A Jet2 passenger due to fly from Manchester Airport to La Palma claims the airline cancelled her holiday with just three weeks' notice and no explanation or apology. Barbara Kelly, from Bolton, was due to travel with her husband Gerard on a Jet2 package holiday on October 30.
The airline confirmed this month that it is ending its Manchester Airport service to the Canary Islands destination at the end of the month. Mrs Kelly said she realised on October 10 that she had received an email from Jet2 informing her the holiday was cancelled, but without giving a reason.
Passenger left frustrated by lack of explanation
“I just happened to be looking at my emails and I’d just received a cancellation from Jet2,” Mrs Kelly told the Manchester Evening News. “It wasn’t a proper letter or anything, just purely notice of cancellation stating I’d get a full refund. There was no apology, no reason, nothing. I thought it was a scam at first.”
She said she contacted Jet2 by phone, WhatsApp and Messenger to seek a reason, but did not get anywhere. “Everyone I spoke to was absolutely lovely but still there was no explanation. I had wanted them to offer me another holiday for a better deal, but they wouldn’t make a move. I know fuel prices have gone up so maybe that’s why.”
The M.E.N understands that Jet2 sent Mrs Kelly an email on October 7 and that all affected customers were notified of the changes to the flight programme and of their options, which included receiving a full refund for payments made by that stage or rebooking to an alternative destination with a discount code provided.
Retired couple had been looking forward to the trip
Mrs Kelly and her husband, both retired, had been looking forward to the holiday and to escaping the UK weather. “I’d got it for a good price which I was pleased with and we were really looking forward to it,” she said. “It’s all very well saying just book somewhere else, however everything's shot up in price.”
“My husband also has mobility issues so I had checked everything with the hotel to make sure it’s suitable, I’d checked the local area and restaurants so I knew we could easily get to everywhere. So of course all that effort had gone as well.”
Mrs Kelly has since booked another holiday with Jet2 in November, this time to Lanzarote, although she said there wasn’t much choice that fit the couple’s requirements. She added: “What annoyed me is that if I had cancelled a holiday with less than three weeks to go, there’s nothing I would get, there’s no protection. It all seems to be one-sided.”
Jet2 confirms route withdrawal
On Monday October 12, a Jet2 spokesperson confirmed that the Manchester Airport route to La Palma was being axed. They said: “As a customer-focused business, we continually review our programme in response to what our customers want, and we will make adjustments where required. This gives us the ability to add flights and holidays in response to demand, and very occasionally we may withdraw them too.”
“Following this latest review, we have taken the difficult decision to withdraw flights and holidays to La Palma. Where customers are affected, we will contact them or their independent travel agent to let them know their options, which include rebooking another holiday or receiving a full refund.”
“We would of course like to apologise to affected customers, however with a fantastic programme of services to a huge range of destinations, we are offering superb choice when it comes to rebooking their holidays with us.”
