Airlines and travel firms deny refunds

All of the UK’s biggest airlines and most big holiday companies are breaking the law by denying refunds within 14 days for travel cancelled during the pandemic, according to Which? Most have instead offered vouchers or credit notes. Ryanair has started telling customers they will have to wait until “the Covid-19 emergency has passed” for a refund. Passengers booked with easyJet and British Airways have told the Guardian they could not get their money back. Which? says customers of holiday companies, including Love Holidays and Tui, are in a similar boat. It is estimated up to £7bn could be owed for cancelled trips but the airlines body Iata and travel company association Abta say firms would be bankrupted by repaying it now when they have no income. Which? has backed calls for the government to extend the processing deadline to 28 days and for vouchers to be guaranteed against insolvency and eventually redeemable for cash.