UK charities' bid for air refunds

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The head of the Sussex, Surrey and Kent Air Ambulance is to seek unclaimed refunds on air fuel surcharges.

British Airways and Virgin Atlantic were found guilty of price-fixing between August 2004 and March 2006.

They set aside over £70m for refunds to UK customers, but they cannot choose to give them to charity, as they could in the US.

David Philpott hopes to challenge that ruling in a US district court next week.

We are asking for a tick box to be included on the compensation form David Philpott

The US charity Miracle Flights For Kids is set to benefit from American passengers' unclaimed refunds.

Mr Philpott wants compensation money not taken up by UK passengers to be passed onto the Association of Air Ambulance Charities, of which he is chair, and the British Disabled Flying Association.

Under the proposals, if about half of the UK passengers affected by the price-fixing scandal fail to make a claim, the charities could stand to gain up to £40m.

He also wants customers to be offered the choice of donating their refunds to charity.

Refund wish

"We are asking for a tick box to be included on the compensation form where affected passengers can choose to donate their refund to charity," he said.

"For some people the fuel surcharge may have been £15 so they might not want the money and can choose for it to go to charity."

A BA spokesperson said: "The procedures for passengers affected who wish to make a claim will be publicised in due course by a court-appointed claims administrator.

"If passengers who receive their refund wish to make a donation to the charity of their choice then they are free to do so."