Travel and holiday disruption FAQs

Whether you’ve booked a package holiday, accommodation for your trip or simply a day excursion, we’ve set out if and how we can help you obtain a refund below.

Firstly we need to understand who cancelled your trip. Was it the retailer you booked with or did you decide to cancel a future booking yourself?

I decided to cancel – If you chose to cancel your booking and the service was still available, then we may be able to help provided you followed the cancellation policy set out by the merchant. If you have followed the cancellation policy (including paying any cancellation fees) and have not got a refund that you are entitled to, then we may be able to help. Please be aware refunds may take longer than expected due to knock on impacts of coronavirus.

The retailer/business cancelled – If the trip was cancelled by the merchant we may be able to help you, depending on why they cancelled your trip. Before contacting us, we recommend trying to resolve the dispute with the merchant first. In most cases you are entitled to a refund, however the merchant may offer you an alternative e.g. different dates or a credit voucher. If you are not happy with what is offered, then please use our travel disruption tool to see if we may be able to help. If you have accepted a voucher and are unhappy, please see our information on what to do here.

Below are links to the web pages for the main travel providers used by our customers, which may help you further. We’ve also included the links for their Coronavirus web pages, however we suggest you ensure you look at information across all of their web pages to understand how they can best help you.

• British Airways webpage 
• British Airways Coronavirus page
• easyJet webpage
• easyJet Coronavirus page
• Emirates webpage
• Emirates Coronavirus page
• Hays Travel webpage
• Hays Travel Coronavirus page
• Jet2.com webpage
• Jet2.com Coronavirus page
• Love Holidays webpage
• Love Holidays Coronavirus page
• Ryanair webpage
• Ryanair Coronavirus page
• Tui webpage
• Tui Coronavirus page
• Trailfinders webpage
• Trailfinders Coronavirus page
• Virgin Holiday webpage
• Virgin Holidays Coronavirus page

MBNA is not responsible for the content or function of third party websites.

If your flight is cancelled, your airline should give you a refund and tell you how to apply for it. Or they may give you the option to re-book for a later date or offer a credit voucher. If the options don't suit you and they are unable/unwilling to refund you then please use our travel disruption tool to see if we may be able to request a refund on your behalf.

Below are links to the web pages for the main travel providers used by our customers, which may help you further. We’ve also included the links for their Coronavirus web pages, however we suggest you ensure you look at information across all of their web pages to understand how they can best help you.

• British Airways webpage 
• British Airways Coronavirus page
• easyJet webpage
• easyJet Coronavirus page
• Emirates webpage
• Emirates Coronavirus page
• Hays Travel webpage
• Hays Travel Coronavirus page
• Jet2.com webpage
• Jet2.com Coronavirus page
• Love Holidays webpage
• Love Holidays Coronavirus page
• Ryanair webpage
• Ryanair Coronavirus page
• Tui webpage
• Tui Coronavirus page
• Trailfinders webpage
• Trailfinders Coronavirus page
• Virgin Holiday webpage
• Virgin Holidays Coronavirus page

MBNA is not responsible for the content or function of third party websites.

You may be able to benefit from either chargeback (payment dispute) or Section 75.

Chargeback

A chargeback is a scheme put in place to protect customers, also known as a payment dispute. It allows cardholders the ability to request a refund through their card issuer in a number of different scenarios. This includes where you have not received what you have paid for. We as your card issuer will refund you and will then seek to claim the payment back from the original merchant. However, merchants can dispute the chargeback request and this may result in your account having the payment taken again.

Chargeback rights cover the amount of the card transaction only, other losses cannot be claimed. A chargeback claim must also be made within a set time period. This is usually 120 days from the date of purchase, or from when the goods or services were expected to be received, though longer periods may apply in certain situations. Please use our travel disruption tool to see if we may be able to help you.

Section 75

If you are struggling to get a refund that you are entitled to, and you paid using a credit card, you may be able to make a claim under Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Section 75 covers most credit card purchases for goods or services over £100 and under £30,000. This means you may be able to make a claim through us for the loss you have suffered. Section 75 rights are only available where the seller/provider has misrepresented something or if there has been a breach of contract. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to claim a refund and potentially some consequential losses. You can find out more about Section 75 and how to make a claim if you have a credit card with us.

Please use our travel disruption tool to see if we may be able to help you.

If a flight or holiday has been cancelled by your travel provider – e.g. the airline or travel agent, you should contact your travel provider in the first instance. You may be offered a refund, the option to re-book for a later date, or a credit note.

If your travel provider doesn’t offer a refund or the alternative is not suitable, or if you are struggling to make contact with your merchant you may be able to get a refund by raising a payment dispute (chargeback). Please use our travel disruption tool to see if we may be able to help.

