A disabled British Airways passenger asking for a refund for a cancelled trip is feeling "deflated and extremely upset" after a staff member told him: "You chose vouchers - that's all you're getting."

Clive Millard from Whitfield near Dover dubbed the airline's handling of his complaint "a tragic decline in the treatment of lifelong customers".

Meanwhile his MP is backing his case which does not regard his consumer rights.

It came after the former professional manager was told by BA at the end of July that his trip to Florida in September was cancelled.

He and wife Penelope had been planning a four-week stay to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary on September 5.

But when the coronavirus led to a global pandemic, their existing respiratory health conditions mean they can not travel - not least because they won't be able to get insurance.

The problem with BA started while Mr Millard was trying to navigate its website, when he opted for vouchers instead of a refund.

"You’ve displayed a level of insensitivity that I would never in a million years believe BA to be capable of..."

He said: "I was waiting in their telephone queue and it kept directing me to the website.

"I went on the website while I was still waiting in the queue and I pressed a button for a refund or voucher expecting to get an option to choose a refund. But it didn't give me the option and it said I had selected a voucher."

There was no facility online to reverse this so he stayed on the line to rectify it.

He added: "When I knew I had made this terrible mistake I connected to BA.

"I said I'd made a mistake here, because I can't fly because I can't get insurance because of various issues.

He was then told "You chose vouchers - that's all you're getting."

BA has not denied the treatment of Mr Millard, and has since issued an apology via Kentonline.

But the airline has again refused to refund - despite Dover & Deal MP Natalie Elphicke writing to tell BA that her constituent's error does not affect his consumer rights.

A BA spokesman said: "We are sorry for the comments that were made to Mr Millard, which fall short of the standards we expect.

"We are doing everything we can to help our customers and offer them flexibility in these difficult and unprecedented circumstances."

But after this Sophie Gray of British Airways' Global Engagement Executive Team told him: "We understand how strongly you feel about getting a refund on your ticket, but once you have chosen to receive a voucher for future travel, it cannot be exchanged for cash. I appreciate you have advised this was done in error, but I'm afraid we're unable to change the outcome. I'm sorry to disappoint you. Your voucher is valid for use until 30 April 2022."

After learning on Monday that BA still won't resolve the matter to his satisfaction, Mr Millard wrote back, eloquently slating the customer care.

He wrote: "Having worked as a professional manager for my entire career I know the importance of good customer service, of retaining the loyalty of clientele, caring for them and helping them.

"I’ve spent my career doing exactly that - I only hoped for the smallest courtesy to be extended to my wife and I in these trying times.

"I was once told that 'how you respond when under pressure is how you will be defined'. There is no process that is unable to be undone, if you truly cared for your patrons you could do something, you could reverse this decision.

"Once again you’ve selected to ignore the health issues I have that mean I cannot utilise the voucher offer.

"It’s difficult enough being disabled. Navigating the simplest of life's challenges is exhausting enough without having to traverse for support on this matter, but you’ve displayed a level of insensitivity that I would never in a million years believe BA to be capable of."

Natalie Elphicke, Member of Parliament for Dover & Deal, said: “British Airways have not responded in the way that I would have expected from them and I will follow up again on Mr Millard’s behalf.

“The pandemic has meant many people have contacted me about travel booking at cottages, flights, ferries and hotels where bookings have been disrupted and thankfully we’ve managed to secure many positive outcomes.

“We’ll keep fighting in the hope we do so again here for Mr Millard."

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