How far ahead are flights cancelled, we’ve got a flight booked late May, might be a bit early?

I’ve got mid April flights and not been officially cancelled yet. I assume close to the time to try and spread out the load on the customer service staff.

Anyone having much luck with this? I keep calling, but get the long-winded explanation of… nothing… before getting cut off. Is it worth listening through the drivel on the offchance it doesn’t automatically cut you off?

Woop, success!
Interestingly, the recorded message you hear when calling in (“we’ve experiencing high volumes, so please call back later” [big blurb then disconnected]) changed; the phrasing switched to “many customers are finding it easier to call back later…”. From there it was a few minutes, very helpful customer service guy, all sorted. Apparently should be refunded in 3-5 days

Today looks like the day to get your refund. Got through not once but twice after my bloody phone packed up on me 😩. Still need to keep retrying until you get a different recorded message to the standard one, plus be prepared to hold for a while. But got there in the end.

Got through pretty easily to both Easyjet and BA today…

I found that by NOT pressing any numbers when asked, and just holding on, it eventually just starts to ring through.

Phone was picked up within 10 mins of then holding by both companies.

Good luck!

I found that by NOT pressing any numbers when asked

Hmmmm, I got cut off.

no such luck here, recorded message plays through and hangs up.

I will need to fly eventually so I could hang onto the cancellation voucher I suppose

@bob_summers If you get the standard message after you’ve pressed “1”, hang up and try again. You’ll get a different recording eventually that will actually get you to a human being.

Sounds like you lot got in just in time…

I have £800 worth of flights I’d really rather have the money back for. Debit card and no credit card unfortunately.

Went through the same things other have described, called loads of times and got cut off each time. Finally got through then spent an hour and a half listening to music which I don’t mind so long as a refund can be sorted.

On finally getting through and speaking to someone I was told that they can no longer accept refund requests on the phone as the entire finance team is in “lockdown” and can not approve the refund requests. The only way to get a refund is to call again after their finance team finishes lockdown (their self imposed shutting of the finance department?) or write a refund request using their write to me page online using the subject content “coronavirus enquiry”. It will then be dealt with whenever their finance team is working again.

No doubt they are struggling for cash but I can’t believe that it is possible for no refunds to be possible until after “their finance team come out of lockdown,” whatever that means.

I completely understanding why Easyjet are doing this but what can I do to try and get a refund??? Has anyone called today and been told anything different or had better luck?

^^^^^^^^

Sounds dodgy as hell. I’d be speaking to your bank anyhow as even though its been paid for on a debit card they might be able to claw the money back.

I’m in a similar situation re: Ryanair. I clicked on the refund link in the email they sent me two weeks ago but still no cash back onto my card. Their Twitter account has some replies to other customers in the same boat stating they are super busy and behind on processing the refunds but I think they are just hanging on to the cash.

I also had flights booked with Iberia and submitted a refund voucher request as I could use that to pay for flights later in the year but again, have heard nothing back from them.

Fortunately I paid via credit card for both of these so hopefully will be able to get the cash back at some stage via Section 75 but I can imagine that there are hundreds of thousands of people in the same boat and the banks are inundated with such requests so I am not holding my breath on seeing that cash any time soon.

Still waiting for my 500 quid back from Ryanair, they did say it may take up to 20 working days, so I think I’ve still got 2 weeks to wait.

Got another set of Ryanair flights next month worth 900 quid that are most likely going to be cancelled too.

I’ll likely hang on to the voucher. I’m in the middle of sorting out my dad’s estate so I’ll have to fly over at some point. Easyjet are too big to fail right? *nervous laugh*

Just gone through the process with Amex. They are quoting 12 weeks to final resolution, but I’m expecting the credits back on my card in the next 24 hrs.

I just managed to get through today after 40 odd attempts over 3 days. Refund should now be being processed and I have received an email confirming it. So don’t necessarily give up just yet!

@mikeys so are you saying you called up and they arranged a refund over the phone? No BS story about their entire finance department being uncontactable???

Had my Jet2 flights for 6 persons to cyprus for June cancelled today.

In view of the ongoing uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we have taken the decision to recommence our flights and holidays programme on June 17th.

Looks like they are planning to try and commence flights from 17th June
We were due to fly 13th of june which is bit on an arse really.

what I’ve read online they seem to be ok for refunds, paid by CC so not stressing about it

Called 0161 774 9861, option 1 at 8am this morning. Straight through. After doing security was offered a flight swap or voucher, stated I wanted a refund onto my original payment source – hold for 30 seconds – then it was processed whilst on the call.

Wife had a separate booking as was going out a week before me. She requested an online refund maybe 3 weeks ago before they changed to stop offering it, passed phone to her and she did the same.

Glad we held off calling previously, now just waiting to see what happens with their May flights.

I’ve just checked my CC online, my Jet2 flights that were for 21st March and cancelled by them a few days beforehand have now been refunded to the card. I never actually managed to get through on the phone lines; I had a cancellation email but nothing to say they had refunded the money, might be worth checking card accounts.

still no refund from ryanair for me but They keep sending me emails asking me not to call them and that they will get round to processing the refund soon.

Called 0161 774 9861, option 1 as above. Just called and they processed my outstanding 900 back on to my card.

Called 0161 774 9861, option 1 as above. Just called and they processed my outstanding 900 back on to my card.

