How to get a refund if your Christmas plans have been cancelled

by

After four million more people were plunged into Tier 3 yesterday, Alice Beer has revealed how to get a refund if your Christmas plans have been cancelled.  

It was announced yesterday large areas of southern England will be put under the toughest Covid restrictions this Saturday amid rising coronavirus levels, meaning millions will be forced to change their festive plans. 

The rules state the majority of entertainment and tourist venues must close, along with accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs and guest houses. 

Appearing today on This Morning consumer expert Alice, 55, has explained when you can get a refund if you are unable to get a train, take a flight, stay in a hotel or go to a restaurant for Christmas lunch. 

Appearing today on This Morning consumer expert Alice Beer (pictured) revealed how to get a refund if your plans have been cancelled

Hotels 

Alice advised: ‘If you’ve booked a hotel in the last few months, most of them will be on a refundable or reschedule basis.  So if the hotel has shut, you are entitled to get a refund or reschedule it – slide it to later in 2021.’ 

If the hotel is still open but you are unable to go due to restrictions, guests with a  reschedulable booking need simply ask the hotel. 

However if the booking is non-refundable or doesn’t come with the option to reschedule, then Alice advised asking the hotel anyway if they can push back the stay until next year as a gesture of goodwill. 

‘They want you to come and spend money,’ said Alice. ‘They do want your business but you might need that money in you bank account so have a word with them.’ 

She revealed that some chains such as Premier Inn are allowing travellers with non-refundable bookings to move their dates if they are unable to attend due to Covid restrictions, and that in general chains of hotels are being ‘more flexible’ with changing dates. 

Airlines  

If you have a flight booked which does not go ahead, the airline is obliged to refund you. 

However, if you are unable to get on the flight due to restrictions, but the flight is going ahead as planned, then the airline has no responsibility to refund you. 

‘The airlines – if you can get through to them – some airlines are letting you reschedule or rebook,’ Alice said. 

What are the Tier 3 rules? 

  • Indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and bowling alleys must close;
  • Pubs, restaurants and cafes must close except for takeaway;
  • Shops and hairdressers and salons will be allowed to remain open; 
  • Groups of six will be allowed to meet outdoors only; 
  • Crowds at live events will be banned;
  • People should avoid travelling out of, or into, Tier 3 areas unless it is unavoidable;
  • People from separate households cannot meet indoors and the rule of six applies outside. 

Easy Jet is letting guests cancel or switch their travel for free if they do it more than 14 days before departure, or with a £49 pound fee if it is less than 14 days before travel.  

British Airways is allowing travelers to cancel in exchange for a voucher and Ryanair is allowing one free flight change if there’s more than seven days before you are due to fly.

Trains 

Alice said: ‘A big problem with trains is, because lots of people know where they plan to be at Christmas months and months in advance, they take advantage of cheap non-refundable tickets.’ 

However even if a ticket is not refundable, they are changeable, meaning you can change the day of your travel 24 hours before the original date while sticking to the same route. 

She went on: ‘So long as you stay on the same route, up to 24 hours before you are due to travel, you can change the day of departure as long as you stay on the same route. 

‘But get on it because these things are very easy to let slide and think “I’ll get the money back afterwards”. No, change it beforehand.’ 

Christmas lunch

Alice explained: ‘If you’re in Tier 3 and your lunch is in Tier 2, you can’t go to get it, but they can still serve it, which is the tricky situation.’ 

If a restaurant is in Tier 3 and cannot serve you, then they are obliged to give back your money. However if you are unable to attend they have no responsibility to provide a refund. 

Alice went on: ‘If you can’t get there, then I’m afraid they are under no obligation to give you a refund. 

‘But what would be nice is saying to that business, “Look we want to come and we will keep our deposit but lets slide it back to another date in 2021”.

‘Or if it is a business you want to be there, say “please give it back to me in a voucher and we’ll come in the new year or in February and spend that voucher with you”. 

‘If you choose to cancel it’s their discretion, but come to an agreement because we want these businesses to be there when we get back.’