LONDON- British Airways (BA) canceled a passenger’s e-ticket after her husband disputed a seat selection fee with his credit card issuer, though the airfare had been paid in full.
The family of 4 was departing from Paris and received no notification before arriving at baggage check. A replacement ticket cost $3,200.
How a Seat Fee Refund Turned Into a Canceled Ticket
Chris Martinez shared the sequence of events on Twitter and asked for feedback on how to handle the situation.
British Airways had canceled the family’s original flight, which forced them to rebook. In that process, the seat assignments they had paid for were lost.
When British Airways cancels a flight, paid seat assignments become refundable. Martinez requested that refund. He subsequently disputed the fee with his card issuer.
British Airways appears to have canceled his wife’s e-ticket in response to that chargeback.
The reservation itself remained in the airline’s system, and the seat assignment was still visible. The underlying ticket, however, was no longer valid.
Because the booking continued to display normally, the family had no indication anything was wrong before reaching the airport.
The problem surfaced at baggage check, where the family learned the ticket was void.
They purchased a $3,200 replacement ticket in order to travel. The airline apparently maintains that the prior chargeback justified the cancellation.
He stated that British Airways canceled the reservation without notifying the family until they got to baggage check. He described the group as a family of four with two children, and said his wife’s ticket was canceled without any notification.
The practical rule for passengers is direct. A traveler should not dispute a credit card charge with an airline while holding active travel on that same carrier.
The airline will cancel the ticket. Some carriers may also ban the passenger, even when the chargeback is fully justified.
Contract Terms Do Not Match
British Airways Conditions of Carriage state the airline can refuse transportation when a fare has not been paid.
That provision does not fit this case. The disputed amount was a seat selection fee, not the fare. The fare had been paid in full.
As reported by View from the Wing, British Airways canceled a ticket it had been fully paid for. The airline appears to have invalidated it over an unrelated ancillary dispute, then charged a second time for the same transportation.
Similar Case
This outcome has precedent. In a comparable case, an airline suspended a passenger’s ticket after a chargeback over duplicate taxes.
In that instance, a reservations agent had instructed the passenger to file the dispute. The ticket was suspended regardless.
Options the Report Suggests
The report suggests filing with the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution.
It also points to EU261. Because the departure was from Paris, the report indicates the passenger could seek compensation on the basis of denied boarding on the canceled ticket.
The report cites the European Union Court of Justice, which has held that a carrier’s own mistaken operational assumption does not amount to reasonable justification for denying carriage.
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