Tourism bosses call for immediate flight refund rollout by airlines

Passengers at Gatwick Airport in London on Sunday. The Government banned in-bound flights from the UK – which came into effect at midnight on Sunday. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Tourism bosses have called on airlines to immediately start paying out refunds for in-bound flights from the UK cancelled as part of the Government’s latest Covid restrictions.

Ryanair and Aer Lingus have confirmed they will offer refunds or free flight changes to passengers affected by the Government’s 48-hour ban on in-bound flights from the UK – which came into effect at midnight on Sunday.

However, tourism representatives want swift action. They said a repeat of the long-drawn out process of refunding, seen when summer flights were cancelled due to the pandemic, cannot be allowed to happen.

Ryanair and Aer Lingus will refund passengers for cancelled flights from the UK into Ireland, but tourism chiefs want a quick payout and not a long drawn-out process.

“We want airlines to expedite refunds as soon as possible,” said Irish Travel Agents Association chief executive Pat Dawson. “We don’t want a similar debacle as was seen in the summer, when people were waiting up to nine months to get their money back.” 

“On the one hand, it’s welcome [that refunds are due to be paid], but on the other hand it is very tough for families if loved ones can’t travel at Christmas. Under such circumstances, we would like to see a quick turnaround on refunds,” Mr Dawson said.

He also said the Government should have cancelled all flights last summer, rather than just advise passengers not to travel. This, he said, could have avoided so-called ‘ghost flights’, where some airlines flew near-empty jets in order to keep flights open, while customers cancelled their trips because of Government advice not to fly at the height of the pandemic.

Airlines might be flying with no one on them and their money lost ?????as passangers will only be refunded if the flights are cancelled !!!! https://t.co/ohqtkds5mg

— pat dawson retired from travel industry May 2023 (@patdawson) December 20, 2020

Airlines are only legally obliged to refund customers when the flight is grounded and does not fly.

The ITAA is pushing for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission to investigate the case for ‘ghost flight’ refunds, and is being supported by opposition parties.

The UK’s competition regulator – the Competition and Markets Authority – is launching a similar investigation in Britain.

British Airways – which is also owned by Aer Lingus parent IAG – and Virgin Atlantic have said they won’t offer refunds to passengers cancelling flights due to UK government advice surrounding Covid safety, despite the CMA’s investigation.

Meanwhile, Ryanair has cancelled 12 UK domestic and international routes citing “unjustified” Brexit-related restrictions.