Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to engage with carriers that refuse refunds for customers who were not legally allowed to fly during lockdown.

Throughout the pandemic the government has made clear that it expects the aviation industry to act fairly and flexibly, and the industry have responded with increased flexibility for their customers. Having engaged with industry we published the Passenger COVID-19 Charter in May 2021. It provides advice on the rights, responsibilities and reasonable expectations of consumers, when booking and travelling during the pandemic.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) reviewed airlines’ compliance on refunds in summer 2020 and worked collaboratively to improve their performance on consumer obligations. The majority of airlines now pay refunds within 7 days. The CAA regulates the compliance of airlines with aviation consumer law.