EASYJET has grounded hundreds of flights as coronavirus continues to spread across the globe.
In total, the airline has had to ground 100 out of its 344 planes, just over a quarter.
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For Brits looking forward to a holiday, this could mean cancelled plans, while those already abroad might need rescue flights home.
And Easyjet has warned that further coronavirus travel bans could lead to the majority of its fleet being grounded.
If you’re an easyJet customer – here’s everything you need to know about which flights are cancelled and how to get your money back.
Which easyJet flights are grounded?
Wherever authorities have implemented strict travel bans, easyJet has had to ground its planes.
The majority of cancelled flights are due to the travel restrictions in Spain and Italy.
Here’s the list of the major routes affected.
- Cyprus – All flights cancelled from Wednesday March 18.
- Egypt – All flights cancelled from Friday March 20. Flights operating as normal until March 19.
- Hungary (Budapest) – Flights operating until March 18 but cancelled from March 19.
- Italy – All flights cancelled until April 4, with some rescue flights operating.
- Israel – Flights continue to operate, but strict travel restrictions mean you may not be able to fly.
Passengers who have travelled internationally and who are not Israeli citizens must prove they have a residential address and phone number where they can self-isolate for 14 days in order to be admitted to the country.
Israeli citizens will also be required to self-isolate on their return to Israel.
As a result of this, easyJet is advising passengers to ensure that they can meet these requirements before flying. - Morocco – All flights cancelled. EasyJet planning some new flights to help people return home.
- Spain – All flights cancelled from March 17 till March 29, with some rescue flights planned.
- Turkey – All flights cancelled from March 21.
What happens if my flight is cancelled?
If your flight is cancelled, easyJet says it will contact you and there is no need for you to get in touch.
If a country changes its travel restrictions, the impact on easyJet’s schedule and guidance on what to do can be found on the policy page on the easyJet website.
There will be a short delay in flights being cancelled, 12 hours on average, and following that rescue flights will be published.
The revised flight programme will be published on the policy pages and affected customers will be contacted via email and text message.
The airline says that customer services helplines will not have any additional information and so customers are best off checking digitally and waiting for easyJet to contact them.
Can I get a refund for a cancelled flight?
If easyJet cancels your flights there a number of options open to you.
You can rearrange the flights via the Manage Bookings app. This might mean booking onto a different flight to the same destination – if there are any still going – or choosing a new location.
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All customers can change their flights with no change fee. This applies to all existing and new bookings.
The other alternative is to apply for a refund. EasyJet says you can also do this via the same bookings website.
Easyjet has said customers will get their money back for cancelled flights.
You won’t get compensation on top though as this is considered to be an extraordinary circumstance.
If booked through a tour operator, travel agent or online travel agent you should contact them to change your flights.
Can I get a refund for my accommodation and other parts of the holiday?
EasyJet is only responsible for refunding the flights it has cancelled.
To get the money back on other elements of the holiday, you’ll need to contact the providers first and ask for a refund.
If you can’t get reimbursed by your hotel, car hire provider, or for other elements of your trip, you may be able to claim on insurance.
To claim successfully, the country will usually need to have been declared “at risk” by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
As long as you booked the trip before the FCO changed its restrictions, you should be able to claim any non-refundable costs.
This can include anything you have pre-paid such as hotels, transfers and car hire.
If you don’t have insurance, or your claim isn’t valid, you may still be able to get some cash back.
If you paid by credit card, you might be able to reclaim the money thanks to Section 75 rules.
The total cost will need to be between £100 and £20,000 pounds, and you’ll be covered even if only the deposit went on your card.
For those on paid less than £100 or you paid on debit card, you may be able to get a refund from your card provider under similar Chargeback rules.
What if I need to get home and my flight is cancelled?
Where travel bans are implemented and flights are cancelled, EasyJet is running emergency rescue flights to get people home.
You can book yourself onto one of these flights in a couple of ways:
- Sign into easyJet.com and go to Manage Bookings
- Turn up at the airport as early as possible on your preferred day of departure and you’ll be put on a rescue flight if there are seats available
EasyJet says if it can’t get you on a flight on the day you were due to travel, it will provide and pay for accommodation.
If you google Easyjet rescue flights and the country you’re stuck in you’ll find more information.
Here is the information for those in Spain, for example.
Spain coronavirus – How to get a refund on your holiday as Tui and Jet2 cancel hundreds of flights.
Coronavirus – How to cancel your holiday to the USA and get a refund now travel from the UK has been banned.
Coronavirus flights – what to do if your airline refuses refunds as passengers say complaints being ignored.
