A long-established system of EU-wide travel protections is at risk of breaking down due to the Covid-19 pandemic with many holidaymakers in danger of losing thousands of euro, according to one of the leading consumer watchdogs in Europe. Irish Times readers have complained about airlines not cancelling flights to locations despite travel bans covering those countries being imposed. to complain that travel agents are refusing to offer refunds for cancelled holidays, despite travel regulations and are instead offering credit notes or rebooking. Under EU-wide legislation holidaymakers should be entitled to a full refund if a package holiday is cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances at the destination. However, the commission said that “in the current unprecedented circumstances” it would be unlikely to be payable in most instances.

Source: The Irish Times March 24, 2020 02:00 UTC