What your British Airways contract says

In short

British Airways' Conditions of Carriage form your contract for each ticketed flight, governed by English law and supplemented by UK Regulation 261/2004 (the post-Brexit retained version of EU 261), the Montreal Convention 1999 for international journeys, and the Consumer Rights Act 2015. BA operates a tiered fare ladder: Basic (Euro Traveller / World Traveller hand-baggage-only on shorter routes), Standard, Plus, Club Europe, Club World/Club Suite, and First. The fare you buy determines whether a hold bag is included, whether you can change or refund the ticket, what seat selection costs, and whether you board with priority. Statutory rights (compensation for cancellation, long delay, and denied boarding, plus a duty of care during disruption) sit on top of those commercial conditions and cannot be contracted away. Disputes that BA cannot resolve internally can be escalated to CEDR, the alternative dispute resolution body BA has signed up to, and ultimately to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

What you agree to do

• You must check in within the published deadlines (usually 60 minutes before short-haul, 90 minutes before long-haul) and present valid travel documents at the gate.
• You must comply with hand and hold baggage allowances for your fare class; on hand-baggage-only Basic fares no hold bag is included and adding one later is more expensive than at booking.
• You must pay any fare difference, change fee, or no-show charge that applies to your fare class if you alter or miss your booking.

What you can ask for

• If your flight is cancelled, or delayed by 5 or more hours, you have the right to choose between a full refund within 7 days or rerouting at the earliest opportunity (UK Reg. 261/2004, Art. 8).
• For cancellations notified less than 14 days before departure (and not caused by extraordinary circumstances), you are entitled to fixed compensation: £220 for journeys up to 1,500 km, £350 for journeys 1,500-3,500 km, and £520 for journeys over 3,500 km.
• If your flight is delayed more than 3 hours on arrival and the delay is BA's responsibility, you are entitled to the same £220/£350/£520 compensation tiers as a cancellation.
• During disruption you are entitled to a duty of care: meals and refreshments proportionate to the delay, two phone calls or messages, and hotel accommodation plus transfers if an overnight stay is needed.
• If denied boarding involuntarily because BA has overbooked, you are entitled to the same compensation scale plus rerouting or a refund (UK Reg. 261/2004, Art. 4).
• For lost, damaged, or delayed checked baggage on international flights, you can claim up to approximately 1,288 SDR (around £1,200) under the Montreal Convention; written notice must be given within 7 days for damage and 21 days for delay.
• If BA does not resolve a complaint within 8 weeks or issues a deadlock letter, you can refer the dispute free of charge to CEDR (the ADR body BA participates in) and ultimately notify the CAA.

Points worth knowing

• Hand-baggage-only Basic fares with surprise costs at the airportOn short-haul routes BA's cheapest fare often excludes a hold bag and seat selection. Adding a hold bag at the airport is materially more expensive than at booking, and gate checks of oversized cabin bags are increasingly strict.
• Refund timing slippageThe legal deadline for a cash refund is 7 days. In practice BA has, during mass disruption events, pushed travel vouchers as the default and refunds have taken weeks. You are entitled to insist on the original payment method.
• Codeshare and operating-carrier confusionMany BA-numbered flights are operated by partners (Iberia, American, Aer Lingus, Vueling, Comair historically). Under Montreal Convention rules you can sue either the contracting carrier or the operating carrier, but BA may direct you to the operating partner first, slowing claims.
• Avios redemption changes and dynamic pricingBA Executive Club reward seats moved to dynamic pricing on many routes, meaning the Avios cost of a seat can be many multiples of the historical fixed rate. Avios themselves can be devalued at any time.
• Air Passenger Duty embedded in the fareAll flights departing the UK include APD (£13 short-haul economy up to £224 long-haul premium as of the 2024 rates). If you no-show on a non-refundable ticket you can still reclaim the APD portion, but BA will only refund it on request and may charge an admin fee.

Dates and deadlines

Online check-in window

Opens 24 hours before scheduled departure; closes 60-90 minutes before depending on route

Refund deadline after cancellation

BA must refund within 7 days of you accepting a refund (UK Reg. 261/2004)

Baggage claim window

Damaged baggage: 7 days from receipt. Delayed baggage: 21 days from delivery (Montreal Convention)

Compensation claim limitation

Six years from the date of disruption under English law (Limitation Act 1980)