Hot Topic: Will you be entitled compensation if your flight is cancelled due to Brexit post March 29th?
There has been much uncertainty and nervousness over the past few months (or two years to be more precise) regarding cancelled flights due to a no-deal Brexit, which may have been partly to blame for the decline in holiday bookings in 2019.
There are, however, some reassurances from ABTA and the ABI that all will not be lost regardless of the outcome on March 29th.
Details from Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) suggest that ‘UK citizens can be reassured that regardless of the Brexit outcome, planes will still fly between the UK and the EU: if a deal is agreed then we will be in a transition period, meaning everything will stay the same until the end of December 2020 and flights will continue as normal. Even if we are in a no-deal scenario, the European Commission has said that UK airlines will still be able to operate flights between the UK and the EU. The UK government has offered similar assurances for EU airlines.’
Adding to that, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) stated that, ‘If any airline fails to fulfil its obligations after booking, such as cancelling a flight, customers are entitled to a full refund to be claimed direct from the airline for the cost of the flight.’
What’s more, if you book your holiday through an ABTA affiliated travel agency, such as PayingTooMuch Holidays, then you will benefit from the extra security offered by ABTA, which should enable you to feel more confident about your holiday booking.
ABI also added that travel insurance may be able to help with any additional costs the traveller may incur because of a delay to travelling. For example, to cover the cost of the holiday when they cannot travel at all because there is no alternative transport available. Given the unique circumstances of Brexit you should check with your insurer directly if you are unclear.
Travel disruption cover may also offer you some compensation if travel delays have forced you to miss some or all your holiday. Or for the cost of unused bookings, such as a hotel reservation that is non-refundable.
To ensure you get covered from the moment you book your holiday, please contact us on 01243 784000 as soon as possible.
