Best way to claim refund?

Had a domestic flight today (BA), to connect to a transatlantic one. It was business class,but the flight went tech and we were then re - booked on another flight. However, it was economy, as there was no availability for business.

The transatlantic flight is, as I say, BA, but the domestic flight was AA. It wa all booked via BA, though we did get two booking references.

With all this in mind, who should I approach for a claim between the cost of the fight paid for and the class of flight we got - BA or AA????

Sorry, I’m a bit confused as in your first sentence you say you were on a BA domestic flight, then in the second you say it was AA.

What was your exact itinerary? And, crucially, was it all on the same booking?

You contact AA as the operating carrier of the downgraded flight.

Same booking or not makes no difference. With a mixed AA/BA booking you will get two separate refs as BA and AA use totally different booking systems.

Though don't expect very much back!

Sorry, I’m a bit confused as in your first sentence you say you were on a BA domestic flight, then in the second you say it was AA.

What was your exact itinerary? And, crucially, was it all on the same booking?

Sorry, the idomestic flight was on AA

It was Nashville - Chicago (AA)

Chicago - LHR (BA). Yes, all on the same booking, through BA.

You contact AA as the operating carrier of the downgraded flight.

Same booking or not makes no difference. With a mixed AA/BA booking you will get two separate refs as BA and AA use totally different booking systems.

Though don't expect very much back!

You’re right, there are two separate booking refs and I’d have assumed the same thing - but a few months back, we got an email from BA about a change of timing for the (outbound) AA leg. Had to contact them, as the change had again downgraded us from business to economy, and they offered to refund the difference. Hence my confusion!

before you travel who you book with is responsible for any changes (so if you'd booked with Expedia they would have done it for example). For on the day and post flight issues it is the operating carrier that you have to deal with.

before you travel who you book with is responsible for any changes (so if you'd booked with Expedia they would have done it for example). For on the day and post flight issues it is the operating carrier that you have to deal with.

Ah, ok, there’s a difference then. Thanks!

Remember you’re not covered by EC261/2004 though, and the US has no such protection so you’re at the mercy of AA and its own policy.

Good luck.

So, I started by calling AA. The guy I spoke to didn’t seem to know what he was doing and went to ask someone. A few minutes later, he come back on the phone, to tell me I had to contact BA about a reading! Yes, I know what the advice was here, but he wasn’t budging....

So back to BA - long wait to get through, but eventually I spoke to a very helpful woman (could also understand what she was saying, huge bonus!). She had a look at our flight reference and could see there had been an issue. Straightaway, she said she would raise a case, a refund will be issued by BA, but they would need to email AA first to clear. While I was on the phone, she spoke to th BA refund dept, who confirmed this. She also spoke about compensation (I hadn’t mentioned this and wouldn’t expect to get any), but will see what happens. I’ve now got a reference number, she reckoned it should take a couple of weeks to do.

I’m not holding my breath, but it was a breath of fresh air to have someone who understood and knew what to do. At lest I’ve tried....

Well, knock me down with a feather!

I’ve now received a refund from BA, for the difference in class booked and class flown. Not a whole lot, but I hadn’t expected it would be. Have also heard from AA, offering vouchers in compensation - which I really didn’t expect at all. I’ve tried to get clarified though, if these can be used against partner fares, the reply was ‘The voucher may also be used on any of the airlines in our oneworld® alliance, provided American Airlines is the international carrier (international flights are defined as the transatlantic carrier)’

We’ve both read the above several times and can’t decide if this means we would need to fly AA on a transatlantic flight, or whether we could use BA. Anyone here had experience of this? Also, in the event that we could book through BA, th vouchers will be issued in USD, I’m assuming BA wouldn’t be able to even accept payment in dollars. Or maybe it would be a phone call u

I read that as you must fly AA internationally but if you need to connect to or from the AA flight you can use any oneworld airline to do so.

I would also assume that you could only redeem the vouchers when booking with AA.

I read that as you must fly AA internationally but if you need to connect to or from the AA flight you can use any oneworld airline to do so.

I would also assume that you could only redeem the vouchers when booking with AA.

That's my interpretation too.

I read that as you must fly AA internationally but if you need to connect to or from the AA flight you can use any oneworld airline to do so.

I would also assume that you could only redeem the vouchers when booking with AA.

That's my interpretation too.

I'd agree with that too.

I would guess that these are AA eVouchers cat... T&Cs on redemption are here

Only good for bookings originating in the US and through AA I am afraid so you would be unable to use them booking through BA in GBP.

Good result for you though, well done on pursuing them for something.

I read that as you must fly AA internationally but if you need to connect to or from the AA flight you can use any oneworld airline to do so.

I would also assume that you could only redeem the vouchers when booking with AA.

That's my interpretation too.

I'd agree with that too.

I would guess that these are AA eVouchers cat... T&Cs on redemption are here

I don’t think so - they’ve asked for my mailing address so they can send them. Quaint!

Thanks everyone!