The UK airlines offering you the most protection in the pandemic era
Tags: Commercial Market, Airlines, Covid 19, Marker, Consumer Law

The UK airlines offering you the most protection in the pandemic era

What 5 airlines (EasyJet, Jet2, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Ryanair) are doing for you to counter COVID-19 disruptions. Sibby Dec 27, 2021·5 min read

In fear of burdening you with bad news in my very first article on Medium, I must make you aware that UK law does not impose any strict legal obligation on an airline to refund you if you are restricted, advised against or legally prohibited from flying while the flight is still able to go ahead.

This, of course, presents a huge issue for those of us burdened by legal or government restrictions put in place by countries around the world in response to the tumultuous nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In light of an abandoned legal case brought forward by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) against British Airways and Ryanair earlier this year, the position regarding the right to refunds in these situations continues to remain unclear.

The CMA’s CEO has told us how…

To put it simply, things need to drastically change for the consumer in the aviation industry. However, in the meantime, we have to work with what we have.

I have therefore put together some of the booking terms or policies that the main airlines are offering right now in this article.

The following airlines are ranked in order of what I believe to be the most generous to help give you an indication of who is the safest option when booking your next trip abroad.

1. EasyJet

EasyJet has some of the more favourable terms in the industry with its ‘Flights Protection Promise’. This incorporates both their ‘Freedom to Change’ policy and ‘Travel Restriction Protection’ policy.

Freedom to Change allows you to reschedule your flight free of charge up to 2 hours before your departure to any flights currently on sale and to any destination on the easyJet network.

The rescheduling can take place until 31 March 2022.

EasyJet’s Travel Restriction Protection goes that one step further by offering you the chance to reschedule your flight free-of-charge or opt for a voucher or refund in the event that you have been impacted by a travel ban or mandatory hotel quarantine.

Travel Restriction Protection is currently set to remain in place for flights up to just over a year from now so you can continue to have this protection throughout the whole of 2022.

Please see the following webpage for full terms and conditions and accompanying information.

https://www.easyjet.com/en/pledge#travelrestrictionprotection

It is worth noting that this policy does not apply where travel is not banned but there is advice or guidance against travel.

2. Jet2

Jet2’s current policy allows you to reschedule or cancel and request a refund in the event:

a. The UK government enforce hotel quarantine (i.e., because of Red List restrictions); or

b. The government in your destination requires self-isolation with no option of release

within 7 days before the departure date.

The requirements to simply reschedule are less onerous in that if the government advises against anything but essential travel, you will be able to do so without a fee.

Jet2 then goes even further by providing the option to reschedule free of charge if you either test positive for COVID-19 or are told by the UK government to self-isolate.

Please see the following webpage for full terms and conditions and accompanying information.

https://www.jet2.com/flights/speedy-and-smooth-refunds

3. British Airways

British Airways (BA) offers a ‘booking with confidence’ policy. This allows you to either:

a. Reschedule your flight free of charge; or

b. Apply for a ‘Future Travel Voucher’ to be used before 30 September 2023. This can also be used for a different destination.

This applies to customers with bookings made before 3 March 2020 for travel due to have started by 28 February 2021 and to customers with bookings made from 3 March 2020 onwards for travel completed by 31 August 2022.

Please see the following webpage for full terms and conditions and accompanying information.

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/incident/coronavirus/flexible-booking

4. Virgin Atlantic

Virgin Atlantic’s policy differs depending on when you made your original flight booking.

If you booked on or after 3 March 2021, for travel up to 30 April 2022, you can change your dates as many times as you need to, including changing your destination, or make one name change. You’ll just need to make sure your new travel dates take place by 30 April 2023, and that any changes are made before your original departure date.

If you booked before 5 February 2021, you will have the opportunity to reschedule but on a limited basis.

Please see the following webpage for full terms and conditions and accompanying information.

https://flywith.virginatlantic.com/us/en/your-journey-with-us/no-change-fees-policy.html#

5. Ryanair

Ryanair has decided to introduce a ‘Zero Change Fee’ policy. This mimics the approach of some of the airlines above but is very restrictive in the bookings that it will apply to and does not allow room for a change in destination.

It instead allows you to reschedule your flight free of charge for bookings made between 26 December 2021 and 31 January 2022. You can reschedule up until 30 September 2022.

The key thing to note here is that you must ensure you change your flight 7 days before any original departure dates. Once you’re past this point, you’re too late.

Please see the following webpage for full terms and conditions and accompanying information.

https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/book-with-confidence

Managing your airline bookings in a COVID-19 age

Ultimately, each airline will have its own conditions of carriage (i.e., airline terms and conditions) and usually some form of a refund/reschedule policy in light of COVID-19. My opinion is that these should be your first port of call before deciding on your trip away.

For those readers who have already booked a flight, checking the relevant terms as soon as possible is prudent in determining what your options are the next time COVID-19 scuppers your plans.

Please note: The views in this article represent my own and nothing within this article constitutes legal advice.