EasyJet reneging on Flight Protection Promise!

gordond

Last month we booked a family holiday to Jersey at the end of June, as being part of the UK we thought it was a reasonably safe option. Our primary concern was that travel restrictions might change, particularly as Jersey is operating it's own independent traffic light system, so EasyJet's (seemingly) comprehensive Flight Protection Promise gave us the confidence that if things did change for the worse we could at least get a refund. The specific wording of "If your trip is impacted by a lockdown travel ban or mandatory hotel quarantine this summer, you can transfer your flight for free to a later date, anytime up to 2 hours before departure, or opt for a voucher or refund, even if your flight is still operating" covered our exact concern. See the 'Protection Promise' page on their website for details.

Unfortunately the worse case scenario has now happened, and Jersey have placed our home region of Scotland into their 'Red' classification - meaning we would need to quarantine for 10 days on arrival, which to say the least makes our 8 day holiday pointless. While disappointed, we assumed we would at least be able to get a refund. EasyJet seem to not agree!

On requesting our refund they are now interpreting the following line in their T&Cs to their advantage: "Travel Restriction Protection policy applies only if ... restrictions mean you must quarantine in a government-mandated hotel scheme on arrival".

The reality is that there is a "government-mandated quarantine" in place, which means we will need to quarantine for the duration of our stay at the hotel we have booked for the first night. EasyJet have admitted that is true. But they are still stating the policy does not apply because the Jersey government are not mandating which hotel you must stay at (i.e. "a government-mandated hotel"). For me this is nit-picking to the extreme, and I think we are still entitled to a refund, but I cannot seem to convince their customer services and customer support teams that is the case.

We now just want to get our money back so we can use it for a bit of a break locally, but EasyJet are refusing to budge on the refund. They are willing to let us change flights without a fee admittedly, but that seems to apply across the board, and they are completely unwilling to consider the specific scenario that in my view is implied by their policy, and is a key reason we booked with them.

Does anyone have any advice in how to better argue our case and get the refund I believe we are entitled to?

Or in reading the details does everyone think I am being too lenient on myself, and that EasyJet are within their rights here?

Appreciate any advice / input.  

CKhalvashi

I agree that it's not a government mandated hotel quarantine, as anyone entering on the same flight is welcome to isolate at their home in Jersey if they have one.

Easyjet are therefore complying with their own terms and conditions, which are terms you agreed to when you booked the flight.

eskbanker

Yes, I agree with CKhalvashi - Jersey's regime for arrivals from red countries appears to be effectively the equivalent of that applying in the UK (and Jersey isn't in the UK btw!) for arrivals from amber ones, i.e. self-isolation in any venue of your choice, rather than "a government-mandated hotel scheme" as such, so can see why EasyJet would consider your situation to be outside the scope of their protection policy.

Butts

eskbanker said:

Yes, I agree with CKhalvashi - Jersey's regime for arrivals from red countries appears to be effectively the equivalent of that applying in the UK (and Jersey isn't in the UK btw!) for arrivals from amber ones, i.e. self-isolation in any venue of your choice, rather than "a government-mandated hotel scheme" as such, so can see why EasyJet would consider your situation to be outside the scope of their protection policy.

If you are "double jabbed" travelling from an Amber part of the UK a free PCR Test is administered on Arrival and you don't have to self isolate whilst awaiting the result.

onashoestring

This is the part of the 

Europe with Confidence Pledge

 that you need to quote to EasyJet-

• If ‘all but essential travel’ is advised for your destination

  With safety and enjoyment front of mind we will cancel any holidays where the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel, or where, at the point of departure, there’s a known routine quarantine requirement in destination and providing proof of a negative Covid-19 test won’t allow you to miss this quarantine period.

gordond

Many thanks to those that have commented. Genuinely trying to understand varying views here to see if I am in the minority / completely off the mark due to my bias. More comments / view definitely welcome.

