Booking Your Flight

Please always try to book your flight through a website such as www.travelrepublic.co.uk who are both ABTA and ATOL members and pay with a credit card.

Travel Insurance

Always make certain that you have insurance cover as soon as you book your holiday or flight. If you do not have an annual travel insurance policy you can take out cover just for the dates of your holiday at any point prior to the holiday taking place.

Taking out cover straight away ensures that should anything unexpected happen that is covered by the insurance policy  you can make a claim . Travel insurance policies vary enormously ALWAYS read the small print

Flybe Airline Failure - what to do if it affects you

1) Get current information on everything so you can make informed decisions:-
First check with Flybe's website for up to date accurate information.
If you booked via Travel Republic (who are ABTA and ATOL bonded) then also check on their website, both under your individual booking and in their help section
Read your Travel Insurance Policy to see what you are covered for in the event of an airline collapse. This will depend on your level of cover.

2) Getting your money back in the event of airline collapse
If you booked via Travel Republic they should refund you as they are both ABTA and ATOL bonded at the time of writing this information
If you booked direct with Flybe and paid more than £100 with a credit card then you should be able to claim a refund from your credit card provider under section 75 rules
If you booked direct with Flybe and paid with a debit card then you need to contact your bank and ask your bank to do a ‘chargeback’. This isn’t a legal protection – it is a Visa, Mastercard and Amex rule where your bank gets your money back from Flybe’s bank as you didn’t receive what you paid for. It should work for most people providing there is the money to pay you.

3) Rebook a new flight so that your holiday can go ahead.

Please Note: Any payment to Free Spirit Travel is governed by our terms and conditions, deposits are non-refundable, final payments are refundable as per the table on your booking form. Please talk to us if your flight is cancelled and you cannot travel. If Free Spirit Travel cancels the holiday for everybody then you will receive a full refund, if you personally cancel your holiday you will only receive a refund within the booking form terms and conditions, you may however be able to claim on your insurance policy and we can assist with this.

Brexit and how it affects your travel

There are no changes to the rules on travelling to the EU before the transition period ends on 31 December 2020.

2019 - for those of you already registered for summer 2020 please  be aware that the venue may increase their costs to us due to exchange rate changes and if this happens we will, sadly, have to pass the increase on to you. We would expect the increases to be minimal.

Your Europena Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is valid until 31 December 2020. If you are travelling in the European Economic Area or Switzerland up to this time, you can apply for and continue to use your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), as you did before. The EHIC gives you the right to access emergency state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in those countries.
Remember that the EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. It will not cover any private medical healthcare or costs, such being flown back to the UK, or lost or stolen property.

Updates - flight delays

My flight has been delayed. Can I get compensation?

Check the Citizens advice website for detailed information by following this link

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/if-your-flights-delayed-or-cancelled/

Also read the following

Airlines don't have to pay out for delays caused by snow because weather is classified as an "extraordinary circumstance" – though some airlines may issue a refund at their discretion. For those of you flying to India you are almost certainly on a non EU airline so contact them direct to see exactly what you are entitled to.

According to Which magazine you can challenge your airline if you don't agree there were extraordinary circumstances – for example, if you are told you can't fly due to the snow, but other flights are departing. "Airlines may stretch the definition of extraordinary circumstances further than they should."

Which Magazine  states:-

If the delay is not caused by extraordinary circumstances you will be entitled to compensation under EU rules, but only if you are flying with an airline based in the EU or with a non-EU-based airline flying from an EU airport, and only if the delay is for two hours or more. If you are flying somewhere else or with a non-EU-based airline not flying from the EU you'll have to check that carrier's terms and conditions.

If you are delayed for two hours or more you are entitled to: two free phone calls, faxes or e-mails; free food and drinks; and free hotel accommodation if you need to stay overnight.

If your flight arrives at its destination three hours or more late you will receive compensation of between €250 and €600, depending on how far your flight takes you. So you'll get €250 if your three hour-delayed flight travels 1,500km or less (ie, London to Amsterdam), but €600 if your plane is delayed by four hours or more and travels at least 3,500km (ie, London to Sydney).

My flight has been cancelled. Will I get my money back?

If your flight is cancelled you should be offered either a refund or an alternative flight to your original destination.

For compensation you will have to look to the EU rules again, though if the delay is caused by snow – and thus an extraordinary circumstance – you might not get anything. If you are covered by EU regulations you will be entitled to travel assistance (such as help with rebooking for a later date) as well as meals and accommodation etc. Check the official EU website for more on your rights.