Holiday Cancellation Rights

Useful information including hints and tips

When a flight is cancelled the consumer has the right to compensation by the air carrier unless the consumer is informed of the cancellation less than seven days before departure and is offered re-routing that gets the traveler to their destination less than two hours after they were scheduled to arrive.

Flights paid for by credit card are governed by the Consumer Credit Act of 1974 which provides that credit card companies must make a refund if a service is not provided. Pre-paid and debit cards are not subject to this law.

The Package Travel Regulations of 1992 offer consumers more rights and protection if they book packages through tour operators governed by these Regulations. The tour operators are legally responsible for all aspects of the packages they provide.

Buying a Holiday package online also protects the consumers’ rights’, providing the web site is based in the UK. Otherwise, it is not subject to UK law.

The online company's cancellation policy must be made available to the consumer when purchasing online. The consumers' cancellation rights must be clearly stated. The consumer is also entitled to help if a cancellation is made by the package operator. Online buyers also have a 7 working day 'cooling off' period, which allows the consumer to change their mind within the 7 days and receive a full refund.

There are some associations that can help the consumer. If buying a package tour, contact the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and verify the tour operator’s membership. If buying from an independent operator, contact the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) which is the authority to look out for. Look for the logos on the website, but contact ABTA or AITO if you have any doubt about accredidation.

Traveling within the EU, but outside of the UK, provides for cancellation policies which may be different than travel that does not leave the UK.