Travel News · 14 min read · Updated October 23, 2026

Your travel rights when things go wrong: the complete plain-English guide

UK law gives holidaymakers some of the strongest consumer protections in the world, but they don't all apply to every booking. Here is exactly what you're entitled to, and what depends on which airline you flew with.

Short on time? Let us summarise this guide for you.

Package holiday bookers have the strongest protections. If the FCDO advises against travel to your destination, you can cancel fee-free and receive a full refund within 14 days under the Package Travel Regulations 2018. After you book, your operator can only raise the price for fuel, third-party taxes or exchange rates, with at least 20 days' notice, and if the rise is more than 8% you can cancel for a full refund. For flight cancellations, UK261 guarantees refunds or rerouting for all flights departing UK airports regardless of airline, and for all UK airline flights worldwide, but flights into the UK on non-UK, non-EU airlines (such as Emirates flying Doha to London) are not automatically covered by UK law. The good news: Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad all offered refunds and rebooking as goodwill gestures when the conflict began. War counts as an extraordinary circumstance, so cash compensation on top of a refund is not owed by any airline. ATOL protects you if your tour operator fails. Section 75 on credit card purchases adds a further layer. Travel insurance war exclusions are widespread, so check your policy carefully. Official advice has also moved since March: the FCDO relaxed its Gulf advice in June, but since 16 October it advises against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia.

What has changed since March

This guide was first published in March, in the first days of the conflict. Here is what has moved since:

• Official advice has moved in both directions. After the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding on 17 June, the FCDO stopped advising against all but essential travel to the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. On 16 October it began advising against all but essential travel to the whole of Saudi Arabia, following Houthi attacks on airports, including a deadly strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on 10 October.
• Gulf airlines have largely rebuilt their schedules, but some regional routes are still being cancelled at short notice.
• Fuel costs are now the bigger threat to your holiday price. We have added a new section on when your price can rise after you book, and the 8% rule that lets you cancel.
• The EU has agreed a major reform of EU261. It is not yet in force, and the headline compensation rights survive.
• More travel firms have failed. A count earlier this year put the number of UK travel companies that had collapsed or lost their ATOL protection since 2025 at ten, mostly small operators, which makes checking your protection more important than ever.

First: which rules apply to your booking?

This is the most important question, and it's one most people don't think to ask until something goes wrong. Your rights depend on three things: how you booked, which airline you flew with, and where your flight departed from. Get this right first and everything else follows logically.

There are four separate layers of protection that can apply, and they cover different things:

• The Package Travel Regulations 2018 (PTRs): cover package holidays if your destination becomes unsafe, and limit when the price can rise after you book
• UK261 / EU261: cover flight cancellations and delays, but only for certain airlines and routes
• ATOL: covers you if your tour operator goes bust
• Section 75: covers credit card purchases if a supplier fails to deliver

They don't all apply to everyone. Read on to find out exactly which ones apply to you.

Package holidays: your strongest protection

Am I on a package holiday?

More people are than realise it. Under UK law, a booking is legally a "package holiday" if it combines at least two different travel services (flights, accommodation, car hire, or significant tourist services like tours) bought together for one price from one provider. If you booked flights and a hotel together through TUI, Jet2holidays, On the Beach, or even a single booking session on a travel website, you are almost certainly on a package, and the full force of UK consumer law is behind you.

What you are not on is a package if you booked your flights and accommodation completely separately, from different providers, at different times. In that case, your flight rights and accommodation rights are separate, and the package holiday protections described below do not apply.

What are my rights if FCDO advice changes?

This is where package holiday protection is genuinely powerful. Under Regulation 12(7) of the Package Travel Regulations 2018, if unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occur at your destination, or significantly affect your ability to get there, you can cancel your package holiday before departure without paying any cancellation fee, and your operator must refund you in full within 14 days. No vouchers. No credits. Your money back.

War, serious security threats, and airspace closures all qualify as unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. And crucially, the Competition and Markets Authority has stated clearly that if the FCDO is advising against travel to your destination when you are due to leave, that is strong evidence these circumstances apply. A court case, Braithwaite v Loveholidays, has confirmed that a change in FCDO advice can be sufficient to trigger your full refund rights.

Advice can move in both directions. The FCDO relaxed its advice for the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait in June, so a package to those destinations no longer has the same automatic argument for a fee-free cancellation. On the other hand, since 16 October the FCDO has advised against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia, which is the kind of change that can trigger these rights for packages there. Your operator will make its own assessment, so check the FCDO page for your destination and ask in writing.

The golden rule: don't cancel early

If you cancel your package holiday before the FCDO formally changes its advice, you may be liable for cancellation fees under your contract. Your legal rights activate when the official advice changes, not when you personally start feeling worried. Wait for the FCDO trigger, then act. Bookmark gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for your destination and check it regularly.

