Thomas Cook says it will give holidaymakers a refund within 14 days if their trip is cancelled due to coronavirus

Travel operator Thomas Cook has said it will issue refunds to holidaymakers within a period of two weeks, if their holidays are cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (Photo: Shutterstock)Travel operator Thomas Cook has said it will issue refunds to holidaymakers within a period of two weeks, if their holidays are cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (Photo: Shutterstock)
Travel operator Thomas Cook has said it will issue refunds to holidaymakers within a period of two weeks, if their holidays are cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (Photo: Shutterstock)

Travel operator Thomas Cook has said it will issue refunds to holidaymakers within a period of two weeks, if their holidays are cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The firm’s new parent company, Fosun Tourism Group, which owns the rights to the name and brand, recently relaunched Thomas Cook as an online-only travel agent.

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How does it work?

If the travel advice for a destination changes due to coronavirus, and a customer's holiday is cancelled, Thomas Cook says it will try to find alternatives for the holidaymaker.

The company said that if the government advice changes for a destination, it will contact customers at least two weeks before their departure in order to help them find an alternative date or location.

However, if the alternatives do not work, the company said it will offer holidaymakers a full refund within 14 days.

Alan French, CEO for Thomas Cook said, "Following our launch, and the successful delivery of our policy on only selling holidays to destinations that are on the government’s travel corridor list, we have been able to test the speed of our contact centre team to change and cancel holidays where government advice has changed.

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"In light of that, we are now confident that we will be able to provide cash refunds to customers within 14 days of their holiday being cancelled.”

Jet2 new travel insurance policy

Jet2 is offering similar reassurance to customers, by introducing a new travel insurance policy, which covers them should their holiday plans be impacted by the virus.

The new travel insurance policy includes cover for travellers if the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) changes the travel advice to their holiday destination. Although the company already has policies in place specific to Covid-19, this new addition will mean that holidaymakers are covered if new restrictions come in place.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the FCDO has been changing travel restrictions for different countries, in line with their own coronavirus infection rates.

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In some cases, it has changed the advice for a specific country, advising against “all but essential travel” with less than 48 hours' notice.

However, if this situation arises in the future then Jet2's new FCDO cover means that travellers will be protected either before they travel or if they are already in the destination.

The new cover will automatically be included in all new Single Trip Travel Insurance policies to Europe, bought on or after 17 September 2020. This cover will include up to £10 million in medical cover, £5,000 cancellation cover, and £2,000 baggage cover.

It will also be added free of charge to any existing single trip policies to Europe, which were bought between 9 April and 16 September 2020.

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