EasyJet have performed a U-turn on their refund policy and reinstated its online process.
The airline has been under intense pressure from customers in the past few weeks to bring back the online form, which was removed after most of its flights were cancelled due to the coronavirus.
Instead, it asked customers to call the customer service desk for a refund but many travellers found they would have to wait for hours at a time on the line – or simply couldn't get through at all.
EasyJet was hoping that more passengers would decide to take a voucher for a future flight or reschedule their booking to another date but most just wanted a cash refund, which they are legally entitled to if they booked with the firm directly.
It has now brought back the dedicated refund webform where customers can submit a claim via the website.
It said it aims to process claims in 28 days, however because of the increased volumes due to the pandemic, it means that this could take longer.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
57 shares
EasyJet has asked people to only contact them directly regarding a previous request unless it has been more than 90 days since they made their original submission.
An EasyJet spokesperson said: 'Customers on cancelled flights can transfer to an alternative flight free of charge or receive a voucher for the value of their booking online or claim a refund through our contact centre.
'Customers may also submit a claim in writing via a new dedicated refund webform, online.
'We are experiencing higher than average wait times so we would thank customers for their patience and assure them that these entitlements will be available long after their cancelled flight has flown.
'For customers whose flights are not cancelled but would like to move to a later date they can amend their flight online with no change fee and we have brought forward our winter schedule on-sale so customers have more choice to move their flights, up to 28 February 2021.'
Many customers said they couldn't get through to EasyJet on the phone to ask for a refund
EasyJet customers looking to get a refund for a cancelled flight can do so by applying here.
Many airlines are still not offering a refund as an option at all including Lufthansa, Air France, Eurowings, Turkish, Middle East airlines and Transavia whilst a number of other airlines are still offering refunds via their call centres including TUI and Volotea.
British Airways is another major airline that removed its online refund form from its website after the pandemic took hold.
Customers have also called for it to reinstate their form as they are struggling to get through to customer services. This is Money has contacted BA for comment.
Ryanair had also temporarily pulled online refund applications last week, but that option is once again available. Virgin Atlantic also has an online form on its website.
Third party bookings
Thousands of Britons are still struggling to get a refund from their third party provider.
The law is different when customers did not book their flights directly from an airline, leaving them with little choice but to accept a voucher or rebook their flights.
However, many feel that just because they booked through a third party - either online or in person at a travel agency - they shouldn't be punished, with a number of customers claiming they don't want to rebook currently as they are not sure when it will next be safe to travel.
Unfortunately, most customers do not read the agent's terms and conditions when they book which means many won't be aware that agents can, and tend to, charge a substantial admin fee for those who want a cash refund for their flights - sometimes up to £200 a ticket.
Instead, ABTA, a travel trade body, has suggested that providers should look at issuing credit notes, which can be used to book another holiday at a later date and, in the meantime, it is protected by ABTA and ATOL, if your original booking had that protection, so you would be reimbursed if the travel company failed financially.
This protection will last initially until 31 July 2020, at which point, if you have not used the credit note to book another holiday, you will be entitled to a cash refund.
No comments:
Post a Comment