CKhalvashi said:

I agree that it's not a government mandated hotel quarantine, as anyone entering on the same flight is welcome to isolate at their home in Jersey if they have one.

Easyjet are therefore complying with their own terms and conditions, which are terms you agreed to when you booked the flight.

Interested if anyone else thinks that while this could of course be the interpretation (and therefore will be the angle easyJet take if they can to avoid a refund) this really wasn't the 'spirit' of the terms when they were written. The reality of course is that I do not have a home in Jersey, so I will need to quarantine in paid-for hotel accommodation for the entire duration of our visit (and this is mandated by the local government), making the trip pointless. Surely the spirit and 'point' of the protection promise they were offering was to avoid that very situation? Otherwise the promise does not give you the "complete confidence to book" they were selling it as!

And to clarify some of the other comments

• eskbanker - correct, Jersey is not technically part of the UK, but it is part of the CTA, which is really what I meant. Thanks for the clarification though, as it's a relevant point.
• Butts - unfortunately we are not "double jabbed", and there is no way to accelerate that (already looked into that). 
• onashoestring - unfortunately the section you have quoted would not apply because the FDCO is not advising against "all but essential travel", as Jersey is not outside the CTA, so from there perspective is not being considered as Foreign Travel. 

onashoestring

OP - after the part about FCDO advice it says :

  or where, at the point of departure, there’s a known routine quarantine requirement in destination and providing proof of a negative Covid-19 test won’t allow you to miss this quarantine period.

gordond

onashoestring said:

OP - after the part about FCDO advice it says :

  or where, at the point of departure, there’s a known routine quarantine requirement in destination and providing proof of a negative Covid-19 test won’t allow you to miss this quarantine period.

Unfortunately that wording relates to easyJet holidays - not flight-only bookings - and is stating they will cancel holidays in that eventuality. The flights to Jersey in question are still operating, and FCDO are not advising against travel as such. :-(

Caz3121

from my reading of the wording I would say the requirement to "isolate" in Jersey is not the same as "mandatory hotel quarantine"
Their official site refers to it as "self isolation" https://www.gov.je/Health/Coronavirus/Travel/Pages/CoronavirusTravelAdvice.aspx
Have you looked at the EasyJet "Freedom to Change" you could maybe push the flights back to next year

eskbanker

Butts said:

eskbanker said:

Yes, I agree with CKhalvashi - Jersey's regime for arrivals from red countries appears to be effectively the equivalent of that applying in the UK (and Jersey isn't in the UK btw!) for arrivals from amber ones, i.e. self-isolation in any venue of your choice, rather than "a government-mandated hotel scheme" as such, so can see why EasyJet would consider your situation to be outside the scope of their protection policy.

If you are "double jabbed" travelling from an Amber part of the UK a free PCR Test is administered on Arrival and you don't have to self isolate whilst awaiting the result.

Not sure what that has to do with the thread topic or my specific point, which was to compare Jersey's handling of arrivals from countries/regions they deem to be red (such as OP's part of Scotland) with the UK treatment of arrivals from amber countries?

Butts

eskbanker said:

Butts said:

eskbanker said:

Yes, I agree with CKhalvashi - Jersey's regime for arrivals from red countries appears to be effectively the equivalent of that applying in the UK (and Jersey isn't in the UK btw!) for arrivals from amber ones, i.e. self-isolation in any venue of your choice, rather than "a government-mandated hotel scheme" as such, so can see why EasyJet would consider your situation to be outside the scope of their protection policy.

If you are "double jabbed" travelling from an Amber part of the UK a free PCR Test is administered on Arrival and you don't have to self isolate whilst awaiting the result.

Not sure what that has to do with the thread topic or my specific point, which was to compare Jersey's handling of arrivals from countries/regions they deem to be red (such as OP's part of Scotland) with the UK treatment of arrivals from amber countries?

Because Jerseys "lights" are reviewed quite frequently and it's possible the OP's Area could move to Amber by the end of the Month allowing less restricted entry.