What if my operator cancels, not me?

If your operator cancels the holiday because of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, the same applies: a full refund within 14 days. They cannot offer you vouchers instead of cash unless you voluntarily agree to accept them.

What if I'm already on holiday when things go wrong?

Your operator is responsible for getting you home. If unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances make it impossible to return you as planned, your operator must cover necessary accommodation, at an equivalent standard to your original booking, for up to three nights per traveller while they arrange your return. Keep all receipts for any additional expenses and submit them to your operator.

Wednesday's budget won't protect your next holiday

(But our advice might!)

Can the price of my holiday go up after I book? Fuel surcharges and the 8% rule

With jet fuel prices high and many airlines' fuel hedges running out, plenty of people are asking whether they could be hit with a surcharge after they have paid. The answer depends on how you booked. Our interactive fuel hedge tracker also shows how protected each airline is from rising fuel prices.

Package holidays: the rules

Under regulation 10 of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, your package price cannot be increased after you book unless your contract expressly says it can. Even then, an increase is only allowed for three things: the cost of fuel or other power for transport, third-party taxes and fees (such as tourist taxes, landing taxes and airport charges), and exchange rates. Your operator must explain the increase, with a calculation, at least 20 days before your holiday starts. You are also entitled to a price reduction if those costs fall.

The 8% rule: if an increase is more than 8% of the total price of your package, you get a choice. You can accept it, accept a substitute package if one is offered, or cancel without paying a termination fee. If you cancel, you must be refunded within 14 days. On a £2,000 family holiday, 8% is £160.

Two things worth knowing. An increase of 8% or less can still be applied if your contract allows it and your operator follows the notice rules, but it has to be justified. And the same rules cover tourist taxes and exchange rates, not just fuel. The Independent's travel coverage has explained the same 8% test for fuel surcharges.

The big operators have promised not to surcharge

In April, Jet2 said it would not introduce fuel surcharges on any existing or future bookings, and removed the surcharge provision from its terms. TUI and easyJet followed. easyJet's pledge applied to pre-booked packages and new summer 2026 bookings, so check the wording if you are booking later dates. These are commercial promises rather than law, so keep a copy of the pledge and your booking terms.

Flight-only bookings

If you have paid in full for a flight-only ticket, UK airlines have said they do not intend to surcharge existing passengers, and there is no convention of asking people who have already paid to pay more. Airlines can and do raise fares on new bookings, though, which is one reason booking early matters.

If your flight is merged or cancelled to save fuel

In May, the Department for Transport consulted on temporary slot rule changes that let airlines combine several daily flights to the same destination, moving passengers onto a similar service to avoid near-empty flights and last-minute cancellations. If an airline cancels your flight, you still have a legal right to choose between being rerouted or a refund, and your package holiday rights still apply.

What to check if you get a price increase notice

• Does your contract allow an increase?
• Is it for fuel, third-party taxes or exchange rates?
• Does the notice explain it with a calculation?
• Was it sent at least 20 days before departure?
• Is it more than 8%? If so, you can cancel for a full refund within 14 days.

If the notice fails any of these tests, challenge it in writing.

Flight cancellations and delays: UK261 and EU261 explained

What are UK261 and EU261?

UK261 is the UK's version of the EU's famous passenger rights law. After Brexit, the UK copied the EU regulation directly into British law, preserving the same protections. The two regulations are almost identical in scope and entitlements. The main difference is that UK261 pays compensation in pounds rather than euros.

What do they cover?

Both regulations cover three main types of disruption: flight cancellations, significant delays, and being denied boarding. When they apply, they entitle you to:

• A full refund of your ticket, or rerouting to your destination on the next available flight, your choice
• Duty of care while you wait: meals, refreshments, and if you're delayed overnight, a hotel and transport to it
• Cash compensation of £220 to £520 per passenger depending on flight distance, but only if the disruption was the airline's fault, not an extraordinary circumstance

That last point is critical right now: war and airspace closures are explicitly listed as extraordinary circumstances under UK261 and EU261. This means airlines do not owe you the additional cash compensation payment when cancellations are caused by the conflict. But, and this is important, the right to a refund or rerouting still applies regardless of the reason for cancellation. Your ticket money is not lost.

Duty of care always applies, even in extraordinary circumstances

Even when an airline owes you no cash compensation, it must still provide food, drinks, and where necessary a hotel and transport to it for as long as you are waiting. This duty of care applies in all circumstances, including war-related disruption. Due to the sheer volume of stranded passengers at affected airports, you may be asked to pay out of pocket and claim back, so keep every single receipt.

Which flights and airlines are covered by UK261?

