Martin Lewis' Money Saving Expert team have issued a warning to those flying with EasyJet and TUI this summer.
It comes as thousands of flight cancellations have caused chaos at airports all across the country. British Airways scrapped around 30,000 flights between October last year and April this year while Easyjet cancelled around 10,000 between October last year and July.
Other airlines forced to cancel flights include TUI, Virgin Atlantic and Wizz Air. The companies have all been putting the cancellations down to staff shortages due to sickness and industrial action.
READ MORE: Travel disruption continues as British Airways cancel thousands more flights
The government has tried to crack down on last minute cancellations after reports of some travellers not finding out they wouldn't be going on their trip until they reached the boarding gate. In June, the government warned the airline companies that they would need to cancel flights with at least 14 days notice to avoid further disruption this summer.
Your rights i f your flight is cancelled more than 14 days before you're due to fly
According to the MSE website, if your flight is cancelled more than 14 days before departure you have the right to request a full refund or alternative route, but you are not entitled to compensation on top of your refund or reroute. These rules apply if you are departing from the UK/EU (on any airline) or arriving in the UK/EU (but then it must be on a UK or EU airline).
Requesting a refund - You're legally entitled to a full cash refund and don't have to accept vouchers if the airline tries to push this alternative. A cash refund will be returned to the bank account that you booked the flight with so ensure that details are up to date and let the airline know of any changes.
Alternative route - If you still want to travel then your airline should offer a different flight. They should try to re-route on the same day but ultimately it is up to you to decide whether to fly as soon as possible after the cancelled flight, or at a later date.
If no flights with the airline you booked with are available, it can book you with a different airline or via another mode of transport.
If your flight was cancelled you should also be provided with a reasonable amount to cover food, drink and communication costs, as well as accommodation and transport if you're stranded at the airport or abroad.
Voucher or credit - British Airways, Easyjet, Virgin Atlantic, and Wizz Air, for example, have all said they offer the choice of a voucher or credit. It normally offers the same amount as your cancelled flight but there is no benefit to you of a voucher (unless the airline offers you more than the standard refund) over cash.
Compensation for f lights cancelled within 14 days of departure
If the cancellation was within 14 days of flying, and it was the airline’s fault, you could also be due £100s in compensation on top of being able to request a refund or alternative route. Cancellations lately are mainly due to staffing issues, which is generally counted as the airline's fault, so you will be entitled to compensation.
How much you get depends on how far you were set to travel and if you decided to take an alternative flight how long the delay was. You can get hundreds of pounds back in compensation.
Bott and Co – a law firm specialising in flight delay and cancellation claims – said staff sickness, including covid related sickness, and strikes by the airline crew are NOT reasons for airlines to avoid paying compensation. Coby Benson, a solicitor at Bott and Co, told MSE : "Most staffing issues, for instance relating to crew sickness or staff on strike, are not extraordinary circumstances and the airline should therefore pay out for these."
How to make a claim
To make a claim, you can complain directly to your airline.
- For British Airways refunds and rebooking, go to Manage My Booking. For BA compensation claims, see make a claim.
- For a refund request from TUI, fill in its online form here. To make a compensation claim, use TUI's online form.
- To make a refund request with Wizz Air, login to your online account. To claim compensation from Wizz Air, follow this link and fill in the form.
With Easyjet and Ryanair, we've linked to their complaints pages, which will explain whether you need to get in touch by writing or by using online complaints forms:
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