Two of the main airline companies operating at Corvera Airport Murcia have announced special initiatives to provide more flexible options for travellers.
Ryanair is extending the waiving of its flight change fee for all customers who book to travel in October and November 2020, “giving them peace of mind and greater flexibility if their travel plans change”.
According to the low-cost airline, customers who book for travel in October and November will be able to change their flights with zero change fee to travel until 21 March 2021. Changes must be made at least seven days prior to the departure date of the original booking.
Announcing the extension, Ryanair’s director of marketing and digital, Dara Brady, said, “In order to provide as much flexibility and confidence as possible for our customers this autumn, we have extended the waiving of our flight change fee to October and November bookings. Customers can now plan a well-deserved break knowing that if their plans change they can move their flights to any new date up to 21 March 2021 without additional fees.”
Meanwhile, EasyJet’s holidays division has launched Protection Promise, “an industry-leading guarantee of flexibility and protection for customers”. The company says this new long-term customer policy has been introduced in addition to its existing short-term commitments to support customers’ bookings impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This has included a promise to cancel any holidays where there is a known quarantine or self-isolation requirement in the destination, and any customer refunds have been processed in an average of 12 days.”
A new report from EasyJet Holidays into consumer travel trends has revealed that, in spite of ongoing travel restrictions, almost a quarter (24 per cent) of Britons still plan to go on holiday abroad in the next three months, a figure that rises to 37 per cent when extended to the start of next year, “showing a rise in confidence in the industry”.
Almost two in five (38 per cent) “are even willing to quarantine for two weeks on their return in order to get away, with just over one in five (21 per cent) saying that not having a holiday or break away has affected their mood”.
Nevertheless, the report – “Taking the Temperature: Consumer holiday trends in 2020 and beyond” – also found that holidaymakers were demanding increased security and flexibility, with more than half (53 per cent) “only willing to book a holiday abroad at the moment if they feel confident their money is protected. Meanwhile 38 per cent are worried about losing money if they need to change their travel plans.”
The company’s five-point Protection Promise is described as “the only long-term policy in the UK travel sector to include a refund guarantee, best price guarantee, deposit protection, flexible payment options and the ability to easily amend bookings, free of fees”.
The report also revealed that what Britons are looking for in a holiday has, understandably, changed dramatically compared with before the pandemic. “Of those who agreed COVID-19 had made them reconsider their priorities, four in 10 (40 per cent) proactively look for destinations that have a low rate of infection, while three in 10 (31 per cent) said they now prefer self-catering or self-contained holidays.”
One aspect of holidays that has not changed is the positive effect they have on travellers. According to the report, “having a holiday booked makes many of us feel happier, with holiday planning giving 57 per cent of Brits an exciting boost to their mood.
“Meanwhile, just under half (49 per cent) say that having a holiday on the horizon helps them to manage the stresses of daily life. Looking ahead to long-term holiday plans, a beach holiday in the sun was ranked the most popular choice for Brits followed by a trip to spend quality time with family and friends.”
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