BA makes U-turn over cash for vouchers after Covid cancellations

theguardian.com:

British Airways has done an about turn over eVouchers it issued for flights it cancelled in 2020 because of Covid.

Possibly in an attempt to stave off action by regulators, it now says passengers who received an eVoucher for a cancelled flight between 9 March and 19 November 2020 can swap it for cash. Its website, Ba.com, has the details.

Two years ago, BA was among those airlines encouraging people to take a voucher rather than the full cash refund to which they were entitled. The airline says refunds can be applied only for up to 24 months from the date the voucher was issued. “An email will inform you of when this is. You can use your current eVouchers to pay, or part pay, for flights that depart by 30 September 2023.”

Rob Burgess, the editor of the frequent-flyer website Headforpoints.com, says this applies only to passengers who had their flights cancelled. “If you voluntarily chose to take a voucher for a flight which was operating, you are not entitled to cash in your voucher,” he says.

Separately, SC wrote to say she has finally been refunded for flights that BA’s sister airline, Vueling, cancelled in August 2020. The airline had tried to claim that this had been a result of an “extraordinary circumstance”. She wrote: “I lodged a complaint with the CAA’s passenger complaints team, and shortly afterwards Vueling advised me it was processing my refund. No explanation or apology.”

Elsewhere, easyJet has said it is giving some of its passengers more time to spend vouchers, which originally had to be used to make a booking within 12 months. All those due to expire between 1 January and the end of April this year can now be used until 30 April. Passengers don’t need to travel before then but must make a reservation.

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