With BA cabin crew possibly striking and now Flyglobespan going bust, air travellers must be running out of Christmas spirit.
The collapse of Scottish airline Flyglobespan means all the company’s flights have been cancelled. So, if you have a trip booked with them, what can you do?
The airline, its parent company or the administrators are not obliged to refund travellers. But depending on how you booked your flights, you could still get your money back.
If you bought your flight with a credit card and the tickets cost more than £100, you should be covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. So you can claim the money back from your credit card provider.
If you paid with a debit card, your card provider doesn’t have to refund the money. But Visa and Maestro both offer a chargeback system that might provide a refund if you can provide proof of purchase, and if your bank is signed up to the scheme. See this Which? article for more info on Chargeback.
If you booked your flights through a travel agent that holds an Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL), you should be able to either rebook your holiday or claim a refund. Find the invoice you received when you made the booking and contact the travel agent to arrange alternative flights or your money back.
If you aren’t covered by ATOL or your credit card, then you will struggle to get your money back. Some travel insurance policies may cover you, but most won’t.
In this case, the best you can do is to look to the several other airlines who are offering ‘rescue fares’. Ryanair, easyJet and Flybe are offering these discounted rates on FlyGlobespan routes to those who can provide proof of their Flyglobespan flights.
