Consumer Protection Agency accuses British Airways of illegally imposing $50 fee on airline tickets bought by Ghanaians
The Consumer Protection Agency (CPA) has made a strong accusation against British Airways, alleging that the airline has been charging Ghanaian customers an additional $50 fee when purchasing airline tickets. The CPA, deeming this fee illegal, issued a statement condemning British Airways’ actions and called for an immediate halt to the charge.
In the statement, the CPA highlighted a specific practice involving cash payments for airline tickets at Standard Chartered Bank branches. According to the CPA, British Airways and Standard Chartered Bank have collaborated to impose a $50 charge for customers making payments at these branches. The CPA firmly asserted that such a charge is against the law and demanded that British Airways cease this practice without delay.
The CPA further claimed that the extra fee is a result of an agreement between British Airways and Standard Chartered Bank. However, the agency emphasized that passengers should not be caught in the middle of any arrangement made between the two entities. According to the CPA, passengers should only be required to pay the fare of their reservation and no additional charges.
The statement from the CPA also revealed that their investigation pointed to British Airways as the party instructing Standard Chartered Bank to levy the purportedly unjustifiable $50 fee on top of the ticket price.
In response to the situation, the CPA encouraged affected passengers who had paid the extra $50 fee to contact them for assistance in obtaining possible refunds. They assured those affected that they would work towards facilitating reimbursements.
This development raises concerns about the transparency and fairness of airline ticket pricing practices in Ghana, highlighting the importance of consumer protection measures and the need for companies to comply with local regulations. As the situation unfolds, stakeholders eagerly await responses from both British Airways and Standard Chartered Bank to shed light on the allegations and clarify their positions.
