BA won't refund £1,840 voucher issued during Covid that didn't work when I tried to use it: SALLY SORTS IT
The airline first issued me an eVoucher after my husband and I couldn't take flights we'd booked to the US in 2020 during the Covid pandemic.
But when I came to use the £1,840 vouchers in August last year towards a trip to the Dominican Republic there was a problem, and I ended up having to pay the full price on my credit card.
BA promised I would be reimbursed for the voucher value to my credit card, but nothing happened, despite numerous emails and promises.
Please help.
S.G., Maidstone, Kent.
Sally Hamilton replies: Five years on since the pandemic, I'm alarmed to still be receiving complaints involving BA eVouchers issued to customers unable to travel during that time.
When Covid struck in spring 2020, BA initially provided vouchers for cancelled trips rather than refunds, which could be used against future BA flights or holidays.
Many people accepted these rather than cash refunds to be supportive of the airline during such a difficult period.
Deadlines were applied for using them, which were extended four times because so many were unable to spend them.
That included me. I accepted £720 in vouchers after a planned six-week adventure to New York in March 2020 was scuppered.
Since I was unable to find BA flights to suit my travel plans, I passed them on to one of my daughters, with the final slug spent last month, in time for the final deadline of September 30, 2025.
I was sorry to read of your hassles, especially as you tried to apply the vouchers to your travel bill. You told me how ill your husband has become with dementia in the years since the Covid cancellation, leading to his move into a care home.
You have faced much stress in that time but looked forward to the Dominican Republic break with three other members of your family.
The holiday was a success, but you were left with a bad taste and a dented bank balance over the vouchers not being applied. Your daughter even stepped in to chase BA for the money.
When you came to me you were desperate, so I went full throttle to get your complaint resolved. I am pleased to say BA swiftly arranged reimbursement, along with £400 as a gesture of goodwill.
Meanwhile, K.Y., from east Cornwall, faced a wall of silence in trying to get his money back from BA for eVouchers he couldn't use.
He and his wife were due to fly to Bangkok in December 2020 but cancelled due to Covid uncertainty in return for a £2,220 voucher.
Unfortunately, his health then declined. He is unlikely to be able to use the voucher, and certainly not before September 30.
He emailed customer service numerous times for help as well as writing a letter, but was ignored.
On my intervention, BA agreed to refund him as a goodwill gesture. In his gratitude he kindly donated £100 to the Marfan Trust, a charity I support.
BA reminded me that it has extended the expiry period on several occasions to offer flexibility. Unfortunately, people's health and family circumstances often do not always allow for flexibility.
However, those in a similar position can consider transferring them to family or friends or even selling them, if they get their skates on.
Rob Burgess, of travel rewards website Head For Points, says he doesn't blame BA for drawing a line under the voucher issue, especially after a fourth extension of the deadline.
He says: 'BA has a huge European and long-haul network to spend the vouchers on so most people should have been able to use them up.
'The vouchers are also transferable, and therefore also sellable on marketplaces such as eBay.'
Scam Watch
Investors should watch out for a scam investment peddled on messaging app Telegram, consumer website Which? warns.
Fraudsters add victims to a group chat and claim they have been chosen to participate in a Bitcoin or cryptocurrency trading advice group.
Victims are given the number of a 'senior financial adviser' to call – but this is a scam and fraudsters will attempt to get you to part with your money, Which? says. If you are added to one of these groups, click 'report spam and leave' at the top of the group chat page.
Late wife's insurance plan won't pay out
My late wife paid monthly into a SunLife life insurance plan. When I informed the firm about my loss and enclosed the death certificate, I was told I would receive £935.
When I chased, I received a letter from the insurer saying that since a premium had been missed in September 2024, the payout could not be made.
I was confused as my wife had not been in a position to cancel a payment.
R.B., Manchester.
Sally Hamilton replies: Your wife was paying into an over 50s life policy, which is different from a standard term life insurance plan in that no medical questionnaire is required and it promises to pay out as long as premiums are paid continuously.
With standard life insurance plans (where medical questionnaires are necessary) there is usually a grace period offered of typically 30 days or so if a policyholder misses a payment in which to catch up. Not so with most over 50s plans.
However, it seemed to me any skipped payments must have been an error and I thought SunLife, whose policies are managed by Phoenix, could have shown more benevolence.
I asked them to investigate and can reveal there had been a breakdown in communication within the firm and the payout has been made.
A spokesperson for Phoenix says: 'We are deeply sorry for the distress R.B. experienced following the passing of his wife.
'We understand how important it is for families to feel supported during such a difficult time, and we regret that our handling of his claim fell short of the standards we strive to uphold.
'Although the policy had lapsed due to missed payments, we recognised the exceptional circumstances and made the decision to reinstate the policy and honour the claim in full.
'Unfortunately, we did not confirm the payout with R.B. when he made a claim, and when he contacted us for an update, he was incorrectly informed that the claim would not be paid.'
Phoenix has apologised and added a goodwill gesture on top of the payout.
Straight to the point
I bought a pair of hearing aids from Specsavers last year for £1,995. My husband died not long after so the aids were the last thing on my mind.
Once I started to wear them, I found that they fell out easily when I moved around.
I was offered an extra arm to be fitted but I would have to pay £150. I want a refund as I can't wear these outside the house in case I lose them.
S.V., via email.
Specsavers says you were happy with the hearing aids when you bought them but you had a later appointment to help with the fitting issue, which you did not attend.
It has arranged for you to have a fresh trial of modified hearing aids.
***
I have not been able to log into my PayPal account for five months. I have phoned and emailed only to receive messages that say 'log in to read messages'.
I have more than £100 in my account but cannot get to it nor use it to pay for anything. I feel like I'm going around in circles.
J.M., West Lothian.
Paypal says a limitation has been placed on the account to keep it safe. It is contacting you to help you gain access to your account and has issued a goodwill gesture.
***
In June I asked my supplier Octopus Energy to produce a reduced night-time electricity rate so I could charge my hybrid car over the winter months, when my solar panels won't work so well.
But when my next bill arrived my daily rate had shot up by more than 25 per cent.
I didn't know of this potential increase and no one at Octopus has explained to me why my daily rate has been hiked.
K.T., Cheshire.
Octopus Energy says that you asked to move to a night-time tariff but did not realise your daytime rates would go up as a result.
It also billed you for the night-time tariff earlier than it should have. It has now returned your overpayment and given you a £100 goodwill gesture.
Write to Sally Hamilton at Sally Sorts It, Money Mail, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or email sally@dailymail.co.uk — include phone number, address and a note addressed to the offending organisation giving them permission to talk to Sally Hamilton. Please do not send original documents as we cannot take responsibility for them. No legal responsibility can be accepted by the Daily Mail for answers given.
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