EasyJet customers have accused the budget airline of a ‘scam’ today after many had single legs of their journeys cancelled at the last minute with one insider telling MailOnline it could be because they haven’t sold enough tickets to make money.
Passengers have demanded answers from the carrier because dozens have had half of their trip cancelled meaning they are left with one flight they cannot use or cancel without paying fees.
Some have even been left stranded abroad because their return flights have been axed at the last minute and they cannot get hold of anyone in customer services – sometimes after three hours on hold.
A senior source at easyJet has told MailOnline the airline may not be selling enough seats, adding: ‘People on easyJet flights have found they are very empty on many routes. It could be these cancellations are because of low load factors so they are trying to mitigate the cash burn’ of running them.
Many irate customers claim they are struggling to get answers from the airline – and insist their holidays are ‘stuffed’ because they have flights they cannot use.
Mark Heron tweeted: ‘@easyJet you have cancelled my outgoing flight. However the ‘return’ flight is still going ahead (I think) you have not informed me of anything, obviously I won’t be able to access that flight! #disgrace’.
Daniela La Penna wrote: ‘I have received an email notification of a flight cancellation to Naples EZY8531 due to depart on the 25th July. No reason given. Yet when I booked the flight the website claimed only 5 tickets were available. Shame on you. Disgusting service. Hard not sense a scam’.
One angry customer said: @easyJet – why can’t I apply for a refund online. My outgoing flight was cancelled but my incoming flight wasn’t. How can I fly back if I can’t fly out? Currently waiting for over an hour now to speak to someone. This is ridiculous’.
A number of easyJet customers are complaining that only one leg of their journey has been cancelled, meaning they are unable to make the trip but still have active bookings that they cannot make (file image)
An easyJet customer speaks to a member of staff at check-in on a day that many were expected to try to leave the UK and take advantage of new air bridges
Dozens of easyJet customers are having one-leg of their holidays cancelled with no explanation
Another customer wrote: ‘My holiday outward bound flight has been cancelled but not my return – the email says I have to phone – but I cannot get through – I need a refund’.
EasyJet has pledged to refund customers affected – but failed to say why they were cancel so many flights.
A spokesman said: ‘We want to fly as many of our customers as possible this summer and so are working to re-accommodate customers on flights that have been confirmed to operate to ensure we are getting as many customers to their destinations as possible. On occasion there may be some customers whose flight is operating on one leg of their journey. If this happens customers will be contacted with their options which includes moving to another flight or a refund for the entire booking.
‘Passengers on cancelled flights are being offered alternative options 21 days before the flight departs so we are not aware of instances of passengers having their return flights cancelled whilst they are on holiday without being offered alternative options. Should for any isolated reason this be the case and we have to cancel a flight within 14 days we would honour our responsibilities in line with EU261 which includes offering passengers a full refund, compensation and alternative transport arrangements.
‘We are informing customers as soon as we know a flight has been cancelled. Customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and informed of their options which includes transferring to an alternative flight free of charge, receiving a voucher or applying for a refund via a webform on our dedicated Covid Help Hub at easyJet.com’.
Britons who booked holidays before the Government released details for international ‘air bridges’ are complaining of long waits for refunds – while others say partially cancelled flights have scuppered their holidays entirely.
Travellers are now able to visit 59 countries without the need to quarantine for two weeks once arriving back in Britain, it was announced on Friday.
But many would-be holidaymakers are now revealing they have had their recent trips scrapped – while others are still waiting for refunds from flights booked long ago.
A number of easyJet customers are complaining that only one leg of their journey has been cancelled, meaning they are unable to make the trip but still have active bookings.
Twitter user Joe Willett said: ‘@easyJet this is beyond a joke, nearly 2 and a half hours on hold and counting. Trying to sort the fact you’ve cancelled our flight to Ibiza but only rescheduled the return…which we obviously need to cancel and refund. What is going on?!’
EasyJet customers are complaining of long wait times for customer services after parts of their trips were cancelled
Julie Durney wrote: ‘@easyJet I appreciate it’s a difficult time but you cancelled an outbound flight. Found alternative company, then today you cancelled inbound flight. So that’s 2 flights you’ve lost. Any explanation????’
