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British Airways Will Repay Customers After Fraud Ruling
If you flew British Airways between the U.S. and England from August 11, 2004 to March 23, 2006, you may be in luck. BA was caught charging passengers a fuel surcharge that went beyond the actual cost of the gas. The scandal also involved Virgin Atlantic, so travelers who flew with that airline during the above dates are eligible to get in on the action. Don't start getting excited or jumping up and down like you've won the lottery. The maximum refund per person will be around $20. Still, that's four beers or five lattes or a fairly decent haircut (in some cities).
Those who are eligible for a refund can apply online with their ticket info, passport number, or frequent flier card. Those who didn't fly BA or Virgin can still feel good because, for once, big airlines got caught with their hands in passengers' pockets.
With most airlines going out of their way to cut costs and nickel and dime passengers with added fees, it might not be the last time something like this happens.
Several BA and Virgin execs involved in the surcharge scandal will be doing some hard time after being charged with fraud.
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Filed under: Airlines, News, Consumer Activism
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nick Hawkins Aug 8th 2008 1:58PM
Sadly, that idiot Willie Walsh is still in charge of British Airways, doing disservice to the name and running it like it's Aer Lingus.
Brenda SFO Aug 8th 2008 9:55PM
Kind of like Glenn Tilton remaining at the helm of United, huh? How has he been able to remain in his position has had me befuddled since they entered bankruptsy.
Ok, back to the story, Virgin Atlantic and BA owes me four beers. I too, believe that as part of their restitution, that the airlines should be responsible for contacting the passenger and refunding their money to them.
Nick, are you by chance known as NickH on another site?
Roy Aug 8th 2008 8:40PM
The airlines know exactly who flew their airline during those periods. Why not make the airlines contact everybody they show they owe money to, instead of putting the burden on the customer to provide the flight information, etc.? Now, that would be fairer and make them responsible for tracking down the people they defrauded.
AB Aug 8th 2008 9:25PM
Is Josh Lew a journalist? Knowing nothing about this 'news', I read with interest of reaching the truth. Instead, I read about how the airlines are "nickle and diming passengers with added fees" and "big airlines are caught with their hands in passengers pockets". Nothing about the executives or their names. Nothing of any substantial, journalistic news. Just headlines and yellow journalism. When will the owners of these sites (AOL, etc, etc) step up and accept the responsibilities of being a publisher. In the mean time, we are subjected to these self indulging, low brow jounalist who claim to know the story but in reality want only to pour out their pithy solicitude.
Gary Aug 8th 2008 11:56PM
Aw, What they gonna do? Give the people an extra bag of peanuts and a free pillow? Whatever became of Freddy Laker, and his Laker Airlines, you could fly from New York to London for $99! Sure, you had to bring your own food, but I dont remember any complaints about that one!