A British Airways passenger has won a legal battle against the airline by representing herself in court to argue her case for a full cash refund instead of vouchers.
Jennie Barber’s flights to Japan had been scheduled for May 2020 but were cancelled amid the pandemic.
BA offered travel vouchers but she took the airline to court to win a full refund.
Barber, who studied A-level law, argued her case successfully using the Law Reform (Frustrated Contracts) Act 1943, reported the BBC.
Her preferred destination of Japan did not reopen its borders to visitors as quickly as other nations so she said the vouchers were no use because she could not travel where she had originally intended.
Restrictions on travel to Japan were not lifted until November 2022.
The Birmingham resident told the BBC she spent most of 2021 trying to persuade BA to reconsider her request.
Her case was heard in January this year at Redditch Magistrates Court and she was awarded £2,523.42 to cover flights, interest up to the date of judgment and costs, reported the BBC.
Barber has joined several Facebook groups for people who have found themselves in a similar situation, and has been offering advice.
A BA spokesperson told the BBC: “We were the first UK airline to offer customers the unprecedented flexibility to change their plans during the pandemic by providing them with vouchers for future travel.”
The airline said customers could use travel vouchers issued during the period up to September 2023.
Picture of British Airways aircraft at Heathrow by EQRoy/Shutterstock.com