This is the most misunderstood part. The regulation is not just for British airlines. Coverage depends on where your flight departs from and who operates it:

The practical takeaway: if your outbound flight from the UK was on any airline, including Emirates, Qatar Airways or Etihad, UK261 applies to that leg. But the return leg on a Gulf carrier from Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi back to the UK falls outside UK261 if the operating airline is not UK or EU based. That is also why flying with a UK or European airline is the safest choice for your return. See the next section for what protections you do have in that situation.

Is EU261 changing?

Yes, but not yet. The European Parliament approved a major reform of EU261 on 7 July 2026. The three-hour delay threshold and the €250 to €600 compensation bands survive, and the reform adds new rules on rerouting after cancellations and on cabin bag pricing. The new rules are expected to apply from late 2027, so nothing changes for flights today. UK261 is separate UK law, and the EU reform does not change it.

Flying with Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad or other non-UK/non-EU airlines?

This is the section that matters most for the hundreds of thousands of UK travellers who book with Gulf carriers. The picture is more nuanced, but not as alarming as it might first appear.

Where UK261 does and doesn't protect you

If you flew from a UK airport on Emirates, Qatar Airways or Etihad, UK261 applies to that outbound leg. Your cancelled or significantly delayed outbound flight entitles you to a refund or rerouting.

However, if your return flight is operated by a Gulf carrier flying into the UK from Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, and that carrier is neither a UK nor EU airline, UK261 does not legally apply to that return leg. You are not automatically entitled to the statutory protections under UK law.

What Gulf airlines have done, and why it matters

Here is the genuinely reassuring part. Despite having no legal obligation under UK or EU law on those return legs, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad all offered comprehensive passenger support when the conflict began:

• Emirates offered free rebooking and full refunds for affected flights, and operated repatriation flights to get stranded passengers home.
• Qatar Airways offered free rebooking within 14 days or a full refund for flights affected between 28 February and 22 March, and operated dedicated repatriation flights to major European cities including London Heathrow.
• Etihad offered free rebooking and refunds for affected flights and resumed a limited commercial schedule, prioritising passengers with existing bookings.

Those March offers have largely run their course, and the airlines have since rebuilt their networks. Qatar Airways is back to more than 160 destinations, around 85% of its pre-war network, and Emirates is flying about 140 destinations from Dubai. But some regional routes, especially to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait, are still being cancelled at short notice.

Any refund or rebooking offer you rely on now is the airline's own commercial policy, not a legal obligation under UK law. That distinction matters because goodwill policies can change, have deadlines, and may be harder to enforce if an airline disputes your claim. If you are in this situation, act promptly, keep written records of all communications, and escalate through the airline's formal complaints process if you are refused.

If your package holiday included a Gulf carrier flight

If your Gulf carrier flights were part of a package holiday booked through a UK operator, the Package Travel Regulations still protect you. It is your operator's responsibility to make the package work, including getting you home, regardless of which airline they used. The PTRs override the airline's individual position in this scenario.

The UAE's March commitment

During the March airspace closure, the UAE government said it would cover accommodation costs for tourists stranded in the country. That commitment was tied to that specific closure, so do not assume it applies to any new disruption. If you are stranded in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, contact UAE tourism authorities or your hotel directly to confirm what is on offer.

ATOL: if your tour operator collapses

ATOL, the Air Travel Organiser's Licence, is a separate protection that has nothing to do with flight disruption. It protects you specifically if your UK tour operator goes out of business, either before you travel or while you're on holiday.

Every flight-inclusive package holiday sold by a UK company must by law be ATOL-protected. When you make your first payment, you should receive an ATOL certificate. This is your proof of protection and your instructions for making a claim if needed. Keep it somewhere accessible.

If your operator fails before you travel, ATOL will refund you. If your operator fails while you're abroad, ATOL will arrange for you to complete your holiday or get you home. The Civil Aviation Authority administers the scheme, funded by a £2.50 per-passenger levy that all ATOL holders pay into a trust fund, which has reached a record level.

ATOL does not cover: cancelled flights (that's UK261 or the PTRs), bad service, or holidays that go wrong for reasons other than the operator going bust. It is the backstop against company failure, nothing more and nothing less.

Why this matters more right now

A count earlier this year put the number of UK travel companies that had collapsed or lost their ATOL protection since 2025 at ten, mostly small operators. In June, rating agency Fitch revised its global airline outlook to "deteriorating" on higher fuel costs. Check that your booking carries an ATOL certificate, and prefer an ABTA member for packages that include flights.

What if an airline fails, rather than a tour operator?

Flights bought directly from an airline are not ATOL protected, although some flight-only bookings made through a travel firm are, so check for an ATOL certificate. If you booked a flight on its own and the airline fails, your options are Section 75 if you paid by credit card, or scheduled airline failure cover on your travel insurance, if your policy includes it. This is another reason a protected package can be the safer choice.

To check whether your operator holds an ATOL licence, search the CAA's register at caa.co.uk/atol-protection.

