If your flight has been cancelled by the airline you should be offered an alternative flight or a full refund. Some air companies will offer vouchers for future flights instead of refunds. If your flight has been cancelled you are entitled to receive a cash refund, so if you would rather have your money back, you have the right not to accept vouchers and request a refund instead. You can complain if the airline refuses to refund you.
Check the following before you accept a voucher:
f you cannot or do not want to use your flight, but it has not been cancelled, the airline does not automatically owe you a refund, even if you cannot fly due to the current travel restrictions.
Many airlines will not charge you a fee if you want to rebook for a later date and some will offer vouchers as an alternative. If you do not rebook or accept a voucher before the flight and the flight goes ahead without you, the airline can refuse to provide you with an alternative flight or a refund.
If you do not want to travel and your ticket is non-refundable you are entitled to claim the Air Passenger Duty tax that is part of the cost of your ticket. It is important to remember that most airlines will charge a fee for processing your claim, which can be more than the amount of the tax you can claim back. The amount of tax will differ depending on the duration of your flight, which means you are more likely to get money back for long haul flights.
If you have a travel insurance, it is also worth checking if your policy will cover non-refundable cancellation costs in your particular circumstances.
What if your package holiday has been cancelled?
You are entitled to a full refund of any payments you have already made if your holiday package has been cancelled or there have been significant changes to it. Your travel provider can offer you vouchers for another holiday in future, but you do not have to accept if you would rather have your money back.
What if you do not want to go on your holiday anymore?
If it is a package holiday you should be able to cancel without having to pay a cancellation fee if your ability to go on the holiday you have booked would be significantly affected by Covid-19.
For example, you should be able to cancel if you (or someone you would be travelling with) have a medical condition that would make you particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 and you would be travelling to a country with increased risk of getting the virus.
If the country of your destination has restricted access to tourist attractions because of Covid-19, that should also allow you to cancel the trip.
If your flights and accommodation have been booked separately and are not part of a single package, you are not automatically entitled to a refund and will need to check cancellation Terms and Conditions of your booking.
Most travel operators will let you rebook your holiday for a later date with no extra fee or offer you a voucher to use in future.
Comments