To raise a payment dispute (chargeback) the following information will be needed:

1. The name of the merchant – e.g. your travel provider or airline the original transaction was made with;

2. Details of the payment and description of the item/service and delivery date;

3. The date the money was paid and whether this was in store, online or by phone;

4. A written summary of the dispute may be requested. This should include details of attempts to resolve the dispute and any responses received.

The payment disputes page offers more information, including how you can raise a payment dispute on your MBNA credit card.

If you chose to cancel your booking and the service was still available, then we may be able to help provided you followed the cancellation policy set out by the merchant. If you have followed the cancellation policy and have not got a refund that you are entitled to, then you may be able to raise a payment dispute (chargeback). 

Below are links to the web pages for the main travel providers used by our customers, which may help you further. We’ve also included the links for their Coronavirus web pages, however we suggest you ensure you look at information across all of their web pages to understand how they can best help you.

• British Airways webpage 
• British Airways Coronavirus page
• easyJet webpage
• easyJet Coronavirus page
• Emirates webpage
• Emirates Coronavirus page
• Hays Travel webpage
• Hays Travel Coronavirus page
• Jet2.com webpage
• Jet2.com Coronavirus page
• Love Holidays webpage
• Love Holidays Coronavirus page
• Ryanair webpage
• Ryanair Coronavirus page
• Tui webpage
• Tui Coronavirus page
• Trailfinders webpage
• Trailfinders Coronavirus page
• Virgin Holiday webpage
• Virgin Holidays Coronavirus page

MBNA is not responsible for the content or function of third party websites.

If you are struggling to get a refund that you are entitled to, and you paid using a credit card, you may be able to make a claim under Section 75 Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Section 75 covers most credit card purchases for goods or services over £100 and under £30,000. This means you may be able to make a claim through us for the loss you have suffered. Section 75 rights are only available where the seller/provider has misrepresented something or if there has been a breach of contract. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to claim a refund and potentially some consequential losses. You can find out more about Section 75 and how to make a claim if you have a credit card with us.

Please use our travel disruption tool to see if we may be able to help. 

If you have already accepted travel vouchers and you are not happy with that, you may be able to get a refund instead. You will need to speak to your travel provider to see if they will issue you a refund as an alternative to your vouchers.

If your provider agrees to issue you a full refund, note it may take longer to process than usual. Please therefore wait 15 days from the request being accepted.

If you struggle to come to an agreement with your provider, we may be able to help.

To contact our Disputes team, our lines are open Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm.

Call us on 0345 607 2271 or +44 (0) 1244 757 223 if you’re calling from outside the UK.

We aim to resolve credit card claims within 10 working days. If you’ve already raised a claim with us, we are working through these as quickly as we can.

When the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to a region or country, you may be able to claim under the cancellation or travel disruption terms of your travel insurance policy. Every policy will be different so it’s important you check what cover you have and what you can claim. Some travel insurance policies may only allow you to claim for trips booked before the coronavirus situation arose. Do check that detail.

Many insurance policies will no longer cover coronavirus for future bookings. So if you have an existing travel insurance policy, check with your provider to see if they have introduced any restrictions. If you are looking for a new policy, check to see if disruption due to coronavirus is included in the cover you are buying. 

It is still important to take out travel insurance when you book any trips to cover you for future events.

If there is no Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or other regulatory authority warning in place for your destination when you are due to travel and your flights, accommodation, etc. are all running as normal, you are unlikely to get a refund if you don’t want to travel. Also, travel insurance is unlikely to cover ‘disinclination to travel’. 

However, if you have received medical advice not to travel due to your health, or if you are in an ‘at risk’ group, you may be able to get a refund and/or claim on your travel insurance. Speak to your travel provider or insurer for more information. Otherwise check the terms and conditions to see whether you have the right to cancel and receive a refund.

During these difficult times, we’re here to help support customers who have been affected by travel providers that have stopped trading due to coronavirus.

In the first instance, please check the website or any correspondence from the travel provider, or their administrator to understand how to get a refund.

Lots of flights and holiday purchases are covered by protection schemes, such as ATOL, who may refund you when a travel merchant ceases to trade. Most of these schemes will provide you with a certificate so please check your booking confirmation, the travel provider’s website or the administrator of your travel provider.

If your booking is protected, please follow the guidance that will be issued by your protection scheme on their website.

If you’re unable to claim a refund through a protection scheme and you paid for your travel with your MBNA credit card, you may be able to raise a claim by filling our online form.

Stay Safe

If you’re contacted about the company that has stopped trading, be aware that as MBNA, we’ll never ask you for your bank details. Sometimes there can be an increase in fraud attempts during these type of events.