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Covid-19 France: Travel cancellation policies
Many people are having to cancel planned travel due to the Covid-19 health crisis - whether this month or for later in the summer - with usually the option of a refund or to re-book at a later date. Here is what major travel companies are offering their customers:
EasyJet
EasyJet customers who wish to cancel travel plans can now transfer their flights to a later date and/or to another destination without any change fee. If the new fare is higher, customers will only have to pay the difference in price. This applies to existing bookings and new bookings. No credit will be given if the new fare is lower.
Customers can make changes to their booking online via the "My Bookings" section on easyJet.com or on the mobile application. Changes must be made at least two hours prior to the scheduled departure time.
If the flight is cancelled by EasyJet, customers can also change their flights to another date and/or destination and do not have to pay the price difference between the old and new fare if there is one. Changes to your booking can be made for trips until next year.
Air France
Air France is operating in May for the following destinations: Bordeaux, Brest, Marseille, Montpellier, Nice, Toulouse, Dublin, London, Manchester.
If you wish to postpone a flight:
If you booked a ticket before April 22, 2020 for travel before August 31, 2020, you can postpone your departure date without any change fee and without paying the difference in the ticket price. You must make the modification before the original departure date and the new trip must begin before November 30, 2020.
If you wish to travel on or after December 1, 2020, you can also postpone your departure date without change fees. However, if the original fare is not available, you will have to pay a possible fare difference.
You can make your own changes online, in the “My bookings” section on the website and on the app. You can also contact whatever outlet sold you the ticket.
If you wish to cancel your trip:
If you bought your ticket before April 22, 2020 from a travel agency, for a flight before August 31, 2020 and you wish to cancel it, you should contact them for more information.
If you purchased your ticket on the Air France website or from an Air France sales outlet before April 22, 2020 for a flight before August 31, 2020 and you wish to cancel it, you can request a credit note online in the “My bookings” section of the website or the mobile application. This credit is valid for one year on all Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways flights.
If your flight is cancelled by Air France:
If you purchased your ticket from a travel agency, you need to contact them directly. If you purchased your ticket on the Air France website or from an Air France sales outlet, you can postpone your trip without any modification fees or fare adjustments for a trip beginning before November 30, 2020.
Any changes must be made before June 30, 2021. You can request a credit voucher online in the “My bookings” section. The voucher will be valid until December 31, 2021 on all Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Atlantic and Kenya Airways flights. If this voucher is not used within 12 months of its issue date, it may be refunded.
British Airways
You can change the dates and destination of your reservation without any modification fees. However, you will have to pay for the price difference between tickets. This applies to bookings made between March 3 and May 31, 2020, with a departure date up to December 31, 2020.
If you prefer not to travel any more, you can cancel your booking and you will receive a voucher of the same value for a future booking.
If you wish to be refunded, you can contact customer service at 0800 727 800 from the UK or at +44 (0)203 250 0145 from anywhere else in the world.
If your flight has been cancelled, you can request a voucher of equivalent value to the value of your booking. Your voucher will be valid for travel until April 30, 2022 and can be used as payment, or partial payment, for a future booking.
Ryanair
Customers can change their bookings online via the “My bookings” section of the website. Ryanair has suspended the flight change fee for all travel between March 13 and May 31.
Flights can be changed on any date up to August 31, 2020, but a change fare will apply.
If your flight is cancelled, you can ask for a refund or a voucher to re-book tickets.
Ryanair will automatically send you a voucher valid for one year. However, you can ask for a refund by contacting them directly. The company warns that this process will take longer as they have a lot of requests, and fewer staff available due to the Covid-19 virus and social distancing at work. If you do not use your voucher in the year, you will be refunded.
Eurostar
Customers who planned a trip between March 13 and July 1, 2020, can postpone their travel and get a voucher from Eurostar which will be for the value of the ticket or package (if you have booked a train and a hotel).
It will be valid for 12 months from the date of issue for travel to any Eurostar destination. If the price of your new booking is higher than the value of your voucher, you will have to pay the difference.
Ferries
Brittany Ferries: All tickets are flexible and can be amended free of charge online in the “Manage my bookings” section of the website.
However, a fare difference payment may still apply. If you wish to cancel your booking, you will receive a credit note valid for two years.
At the moment, all passengers’ sailings are cancelled up to and including June 1. Customers affected will be contacted by Brittany Ferries and automatically receive a credit note.
P&O ferries: Customers can amend their travel dates, without incurring an amendment fee, directly online. This is applicable to both new and existing bookings. The difference between ticket prices still applies. You can also ask for a credit note, which will be the same value as your ticket, for future travel within 12 months of your original date of travel.
Whether or not a passenger can be refunded depends on the type of ticket and the terms and conditions that apply. Non-refundable tickets can only be reimbursed if the government says that the services must be totally suspended – which is not the case at the moment.
DFDS: DFDS offers free re-booking and cancellation for all travel until June 30, 2020. If you wish to re-book and the new ticket is more expensive you have to pay for the price difference but there will be no fee for amending the ticket. If you want to cancel your trip, you will receive a credit note equivalent to your ticket price, valid until March 31, 2021 for any travel until June 30, 2021.
Any changes must be made 24 hours prior your trip.
If DFDS cancels your trip, you will receive a voucher valid until March 31, 2021 for any travel until June 30, 2021. If you would like to be refunded, you need to contact them via email at travel.sales@dfds.com
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