Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK residents subject to cancelled flights are able to return home from holiday.

The UK has a framework of consumer protections in place. In the event that a flight is cancelled where UK law applies, the consumers should be offered the choice between a refund within 7 days, or to be re-routed on similar conditions to their final destination. Airlines are under an obligation to provide information to passengers on their rights in the event of a cancellation.

It is of vital importance that consumers know their rights when travelling by air. Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) provide air passengers information on what to do if something goes wrong with their flight. To further support air passengers, Government is developing an Aviation Passenger Charter, alongside consumer groups and industry, to help consumers to understand their rights, responsibilities and reasonable expectations when travelling by air, from booking, to if something goes wrong.