LONDON: Britain's competition authority said on Wednesday it was investigating whether Ryanair and British Airways had broken consumer law by failing to offer refunds for flights customers could not legally take during the COVID pandemic.

During periods of lockdown across Britain, the airlines refused to give refunds to people that were lawfully unable to fly, with IAG-owned British Airways offering vouchers or rebooking and Ryanair providing the option to rebook.

The Competition and Markets Authority said the airlines may have breached consumer law and it had opened enforcement cases against them.