A grieving family who booked £4,000 worth of EasyJet flights for a long-planned holiday say the airline is refusing to let them postpone all the tickets after they were hit by devastating news.
The family, who asked not to be named, had booked multiple flights for a group trip. Shortly after booking, a close relative was diagnosed with a terminal illness. They contacted EasyJet to ask if they could move the flights to a later date or receive a credit refund.
But EasyJet told them that only part of the booking could be changed under its "compassionate policy." The airline said that because the tickets were booked under different reservations, only the flights for the immediate family members directly affected could be postponed. The rest of the group's tickets – worth around £2,500 – would lose their value if not used.
"We are absolutely devastated," the customer said. "We thought EasyJet would understand and allow us to change the whole booking. Instead, they're saying we have to use the other tickets or lose the money. We can't travel now, and we are facing losing thousands."
Consumer rights experts say that while airlines are not legally required to offer refunds for cancellations due to illness, many have discretionary policies. EasyJet states on its website that it offers flexibility in "exceptional circumstances," but decisions are made case by case.
An EasyJet spokesperson said: "We are sorry to hear about this customer's situation. We have reached out to discuss their booking directly and will do everything we can to help. Our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."
The family hopes the airline will reconsider its position and allow them to shift the entire £4,000 booking so they can focus on being together without the added stress of losing a significant sum of money.