BA and Virgin to reimburse passengers

Remember when British Airways and Virgin Atlantic got busted last year for price fixing? Well, the airlines will now have to reimburse customers for excess fees. U.S.-based passengers who flew on either airline between August 11, 2004, and March 23, 2006 will be eligible to get back up to $20 (£10 for U.K-based passengers) for each flight segment.

Cohen, Milstein, Hausfeld & Toll, the law firm handling the settlement, provides more details in a press release. According to the website, passengers who want a refund can register with a U.S. or U.K. refund site in anticipation of the final approval of the settlement.

I took one of the most uncomfortable flights of my life on British Airways during this period, and even though this lawsuit doesn’t have anything to do with all the elements that made it a miserable flight (miniscule seats with claustrophobia-inducing pitch among them), the thought of getting a little something back, even after all this time, inspires me to pursue the refund. I wonder how many other people will likewise see this as a chance to stick it to the airline industry that so regularly steps on the goodwill and patience of its customers.