My Nightmare with British Airways: Involuntary Downgrade, Denied Compensation, and Months of Fighting for My Rights 🚩✈️

I wanted to share my frustrating and exhausting experience with British Airways (BA) in hopes it might help others facing similar issues or at least warn potential customers about how poorly they handle passenger rights.

In April 2024, I booked a Business Class flight through a partner airline, operated by British Airways, for travel from the US to London. I paid both cash and miles for this ticket, valuing the total cost at over $1,700. When I arrived at the airport, I was involuntarily downgraded to Economy Plus because BA had overbooked the flight. Not only was I stuck in a much less comfortable seat, but the downgrade seriously devalued the premium ticket I had carefully chosen and paid for.

At the gate, BA’s agent informed me that, under European Union Regulation 261/2004 (EU261), passengers downgraded on flights over 3,500 km are entitled to 75% of the ticket price for the affected leg of the journey, refunded within 7 days. The agent provided instructions to file a claim directly with BA, which I did immediately after landing.

The Fight with BA: April–September 2024

For months, I battled BA through their customer service portal. Despite multiple follow-ups and providing detailed evidence of my payment, BA:

  1. Denied responsibility for issuing the refund, claiming that it was up to the partner airline to process compensation since they issued the ticket.
  2. Paid me only $249 as “downgrade compensation,” far below the 75% refund mandated by EU261.
  3. Ignored the fact that my ticket was partially paid with miles, which should also have been refunded proportionally under EU261.

This frustrating back-and-forth dragged on for months, with no resolution. In September 2024, after BA refused to take accountability, I escalated my case to CEDR, an independent dispute resolution body.

BA’s Dodgy Excuses at CEDR

At CEDR, BA continued to deny responsibility, arguing:

  • The 75% refund is not “downgrade compensation” but a “ticket refund,” which they claimed only the ticket issuer (the partner airline) could handle.
  • The $249 they paid was sufficient and fulfilled their obligation.

This reasoning is deeply flawed. Under EU261, the operating airline is explicitly responsible for compensating passengers for involuntary downgrades, regardless of who issued the ticket. The partner airline is a non-EU carrier and not bound by EU261, so BA cannot legally shift the responsibility.

The Bottom Line

I’ve now been fighting for 9 months to receive the compensation I’m legally entitled to under EU261. BA refuses to pay me the 75% refund (valued at over $500 in cash and thousands of miles) for the downgraded leg. Instead, they’ve hidden behind technicalities and tried to make the process so frustrating that I’ll give up.

Takeaways

  1. Know Your Rights: If you’re downgraded on an EU flight, you are entitled to compensation under EU261. The operating airline is responsible for paying, not the ticket issuer.
  2. Stay Persistent: Airlines like BA often rely on passengers giving up out of frustration. Keep pushing.
  3. Escalate if Necessary: If the airline refuses to cooperate, escalate your case to an independent dispute resolution body like CEDR.

This has been one of the most frustrating travel experiences I’ve ever had, and I’ll think twice before flying British Airways again. Their lack of accountability and willingness to comply with legal obligations has been shocking.

Have any of you dealt with something similar? Any advice on handling CEDR or BA in this type of situation?

Thanks for reading, and I hope this post helps someone avoid the nightmare I’ve been through.