A family shared their frustrating experience with the Guardian, revealing how they were left £1,600 out of pocket due to a flight cancellation just days before their planned summer vacation in Sicily. The Stott family, consisting of Juliet and Josh Stott and their two daughters, aged 13 and nine, from North Yorkshire, were scheduled to depart from Leeds Bradford airport to Catania on July 26. However, on July 20, they received a text from Jet2 stating that their flights had been canceled due to recent fires at Catania airport. Jet2 promised a refund, but the family had already paid for accommodation and car hire, leaving them scrambling to make alternative arrangements.
Juliet Stott explained, “The only other flight available from the UK to Sicily on that day was from Heathrow with British Airways. We had to travel from Yorkshire to London on July 25, stay overnight at an airport hotel, and pay for parking. When we arrived in Sicily, we had to fly into a different airport, Palermo, switch car rental services, and drive for three and a half hours to reach our hotel.”
Upon returning from their trip, the Stott family discovered that neither Jet2 nor their travel insurer, the Post Office, would cover the additional expenses they incurred. Juliet Stott expressed her frustration and disappointment, stating, “Our original flights cost £1,558. The four return flights with BA cost £2,866, plus £359 for the hotel and parking at Heathrow. The difference is £1,667, which I’m seeking to recoup.”
When the family contacted the Post Office claims team, they were informed that because they decided to proceed with their trip, their expenses would not be covered. Stott expressed her loss of confidence in travel insurance, saying, “I no longer feel confident when going away that I’m going to be covered for every eventuality. I thought I was purchasing a product that provided comprehensive coverage.”
Jet2 also failed to offer any assistance or alternative flight options to the family, simply notifying them of the flight cancellation via text message. The Stott family was left to navigate the challenging situation on their own.
The Post Office spokesperson clarified that the Stott family had purchased a basic insurance policy, which did not cover cancellation due to the closure of the destination airport. However, in unusual circumstances like these, the additional trip disruption add-on would have provided coverage.
Guardian Money reached out to Jet2 for a response, but the airline stated that they were experiencing delays in customer communication.
Fortunately, there was a positive outcome to this ordeal when Jet2 ultimately contacted the Stott family, agreeing to reimburse them £1,555 for their additional expenses. Stott expressed her satisfaction with the resolution, saying, “So we are happy with that outcome. Jet2 says the reimbursement will be processed within five working days.”
‘I’ll be avoiding UK air travel for a while’
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