UK airline (UK261) · BA
British Airways refund & compensation policy
What British Airways owes you when it cancels, delays or overbooks your flight — and how to actually collect it.
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British Airways refund policy in plain English
Basic (hand-baggage-only) fares are non-refundable except taxes. Other fares depend on fare rules; BA cancels → full refund or rebooking under UK261.
Delays and cancellations
UK261 applies: £220 / £350 / £520 per passenger for 3+ hour arrival delays unless extraordinary circumstances. Care (meals, hotel) from 2 hours. BA historically contests technical-fault claims — claim firms win these regularly.
Your rights on British Airways (UK261)
- Compensation for 3+ hour arrival delays, cancellations with under 14 days' notice, and denied boarding: £220 (≤1,500 km), £350 (1,500–3,500 km), £520 (3,500 km+) per passenger — unless extraordinary circumstances.
- Refund or rerouting on any cancellation; refund on 5+ hour delays if you abandon the trip.
- Care: meals from 2 hours, hotel if overnight.
- Claim window: 6 years in England and Wales. Applies to all British Airways flights departing the UK and British Airways flights arriving in the UK.
How to claim from British Airways
- Gather the booking reference, boarding passes and any messages from British Airways about the disruption.
- For a refund, use British Airways's own form: www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/help-and-contacts/refunds, or call +44 20 8738 5050. Cite your right to a cash refund and decline vouchers.
- For compensation (EU/UK rules), either file with the airline and escalate to the regulator if refused, or hand it to a no-win-no-fee partner via the checker above — they pull the flight data, counter "extraordinary circumstances" claims, and sue when needed.
- If a refund you are owed hasn't arrived in 7 business days, a credit-card chargeback for "services not rendered" is a fast parallel route.
Policies summarised from British Airways's published conditions and applicable regulations; airlines change fare rules often — confirm on the link above before relying on a detail.
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