Laura Walsh said: ‘I have had to arrange my own flight as my original one was cancelled by @easyJet please can someone contact me immediately for a refund for the difference in cost! I have spend an additional £373 on top of my holiday cost. My transfers need to be rearranged.’
One social media user wrote: ‘@easyJet you cancelled my flights in June and said it would take 28 days to get a refund. Still had nothing and can’t get hold of anyone? What do we do?’
EasyJet have been contacted for comment.
On a section of the easyJet website dedicated to its coronavirus policy, a statement reads: ‘If your flight has been cancelled as a result of this, we are sorry. You will be contacted by our customer service team outlining the options available to you in Manage Bookings.’
It continues: ‘We know that this has been a difficult and frustrating time for many of you who have had your travel plans disrupted, for those who may have had to wait on calls, or for those who faced difficulties booking onto rescue flights.
‘As soon as it is safe to do so, we will be flying again. Until then, we thank you for your support and understanding.’
Of the 59 countries now green-lit for travel – including popular destinations Spain, France and Italy – only 25 allow travel without any restrictions.
Remaining countries named as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) ‘travel corridors’ have a range of conditions – from quarantine measures to outright bans on UK visitors.
Many would-be holidaymakers are now revealing they have had their recent flights cancelled – with some still waiting for refunds from flights booked months ago
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) published a separate list of 67 destinations which are exempt from its advisory against all non-essential travel.
But analysis by travel consultancy The PC Agency and consumer research agency AudienceNet found that just 25 locations included on the lists do not have border controls that stop English visitors entering.
Others are either closed to international flights or impossible to enter without quarantine or coronavirus testing, according to the analysis.
Among the countries included on the Government’s lists which have restrictions in place are Austria, Japan, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and Vietnam.
The PC Agency chief executive Paul Charles said: ‘Consumers are confused by the two lists produced by Government, as it’s just not clear which countries are actually accessible without having to quarantine on arrival.
‘Our research shows that holidaymakers and business travellers from England can only enter 25 countries, out of 74 on the DfT list, without being quarantined.
‘It’s vital that the Government provides clarity to consumers who are booking, and provides just one list that is accurate and up to date in terms of where we can actually access.’
On a section of the easyJet website dedicated to its coronavirus policy, a statement reads: ‘If your flight has been cancelled as a result of this, we are sorry. You will be contacted by our customer service team outlining the options available to you in Manage Bookings’
Emma Coulthurst, consumer advocate for price comparison site TravelSupermarket, said: ‘The Government’s latest information released late on Friday on where UK citizens can holiday this summer has the potential to confuse people and see them unwittingly book holidays which, due to restrictions imposed by the destination country, they might not be able to take.
‘There are some countries on the UK Government FCO and DfT lists which are refusing UK citizens entry or imposing strict entry requirements, which either completely prevent holidays or make them extremely difficult or more costly.
‘It is vitally important that holidaymakers check the individual country’s entry requirements before booking and also book cancel-for-free or flexible rebooking options in case they unintentionally book a holiday which entry restrictions then prevent them from taking.
‘The UK Government should be making it clearer what the actual situation is for travel from the UK to countries on their lists and providing a lot more clarity on where holidaymakers can actually go to from the UK without restriction.’
Downing Street said it expected more countries to announce an easing of restrictions on travellers from the UK.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman was asked during a briefing with journalists whether it was ‘misleading’ to have published a quarantine-free list when not all of the places featured were allowing UK visitors in without restrictions.
The No 10 spokesman said: ‘No, I’ll say a couple of things on that.
‘Many countries already don’t impose quarantine restrictions on travellers from the UK and we expect more to ease restrictions on UK travellers following our announcement.
‘We are working closely with international partners around the world to discuss arrangements from travellers arriving from the UK.
‘It is obviously a changing situation across the world and passengers should check the individual country pages that we make available on gov.uk for travel advice and any restrictions at their destination before they book their trip and before they travel.’