Same experience for us. No joy this morning but around midday tried again and straight through – refund processed and should be back in the account in a few days (will report back).

Quick update after having been weirdly fobbed off with “the entire finance department are uncontactable to process the refund and on lockdown”…

Phoned yesterday morning, went straight through first time and was told straight away that my request for a refund would be dealt with immediately and money back in 3-5 days. The money was back in our account by the afternoon.

I wonder if they are or were trying to keep refunds under a certain quota and a morning call helped or maybe others reported their BS excuse and there is some financial regulator somewhere sorting them out and put them on the naughty step. Either way, things seem to be back to normal and I hope others have similar good luck.

It shows the variance in service.

I’ve got flights with Qatar Airways booked and they’ve offered fee free rearrangement, cancellation or “store credit” with 10% free added. No strings.

I’ve ended up profiting slightly from my booked flights.

Good luck to anyone struggling.

A change here as well. We have been trying for three weeks to either get through or get confirmed refund.

All of a sudden on Thursday we got through and money back in card Friday.

boombang

Member

Called 0161 774 9861, option 1 at 8am this morning. Straight through. After doing security was offered a flight swap or voucher, stated I wanted a refund onto my original payment source – hold for 30 seconds – then it was processed whilst on the call.

Many thanks for this – called and got through just now first time (short wait) and declined the voucher/swap and was offered the refund for three days time straight off.

Got the email confirmation of a full refund already too… thanks folks

Incidentally, after the call to Easyjet they said they would send a confirmation email but I didn’t ever get this. I still received the refund in a few hours so if anyone else is in the same same boat worrying that they don’t receive any confirmation after a call I’d say to hold tight for a few days and it should be ok regardless

Still no joy getting refunds / vouchers from Ryanair / Iberia.

Ryanair – I just keep getting the “we’ll refund you soon” emails, so I submitted a chargeback request with my CC and will let them deal with that one.

Iberia – a bit more complicated, because as I needed to book flights to come over to the UK for my brother’s wedding in August I applied for a refund voucher instead, thinking this would expedite the refund. Heard nothing from them, the booking has disappeared from their system and there’s a lot of angry people on twitter complaining that they’re still waiting for refunds and vouchers, or have been denied altogether. Again, I’ve just submitted a chargeback request and will let the bank sort it out.

However, I’ve just read something today on the Moneysavingexpert site that Visa have suspended the chargeback scheme, as they have an “act of god” clause which limits the card issuer and retailer’s responsibility in times such as these. I paid by Mastercard but I presume they will try to wriggle out of things too.

I’m not very hopefully that I will see any of that £400 again.

I accepted a voucher from Easyjet, I can use it for the value of my flight up to next April (ie I’ve got to use it by then not fly by then)

pretty happy I think, I’m hoping that we’ll be able to fly again by late summer/early autumn, so that should be OK, just hope Easyjet survives!!

Had held off trying for a refund from Easy Jet after hearing of the problems other people were having . Had my first attempt today and it was all done and dusted in 5 minutes . That was great news for me as I had set aside a whole morning for it so was able to get the daily bike ride in earlier than expected .

Easyjet refund processed yesterday, money in the account today.

@nickc

Someone told me that the voucher T&C’s were somewhat unfair, in that if that flight booked with the voucher is then cancelled you get nothing. I didn’t check as have absolutely no time in the next year I can go away so only wanted cash, but might be worth double checking.

£932 now in my account …yeaahhh

Just rung the 0161 number again (tried every hour today), got through this time via option 1 and they’ve just refunded the money (£500 ISH). No problems, I guess the rush to get a refund has died off a bit.

Now fingers crossed they don’t go bust and we get to go to Majorca next April instead!

That Manchester number is Bob on! Straight through and refund processed first go. Ace, thanks for that.

Just be grateful you didn’t book flights via lastminute.com, certainly be the last time I use them, very painful & protracted process.

My Easyjet TOP TIP:

I gave up calling after a while and just contacted them via their online customer service contact form. I gave them my booking reference and demanded a refund asap.
2 days later I got an email to say refund is on its way.

I checked my booking portal and sure enough the refund was noted there too.
Full amount back in my account a few days later.

Beware if you do the online flight swap thing

I have flights booked for my wife, and her sister on 28th May to Corfu. Paid £454 – inc £120 luggage.

With the chances of them going ahead, slim, I priced flights on 27th August. £578 – inc £3.96 luggage

Great, £124 difference, no problem. Head off to my bookings to change flights. Go through all the requirements and get the price  to change – bear in mind, there are no flight change fees ATM…………….£226

How the hell does that happen???????

The way I see it is, they have £454 of my money, and I want to exchange to something that costs £120 more, then I expect to pay £120

I’ll wait for them to cancel, and get the refund (Jet2 are £50 cheaper anyway)

just got through on the Manchester number, the guy said a lot of the old refund requests have been abandoned due to high volume of requests, so they have a new system now and that will refund money in 90 days maximum – all you need is your booking reference and original email addy for the booking- fingers crossed!

Bump: my Mrs had bought tickets for Spain with Ryanair. She requested a refund and was told her request will join the queue for refunds when the cv crisis is over. I’ve paid £750 for tickets in August, why are they not being forced to behave like Easyjet?