
And they did give me a refund.
You could take this to the flyertalk forum for BA. They can be extremely helpful, but beware, also a rough ride lol.

Cheers,
K

Caz3121

Many airlines made it difficult to get a refund online. Easyjet, where you could normally request refund online, removed that functionality and you had to phone...eventually got through 3 weeks after flight date but was refunded within a couple of days. BA also I phoned and hung on and refund was processed quickly. Lufthansa, phoned 14th April and still waiting on refund.

Their conditions of carriage do state

• If your flight has been cancelled and you would like to rebook, please go to Manage My Booking.
• If you would like to claim a voucher to the value of your booking, please complete the voucher form here. Vouchers can be used as payment, or part payment, for a future booking.
• If you do not wish to rebook or claim your voucher, you can contact us to discuss your refund options.

From similar posts, airlines appear to be taking the stance that you willingly accepted a voucher and that is what they delivered....case closed. 
I think your argument is the text should have referred you to the conditions of carriage rather that offer only a link for voucher.

Nebulous2

I’ve unfortunately had too much experience of dealing with travel companies and trying to get refunds. BA were about the best one I had to deal with, but it was a national flight of relatively low value. 

I booked flights home after being stranded abroad, but could only get to Heathrow. I booked a flight with BA to my local airport and within 24 hours I received an email saying they had cancelled my flight and moved me from the afternoon to the morning, meaning it was leaving before my international flight arrived. I called them around 7am UK time and got through very quickly. I had to argue my corner for a refund, pointing out how stupid it was to change my flight so quickly after booking, but they agreed to a refund and paid it within a few days. 

MascaraMinx

I am in exactly the same boat and they refuse to consider providing a refund, even though the voucher is completely useless to me. I am attempting the credit card route at the moment.