Can I get help to get a refund from British Air?

what does the fine print on the upgrade say?

How did you pay for it? Last year, we had to cancel round trip flights from SFO to London on British air because of a medical situation. The only thing BA would refund and did was what they said were tax and fees. We finally submitted a claim to Chase Sapphire, the credit card we used and received the flight reimbursement. I know Chase has gotten expensive but this is the second time they have come thru in very frustrating situations. Having been in your situation I know how frustrated you’re feeling. Good luck and I know it doesn’t help now but for future travels try and have a better travel insurance plan.

I think I am having a little trouble following the entire situation. It sounds like costs booked through the agency were refunded by your insurance, but those through the airline were not. Was your travel insurance policy designed to only cover costs that occurred through the agency? If not, why aren’t they paying?

Another avenue to pursue might be to look what coverage the credit card you used to make the upgrade purchase has for cancellations. You might find some relief there.

I am glad your fiancée made it through.

The first question anyone has to ask is.....were the tickets refundable or non-refundable?

If you bought non-refundable tickets, then they are, in fact, non-refundable.

If they are non-refundable, it's doubtful you will get any cash refund. However, you could ask if they would give you a voucher for the amount towards a future flight.

You could also put in a claim through the credit card you used.

“If they are non-refundable, it's doubtful you will get any cash refund. However, you could ask if they would give you a voucher for the amount towards a future flight.”

Frank, we’re talking about BA. Last year, we asked if that was an option, nope. Unless the OP paid with a credit card with trip interruption, she’s probably out of luck.

Several people have mentioned getting a resolution through the credit card you used to pay for the business upgrade, assuming that you did pay via a credit (not debit) card. If British Airways is refusing to refund your unused purchase, and if there’s not a technicality that specifically prevents you from being eligible for a refund, call your credit card and tell them you are disputing the charge, and provide your reasons. BA might argue in favor of keeping your $11,000 but your credit card might reverse the charge if you provide an adequate reason and BA can’t.

I hope your fiancé gets a full medical recovery, and that you get a full financial one.

There is a difference between suggesting that an individual take advantage of the travel insurance options provided by a credit card company and disputing a charge. Be careful. You want a refund. I totally get that. Whether you are eligible for one is a different issue. Travel insurance deals with the fact that you had to cancel due to a medical emergency. A dispute would say that British Airways wrongfully would not provide the service you paid for and committed fraud in some manner. Neither of these are true.

Cyn, it seems the technicality is pretty clear:

“For the avoidance of doubt, paid seating will not be refunded if you
Cancel your flight.” BA Website

https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/seating/reserving-your-seat

And as Carol alluded to, filing a chargeback because you dislike the airlines terms is considered an invalid dispute and can have consequences.

Just another good reason to have a credit card that provides trip interruption.

I am a little confused. Was the original flight on BA booked through your travel agency along with the travel insurance? And the upgrade to business class booked directly on BA by yourself?

I once called British Airlines regarding cancelation, just doing research. I was told that business class seats were changeable, but one would have to pay the price difference. If the price went down, no credit would be issued. There was also a time limit to rebook the flights, and it MAY have been from the time one initially booked the tickets.
Good luck!

Try calling again. You bought a “promotional upgrade” and these are the generic terms:

“Promotional upgrades purchased online cannot be refunded in isolation and can only be refunded if the entire booking is cancelled. Promotional upgrades purchased at the airport are non-refundable.”

https://www.britishairways.com/content/offers/cabin-upgrades

Is there any way we could pursue another avenue to receive reimbursement?

I think not.

It seems the 'travel agency' insured the trip at the cost of what they sold you and you got that cost back.
You added the upgraded seats on your own, and presumably did not tell the travel agent so they could upgrade the insurance for your total outlay for the trip.

Unless you paid for the upgrade with a credit card that has an insurance benefit, there is no apparent avenue to recover from the credit card company.

If the plan is to make the trip once your fiance can travel, perhaps you can find a sympathetic agent at BA that will give you a credit for future travel.

Hope the recovery goes well

perhaps when it gets to be daytime where Barbara, barbaraberheim, is we will get some clarity.

Otherwise we are throwing darts in the dark

Not sure why the poster thinks they are due a refund. The British Airways website clearly says "When you can't claim a refund " and one of the reasons is "If you cancel your flight" The website goes on to sya "For the avoidance of doubt paid seating will not be refunded if you cancel your flight"

There's no medical "get out of jail free' card that should be covered by travel insurance. I'd be asking the agent who sold you this insurance why this isn't covered.

as for disputing the charge... the airline will send the bank the information the purchaser agreed to when they purchased and that generally means the airline gets paid (they have good lawyers) The fact that the purchaser didn't read the terms is irrelevant.

2 posters have mentioned paid seating— that is not this case. This is an upgrade, not a seat reservation.

the original poster put this up as their 1st post on Sunday and hasn't been back since.... either it has been resolved or not, we may never know

Buying an upgrade on BA is "paid seating" Basically you are paying extra to get a better seat than the one you originally booked. (been there done that :) )

Buying an upgrade on BA is "paid seating"

“Paid seating refers to the practice where airlines, including British Airways, charge passengers an additional fee to select specific seats in advance of their flight.”

That’s from AI but every ticket is always paying for some kind of seat, “paid seating” can only refer to a seat reservation logically.

Then there are those free seats for airline employees, right? Are those “comp’d seating,” or maybe “earned seating?”

But then, it’s said that nothing in life is free.

I wonder if the OP has made any headway?

Is there any way we could pursue another avenue to receive reimbursement?

This was OP's key question

Reading the responses, it seems the consensus answer is 'no'.

Now that the comments have devolved into a squabble over terminology of a term OP didn't use,

I suspect she has moved on to other things

The pain of being out $11,000 is not being helped/alleviated by anything being written here, so it's no mystery to me that OP has gone silent.

Whether one finds the BA policy 'fair' is its own debate, but the policy is there to be seen.