CAA warns disrupted passengers not to take a refund if they still want to travel

The Civil Aviation Authority has a plain piece of advice for anyone whose summer flight is cancelled and who still wants to get away: do not take the refund. The UK regulator published the warning on its website as part of its summer guidance, at a time when thousands of holidaymakers have seen flights cancelled or disrupted because of the conflict in the Middle East.

The disruption has left many people with an uncomfortable choice between replanning their trips and abandoning them. The CAA's statement acknowledged the risk directly, saying there may be some disruption linked to the situation in the Middle East. It also said that airlines, government and industry partners are working closely to support smooth journeys, and that UK travellers are "well protected" by some of the strongest passenger rights in the world. The Liverpool Echo reported the guidance.

The rules begin with flights departing from or travelling to the UK. If a flight was booked directly with the airline or through a third party, the airline is legally required to offer three options: a refund, an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity, or an alternative flight at a later date that suits the passenger, subject to availability. The airline will require a passenger to pick one, and the CAA warns that once you have committed, you are unlikely to be able to change your mind.

That is why the refund warning matters. Someone who takes the money forfeits both re-routing and care. For those who no longer want to travel, a refund is a legitimate choice. The airline should pay within 7 days, though bookings made through a third party may take longer. The right covers every unused part of the ticket. A passenger who never departed on a return booking is owed the full cost of the return. A passenger part way through a journey whose connecting flight is cancelled is entitled to a flight back to their original UK departure airport if they decide not to continue, or cannot.

The earliest-opportunity re-routing option obliges the airline to find a flight as close as possible to the original time. The CAA concedes this may be hard when many flights are cancelled and other services are already full. It expects airlines to do all they can, which may mean putting passengers on another carrier, and to keep them updated. Seats may still be scarce enough that nobody gets there as fast as they would like. A passenger already at the airport who chooses this route should receive meals, refreshments and hotel accommodation proportionate to the wait, plus a means of communication such as two phone calls or emails.

Package holidays carry extra protection. Passengers get the same flight rights as direct bookers, and also have rights under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations. The package provider must offer a suitable alternative holiday if it can, or a refund of the full package price.

Flights returning to the UK follow similar rules with one important exception. Cover depends on the carrier. UK or EU airlines are covered by UK passenger rights legislation, while non-UK and non-EU airlines are not. Where the law does not apply, the CAA says it encourages airlines to minimise the impact on passengers, and some protection may come through a credit card payment or travel insurance. Where it does apply, the same three options and the same refund warning hold, and for most passengers the sensible choice is a flight home. For package holidays, the tour operator will normally contact travellers to rearrange flights back to the UK, and anyone at the airport should contact their package organiser.

The practical takeaway is to decide carefully before committing, because the choice is hard to reverse.