Hopeful holidaymakers are growing concerned over their getaways as reports of airlines axing flights grow.
Airports around the UK and airlines have been under pressure with a surge of customers as well as some facing staffing issues.
Budget airline easyJet and British Airways have been two of the travel providers who have cancelled a number of flights, affecting hundreds of people across the UK.
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EasyJet and British Airways have said one of the reasons has been down to covid while easyJet also reported an I.T. failure.
In some circumstances, it's been reported that a number of travellers were only told of their cancelled flight once they had already arrived at the airport.
The stress of going abroad has left some people wondering if it is better to cancel their flight now to avoid disappointment, but a travel expert has warned that by doing so, they could lose out on money.
If your airline cancels your flight, you are entitled to a full refund and they should provide you with an alternative flight to get you to your destination.
However, if you cancel your own flight without an essential reason, you can't receive compensation.
Depending on the airline and their policy, sometimes you may have to pay a fee to cancel your flight and depending on how far in advance you cancel it, you will get a limited amount of money back.
Kevin Pratt, travel insurance expert at Forbes Advisor, said: “Unfortunately, holidaymakers are likely to experience further travel chaos as we head into the busy summer season. The cancellations and delays we’ve seen at airports including Manchester, Heathrow, Birmingham, and Dublin look set to continue, so it’s important that passengers know their rights if they do face travel disruption.
“If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund, regardless of whether you took out travel insurance. You should get your money back for the flight you were due to take, plus any onward or return flights that are part of the same booking. If you do still wish to travel, you should then be offered a replacement flight to your destination, even if that means flying with an alternative airline or in a more expensive seat class."
He added: “However, if you are worried about not being able to go on holiday and decide to cancel a flight yourself, you won’t be entitled to any form of compensation, including a refund from the airline or compensation from your travel insurance provider.
"The responsibility lies with the airline if they cancel your flight, and you may also be entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed, so it pays to hold on to your reservation.
“If you’re looking to claim for a cancelled or delayed flight, it’s important to note that travel insurance will only cover costs of travel disruption under specific circumstances. They won’t reimburse you if you can obtain compensation elsewhere, so your airline should be your first port of call. The customer services department for the airline should be able to offer assistance.”
