Travellers whose easyJet flights were disrupted by the pandemic are running out of time to use their replacement vouchers, with only days left until the deadline.
Millions of would-be holidaymakers had their plans impacted by the arrival of Covid-19, with foreign travel effectively impossible for much of 2020. When flights were cancelled, many were offered vouchers by travel firms as a form of refund, with the option of cashing those vouchers in once travel returned to normal.
Among the airlines to offer Covid vouchers was easyJet, and according to a recent report from the firm, around £58 million of vouchers are yet to be used. What’s more, the clock is ticking for those with the easyJet Covid vouchers to make use of them before the upcoming deadline.
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What is the deadline for easyJet Covid vouchers?
If you want to make use of the Covid-related vouchers, then time is running out.
The vouchers initially came with a deadline on 31 July 2023, but this was extended to 31 January 2024.
There has not been a further extension though, meaning you only have until the end of the month to use those easyJet Covid travel vouchers.
Do I have to fly using the easyJet Covid vouchers by the end of the month?
Importantly, that deadline only covers the date by which you need to book your flights using the Covid vouchers.
You don’t actually need to travel by 31 January. In fact there is no deadline for travel covered by the vouchers.
Can I swap my easyJet Covid vouchers for cash?
Back when the easyJet Covid vouchers were first issued, travellers would have had the option to trade them in for a cash refund instead.
However, that’s no longer an option, so you will need to use them in their voucher form.
Do other airlines have deadlines for their Covid vouchers?
A host of airlines introduced refund vouchers during the pandemic, but each have had their own terms and deadlines in play. For example, the deadline for using vouchers from Tui and Jet2 has already passed.
However, if you were issued replacement vouchers by British Airways as a result of cancelled flights due to Covid, then you have until September 2024 to use them. According to the annual results of parent company IAG last year ‒ which also owns Iberia and Aer Lingus ‒ around €600 million of Covid vouchers have yet to be used.
What are my rights if my flights are cancelled?
While the pandemic was an extreme event, the reality is that flights are cancelled every day, for all sorts of different reasons.
As a result, there are important consumer protection rights in place to ensure that if your flight is cancelled ‒ or even simply delayed ‒ you are not left substantially out of pocket as a result.
Be sure to understand your rights when flights are cancelled so that you can claim a refund, or even compensation, should your trip be affected.
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