BudgetAir is an online travel agency and claims to be the number 1 online travel agent in the UK. During Covid, many millions of passengers had flights cancelled and were left chasing refunds from BudgetAir and other online travel agents like TravelUp, eDreams and Opodo.
The UK regulator the CMA is even conducting an investigation into whether airlines breached consumer rights laws during Coronavirus. But unlike airlines, travel agents aren't regulated.
How to get a refund on a cancelled BudgetAir flight?
If you're one of the many unlucky BudgetAir customers waiting on a cancelled flight refund due to Coronavirus travel bans, you have a few options. Some options require more time than others, and with varying chances of working.
What are all the flight refund options available during Covid-19?
Option 1: Contact BudgetAir
You can call, email or use social media to get in touch directly with BudgetAir. Unfortunately, this is what everyone else is doing (2 million others) so you'll have to join the queue.
Contact Information for BudgetAir
Telephone | 0843 2244906 |
Website | |
Effort Breakdown
Time Taken: | 6-10 Months |
Chances of working: | Moderate |
Cost: | Free |
Option 2: Use a complaints website
These sites help you send a polite letter of complaint, based on EU law. Unfortunately this can be like screaming at a brick wall (or banging your head against it), since a lot of the time the airline has already reimbursed the travel agent so they claim it's not their problem anymore.
Even worse, if you do win your case through a complaints site, they'll take 25% of your refund, leaving you with no holiday and no money to book one in the future.
Complaints Companies
Resolver |
Flightright |
ClaimCompass |
Effort Breakdown
Time Taken: | 2-3 hours |
Chances of working: | Moderate |
Cost: | 25% of your refund |
Option 3: Chargeback on your credit card
You can ask your bank or credit card company to process a refund, also called a chargeback. During Coronavirus, this has become more difficult, and can take months.
Effort Breakdown
Time Taken: | Months |
Chances of working: | Moderate |
Cost: | Free |
Option 4: Take legal action against the travel agent
By using a licensed solicitor to commence legal proceedings against the travel agent, you can get them to sit up and pay attention.
The solicitor gathers details of the case using our online platform (5 minutes)
The solicitor prepares a letter before action (no time or effort for you, handled by a licensed solicitor)
The letter is sent by the solicitor to the travel agent (no time or effort for you)
Effort Breakdown
Time Taken: | 5 minutes |
Chances of working: | 95% success rate |
Cost: | £149 including VAT |
If you want a licensed solicitor to take legal action against the travel agent, that's your strongest option. It's also more affordable than you think (starting at £149) by using Lawhive.
(Lawhive is the UK's largest online network of licensed solicitors, on average costing ⅓ of the cost of a high street law firm and consistently gets rated 5 stars by customers.)
With Lawhive, you get the advantages of a licensed solicitor helping you get your money back, but for a fraction of the cost of going to a law firm. Like a complaints website, Lawhive is completely online, but it's much cheaper since you won't have to give away 25% of your refund.
If you booked directly through the airline, you can ask your solicitor to commence legal proceedings against them instead.
What else can Lawhive help with?
Lawhive's network of solicitors can also help you resolve neighbour disputes, or a dispute with your tenant or landlord, create or dispute a will, get a divorce, and negotiate custody arrangements, all online at a third of the cost of a high street law firm.