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Travel insurance and war exclusions

FCDO advice for the region has changed several times since the conflict began. It was relaxed for the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait in June, but the UK Foreign Office now advises against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia, and advice elsewhere in the region can change at short notice. If you are already in a country where the FCDO advises against travel and are unable to return home, your insurance cover will automatically extend until you can travel back to the UK at the first possible opportunity through government-approved routes, and emergency medical expenses remain covered while you arrange your return.

However, there is no cover for cancellation, curtailment, travel delay, missed departure or costs linked to rearranging trips as a result of this conflict, and no cover applies for new bookings to destinations where the FCDO is advising against travel, as this is now a known event. Customers should contact their airline for flight updates and follow the latest Foreign Office advice.

Any insured person whose travel plans are affected by this event should in the first instance contact their tour operator, airline or travel provider for assistance. Your travel provider is normally under various obligations to get you home safely on the next available flight.

Buy your insurance when you book, not just before you travel. Cover usually starts from the day you buy it, so events that happen after that date are far more likely to be covered. If you are booking flights on their own, check whether your policy includes scheduled airline failure cover.

If you hold a Holiday Extras travel insurance policy and have questions about your cover, please let us know with this Contact Form and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Section 75: the credit card safety net

Often overlooked, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is one of the most powerful consumer protections available to UK buyers, and it applies automatically to any credit card purchase between £100 and £30,000.

Under Section 75, your credit card company is jointly and severally liable alongside the supplier. This means that if a holiday company fails to deliver what you paid for, whether because they've gone bust, cancelled your trip, or otherwise breached their contract, you can claim a full refund directly from your credit card company, not just from the supplier.

This is particularly valuable if you booked independently rather than as a package, and your airline or hotel has failed to provide a refund through normal channels. It can also help if you book early on a deposit: paying even the deposit on a credit card can bring the full cost of an item priced between £100 and £30,000 within Section 75, though it is worth checking with your card provider. Note that Section 75 applies to credit cards, not debit cards, though debit card holders may be able to use the separate "chargeback" process through their bank, which offers similar but less legally robust protection.

One important limitation: Section 75 generally requires a direct relationship between you and the supplier. If you booked through a travel agent or third-party platform rather than directly with the airline or hotel, the position can be more complex. If in doubt, contact your credit card provider directly to explain your situation.

If you're stranded abroad right now

If you are currently in the Gulf region or another affected area and cannot get home, here is what to do, in order of priority:

• Register with the FCDO. If you are in a country affected by the conflict, the FCDO asks British nationals to register their presence through the travel advice page for that country at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. This allows the FCDO to contact you directly with updates and to include you in evacuation planning if necessary.
• Check your airline's website directly for the latest schedule updates, repatriation flight information, and rebooking options. Do not rely on social media. Go directly to the airline's official website.
• Contact your tour operator if you booked a package holiday. They have a legal obligation under the Package Travel Regulations to cover your necessary accommodation for up to three nights and to arrange your return. Keep all receipts.
• Contact your travel insurer. Let them know you are stranded and ask what emergency assistance cover your policy provides. Some policies include emergency repatriation cover that operates independently of the war exclusion clause.
• If you are in Saudi Arabia: the FCDO has told British nationals to stay away from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh until it is secure, and suggests that anyone wishing to leave considers crossing by land into a neighbouring country and flying from there. Follow instructions from the Saudi authorities.
• Keep all receipts for every additional expense: hotel nights, meals, transport, communications. You will need these for any future claim against your airline, operator or insurer.

Quick-lookup table: your rights by booking type

Use this table to find your situation quickly. Remember that multiple protections can apply at the same time. The table shows the most relevant ones for each scenario.

The bottom line

UK holidaymakers have genuinely strong legal protections, but they are not unlimited, and they do not apply equally to all bookings. The single most important thing you can do is understand exactly how you booked and which airline is operating your flights, then match that to the protections above.

Package holiday bookers are in the strongest position. Those who flew outbound on any airline from a UK airport have UK261 protection on that leg. Those returning on Gulf carriers without UK261 protection on the return leg are not without options, but the legal footing is softer and the deadlines are real.

Planning ahead? With fuel costs high and travel firms under pressure, the best protection is to book early on a deposit with an ABTA and ATOL protected package, so your price and your protection are locked in from day one. Check the surcharge pledge in your terms, and remember the 8% rule.

In all cases: keep records, act promptly, use official channels, and don't accept "no" without asking the airline or operator to explain in writing exactly why your specific claim doesn't qualify.

This page is reviewed and updated regularly as the situation develops. Last updated 23 October 2026.

Sources: Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (legislation.gov.uk), The Independent, Travel Weekly, Travel Gossip, the Department for Transport, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Civil Aviation Authority, Euronews and Gulf airline and industry reporting. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the details for your own booking with your operator, airline or insurer.