Travel

Only a minority of airlines have been giving customers refunds for cancellations within acceptable timeframes, according to a review from the aviation regulator – and it's warned it'll take enforcement action if some fail to start paying up more promptly.

Transport for London (TfL) customers who applied online for season ticket refunds during the coronavirus pandemic and had already had a partial payment have now been sent additional rebates of about £70 on average. It should be paid automatically, but it's worth checking that it's come through if you're owed – and some may need to log in to their account to get the refund paid as cash.

Passport renewals are taking much longer than normal – and in some cases more than two months – as the Passport Office battles to clear a backlog, MSE can reveal. And while the Foreign Office still currently advises against all non-essential travel, some fear if that changes they could lose summer holidays worth £1,000s, as they won't be able to travel without a valid passport or get their money back.

Airport parking website Holiday Extras has reversed its decision to issue vouchers rather than refunds to those who were forced to cancel their bookings as a result of travel disruption caused by coronavirus. It now says anyone with a 'flexible' booking – plus some with 'non-flexible' bookings – CAN cancel and opt for a refund if they want one, minus a cancellation fee. 

Airlines don't have to compensate travellers whose flights are delayed by "unruly behaviour" by other passengers, according to a new ruling from a European court on a case which involved a passenger biting and assaulting others on board. 

UK holiday provider Hoseasons and its sister firm Cottages.com have changed their coronavirus cancellation policy and given the competition watchdog a formal commitment that they will offer refunds, after a huge backlash from customers.

Ryanair staff have told customers that the chargeback card-protection scheme is "a fraudulent activity" and could result in them being blacklisted by the airline in the future. But after MoneySavingExpert.com showed Ryanair evidence of this, the budget carrier said its customer service operatives got it wrong and that this is not its policy.

Some rail passengers have waited six weeks or more for refunds on their season tickets, according to a new survey from the transport watchdog. 

Hackers have accessed the travel details of nine million Easyjet customers, the airline has admitted. 

The coronavirus pandemic has been uniformly devastating for the travel industry, with millions of holidays and travel bookings either unavailable or cancelled. Yet how firms treat their customers due to it has led to a stark divide, according to a major new investigative survey by MoneySavingExpert.com.