Jet2 contacts hundreds of travellers in Spain asking them to end their holiday early

Jet2 is asking hundreds of its customers in Spain to return to the UK early or risk having to make their own way home.

Jet2 said that it has taken the decision to suspend flights and holidays to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza up to and including August 9.

Flights to mainland Spain have already been cancelled and the company is operating empty outbound flights to pick customers up, until August 3.

David Jones, who has been touring Spain for two weeks with his partner Helen Rickard, was informed by text that their return flight had been cancelled.

Mr Jones said the company told him over the phone to “make our own arrangements” to get home if they did not want to accept a return flight a week early.

The couple were due to fly home from Alicante on August 8, and have also had a backup return flight with easyJet cancelled with no alternatives offered. They have now had to buy a return flight via Ryanair.

Mr Jones, from the West Midlands, said: “I understand times are difficult. It’s why we were prepared for quarantine and had an alternative flight in reserve.

A young couple embraces as the sun sets in the Balearic Islands capital of Palma de Mallorca, Spain
AP

“I’m very disappointed that both companies seem to play fast and loose with their legal obligations.”

A Jet2 spokesperson said: "We are operating empty outbound flights to pick up customers from these destinations up to and including 3 August, and we are contacting customers who are currently in these destinations to advise them of their options regarding flying back to the UK.

"We appreciate that some of our package holiday customers were due to stay on holiday for longer than this and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

"It is important to note that we are responding to a very fast-moving situation with updates coming from the government with little or no notice, and we have had to make decisions about our programme accordingly. We can assure these customers that we will be in touch with them to resolve any issues that they may have."

It comes after the UK removed Spain from its safe countries list and the Foreign Office advised Brits against all but essential travel to Spain to a surge of coronavirus cases in the country.

Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said holidaymakers have been stuck in the middle of a “tug of war” between Government advice and travel company policies.

“The Government had said people on holiday in the Balearic and Canary Islands don’t need to return early, but Jet2 has decided that they should," said Mr Boland.

“Jet2 must now urgently clarify whether this is a requirement or a choice, and make it clear to customers whose package holiday has been cancelled what their rights are to a partial refund for the remainder of their trip.

“The past week has seen utter confusion for holidaymakers. The Government needs to work more closely with the travel industry so that tour operators and airlines can better manage these changing requirements, and holidaymakers aren’t caught between following Government advice or potentially losing the money for their holiday.”

Additional reporting by PA Media.

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