EasyJet offered a full £900 refund to passengers after changing their flight to Italy to 11 hours ahead of what was initially scheduled. The airline had initially refused to refund, according to the passengers, but following their letter to The Times and subsequent enquiries by the British newspaper, the airline conceded.
The 11-hour reschedule
David Leigh booked an easyJet flight to Verona, Italy, for June this year. He had bought two tickets with premium seats and luggage, which cost him just over £900.
At first, Leigh had booked the 5:30 p.m. flight to Verona but was later informed by the airline that the flight had been rescheduled to a 6:40 a.m. takeoff, which is 11 hours ahead of the original booking time.
He said in the letter to The Times that it was impossible for him and his wife to catch an early morning flight:
“We are in our 70s and 80s, and we never book early morning flights. There are no alternatives with easyJet, so I wanted the full refund, which was offered as an option in the email informing us of the change.”
But when Leigh contacted the airline, he was told that a refund was not possible despite the considerable change in the scheduling.
Airline policies on refund and flight schedule
Major airlines, including easyJet, state in their terms and conditions that flight schedules are not guaranteed and do not form part of the contract.
However, according to easyJet’s own policy, if a flight time is changed by more than three hours, the customers are entitled to choose their options, including free rebooking or a full refund.
After The Times contacted easyJet for clarification, the airline changed their stance and offered the full £900 refund and an apology. An easyJet spokesperson told the British newspaper:
“While we initially advised Mr. Leigh of his options to rebook for free or request a refund in line with our policy, we are sorry for the incorrect advice he later receivd when he contacted us and the inconvenience caused. We have been in touch with him to apologise for the experience and refund him.”
Though Leigh got his refund, he said the whole process caused him distress.
What changes are needed on airlines’ refund and scheduling policies? Share your opinion in the comments.
