easyJet holidays has confirmed it has signed up to the Watchdog Package Holiday Pledge, to help those looking to book a package holiday choose a provider who will best protect them.

The pledge comes as the BBC consumer advice show looked to get holidays providers to sign up to a set of commitments ahead of international travel reopening, to ensure that holidaymakers are protected and that providers are flexible, should their plans change.

easyJet holidays’ industry leading customer policies under the Protection Promise mean that the provider is happy to make a public commitment to the pledge as their policies, which have provided protection to customers throughout the pandemic, either meet or exceed all six of the pledges requirements. The Protection Promise, which was introduced in September 2020 is a permanent policy covering all easyJet holidays booked now and in the future. In addition to the policies which meet the Watchdog pledge, the Promise also offers a refund guarantee should customers change their minds up to 28 days before travel, freedom to change a booking up to 28 days before travel, a reduced balance due date with the balance due 28 days before travel, a Best Price Guarantee, should the customer find the same holidays cheaper elsewhere and deposit refunds of easyJet holidays credit should the customer change their mind about their holiday.

The table below illustrates how easyJet holidays is able to meet the pledge and go beyond in terms of offering customers ultimate flexibility and reassurance when it comes to booking a holiday.

Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays Customer Director, said “We’re really pleased that our industry leading customer policies mean that we’ve been able to sign up to BBC Watchdog’s Package Holiday Pledge, and that holidaymakers can be reassured that our policies are endorsed by one of the nation’s leading consumer champions.

“Throughout the pandemic we’ve prided ourselves on doing the right thing, from being the first major tour operator to repatriate customers, to processing refunds in an average of 10 days and launching the Protection Promise, which offers the ultimate flexibility and protection.

“Our customers can also rest assured that they always come first, so unlike many other holiday providers our policies are long term and here to stay, rather than a short-term reaction to the events of the past year.

“So we’re really pleased that this has been recognised by Watchdog and we’ll continue to do the right thing now and, in the future, when we can start taking our customers away on their well-earned holidays once again.”  

 

Watchdog's package holiday pledge	easyJet holidays policies
If flights are cancelled or changed because of COVID19 customers can rebook without incurring amendment charges.	If easyJet holidays cancels a holiday, they will contact customers as soon as possible to set out their choices. This will include the option of a refund back to their original method of payment for that booking or the option to receive easyJet holidays credit to their online account to be able to make a new booking immediately or any time in the next 12 months although travel can be beyond this. In the case of a significant change to their flight, customers are entitled to a free change or cancellation.
If FCDO advice changes to warn against all but essential travel to the destination country, customers can rebook without incurring amendment charges for any element of the booked package.	easyJet holidays will not operate holidays where the FCDO advice to a destination is “all but essential travel”. Customers with affected bookings will be contacted to let them know their options which include a refund back to their original payment method for that booking. Customers are also offered the option to receive easyJet holidays credit to book an alternative holiday immediately or any time in the next 12 months although travel can be beyond this.
If a customer or a member of their household receives a positive COVID test prior to travelling, they can rebook without incurring amendment charges for any element of the booked package.	easyJet holidays will always be as flexible and supportive as possible, so if the lead customer or another member of their party are prevented from travelling due to a positive Covid-19 test, or are otherwise required to isolate, they'll be given the option to cancel the holiday for easyJet holidays credit without incurring fees, including the passing on of any supplier cancellation charges.
If any element of the booking is not available and the supplier is unable to offer an equivalent holiday (in line with ABTA’s definition of a ‘significant’ change to a booking), customers will receive a full refund.	Customers can cancel their holidays with no cancellation charged up to 28 days before departure for any reason at all, even if it's because they've simply changed their mind. If easyJet holidays has to make a significant change to a customer’s holiday, they will be contacted as soon as possible with their options, which include an alternative holiday or a full refund.
Refunds will be paid within 14 days of cancellation.	Refunds are currently paid within five days, and throughout the pandemic easyJet holidays is proud to have been able to process refunds within an average of 10 days.

Notes to editors:

For more information, interview requests or imagery, please contact the team on

Holidays.pressoffice@easyjet.com / 01582 525374

About easyJet holidays:

easyJet holidays offers great-value beach, city and lakes holidays to more than 100 destinations across Europe, directly through their website and through over 3000 travel agent partners. The ATOL-protected holidays company combines easyJet’s flexible flight programme, handpicked hotels and best-in-class technology to provide hassle-free personalised holiday experiences which can be secured with a deposit of just £60 per person. The holidays operator is an ABTA member too, providing additional reassurance to customers under the UK’s most trusted travel scheme.

With a range of holiday types, from adult and family to luxury and undiscovered, transfers included on beach holidays, 23kg hold luggage included as standard on all bookings, and over 5,000 hotels, across over 500 resorts, customers can holiday the way they want.

All easyJet holidays are covered by its Protection Promise, an industry leading policy giving customers ultimate flexibility, protection and reassurance and letting them book with total confidence. The Promise offers a refund guarantee, freedom to change a booking, a reduced balance due date, a Best Price Guarantee, deposit refunds, and Covid commitments to ensure flexibility if there are known restrictions at home or in destination.