British Airways: ‘We’ve cancelled your flight home, pay us £438 for the extra night’

British Airways has apologised for asking a holidaymaker to pay £438 for an extra night’s accommodation after cancelling their original flight home.

The passenger, who did not wish to be named, had booked a late-autumn trip to Antigua through BA’s holiday division.

But in common with other airlines, British Airways is cancelling a large number of lightly booked flights – among them, the passenger’s inbound departure from the Caribbean to London Gatwick.

He was correctly offered the chance to cancel for a full refund or change to a different holiday. But BA said if the passenger wanted to keep the original booking and return to Antigua to London the following day, the additional costs would be his responsibility.

British Airways told him he would either need to pay an additional £438 for an extra night at his resort, or “accept the new flight and make your own arrangements for the last night”.

The passenger then contacted The Independent, saying: “Surely as they have cancelled the flight it is their responsibility to arrange the extra night at no cost to us?”

The Package Travel Regulations and European air passengers’ rights rules stipulate that, if an airline cancels a flight, it must make alternative arrangements to transport the traveller and provide necessary accommodation and meals.

After The Independent contacted British Airways, the airline said: “We are sorry for the confusion caused by the individual error of one of our colleagues in this instance when setting out the options available to this customer.

“We have now contacted the customer and clarified their options regarding this holiday and are pleased we have found a resolution for them.”

After Brexit, both sets of consumer legislation will continue to prevail.