Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the travel agent sector on the processing of refunds where an airline has cancelled a flight and confirmed that passengers are entitled to a refund without a penalty fee.

The Department has had discussions with travel agents and airlines on a range of issues.

In the UK, Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 (“Regulation 261”) sets out the rights of passengers in the event of flight cancellations.

Where UK law applies, if a flight is cancelled by the airline, passengers are entitled to a choice between a full refund or re-routing.

Where a flight booking has been made through a travel agent, passengers should, in the first instance, contact the agent in cases such as flight cancellations.

The Department’s Air Passenger Travel Guide provides passengers with information on their rights and responsibilities when travelling by air, including a dedicated section on cancellations.