Wizz Air issues UK flights update to customers with bookings after rule change confirmed
Leading budget airline Wizz Air has issued an update to customers with bookings following a Government rule change.UK holidaymakers have been told to brace for potential flight cancellations this summer after the Government introduced a rule change which will allow airlines to condense multiple flights to the same destination into a single service.Passengers could be moved from a service they originally booked to a similar one, to reduce the amount of fuel wasted by flying planes that have not sold out and might have been cancelled, under the new rules.Consumer group Which? criticised the plan, saying rules should not be “bent in favour of airlines”.On Sunday the Government reminded air passengers of their rights, including when facing long delays or cancellations, in a bid to protect summer holidays from disruption.Passengers experiencing flight cancellations can expect to receive a refund or be re-routed on another service, while those facing long delays have a right to receive care and assistance, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.In a briefing document, the department said passengers experiencing cancellations are entitled to a choice between a refund or to be rerouted on another service, in which case airlines have to offer a comparable alternative.Passengers experiencing cancellations and passengers facing delays of at least two hours on a short flight, three hours on a medium-haul and four hours on a long flight, have a right to care and assistance.The DfT said this can include offering vouchers for a reasonable amount of food and drink, refunds for the cost of calls, accommodation, and transport to and from the accommodation when a flight is cancelled.But on Sunday night, airline Wizz Air moved to ‘reassure customers’ that it is unaffected by the jet fuel crisis and it plans to operate its ‘full summer schedule’.A spokesperson told PA: “Wizz Air acknowledges today’s announcement by the UK Government and would like to reassure customers that its operations remain fully stable and unaffected.“The airline confirms that it plans to continue to operate its full summer schedule, flying passengers safely and reliably to their destinations across its extensive network.“Wizz Air is working closely with its partners to ensure seamless operations throughout the peak travel season.”
