Martin Lewis has issued a warning to holidaymakers booking summer trips, cautioning that those who arrange flights and hotels separately risk losing money if their flight is cancelled. Speaking on his Money Show Live on ITV, the financial expert explained that consumers who book a package holiday are protected under regulations, but DIY bookings leave travellers vulnerable.
Lewis clarified that if a flight is cancelled due to issues like a jet fuel shortage, travellers who booked their hotel separately from their flight with airlines such as Jet2, TUI, easyJet, Ryanair, or Wizz Air would not receive a refund for their hotel. This is because the hotel itself is not at fault, and consumer rights do not apply.
The financial guru noted that credit or debit card protection also fails in such cases, as there is no faulty product or service. Travel insurance offers limited cover, with Lewis revealing that out of 40 policies checked, only three or four would cover the knock-on costs of a cancelled flight due to jet fuel shortages, and most of those were linked to packaged bank accounts.
Lewis advised holidaymakers to book with free or limited cancellation options close to the travel date, and to always speak to the provider. He emphasised that understanding these risks is crucial, as travellers might otherwise accept vouchers thinking they are getting a good deal, when in reality they have no rights to a refund.
