Jet2holidays, the UK’s leading tour operator to destinations across the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, has continued its industry-leading position when it comes to looking after customers during the pandemic, by signing up to BBC Watchdog’s ‘Package Holiday Pledge’.

BBC Watchdog, the popular investigative programme, created the pledge to give customers extra assurance when booking a package holiday. This came about after viewers contacted the programme to raise issues with other holiday companies.

By signing up to the pledge, Jet2holidays is publicly declaring that it will make a number of commitments, however the ATOL protected package holiday specialist has already been delivering on these commitments throughout the pandemic.

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have been praised for their industry-leading and prompt refunding of over £1bn to customers whose travel plans have been affected by programme changes during the pandemic, and the companies continue this customer-first approach.

Recognition for this includes Jet2.com and Jet2holidays receiving Which? Recommended Provider Status once again. Which? stated that ‘Some packages are better than others’ when they named Jet2holidays as a tour operator that has ‘done the right thing’ during the pandemic. In addition, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays ranked as the top two travel firms for providing refunds, according to a travel refund cancellation survey by MoneySavingExpert.com (MSE). Jet2.com was also recognised by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the only UK airline to promptly provide refunds.

The commitments contained within the pledge are as follows:

If flights are cancelled or changed because of COVID-19, customers can rebook without incurring amendment charges.

If FCDO advice changes to warn against all but essential travel to the destination country, customers can rebook without incurring amendment charges for any element of the booked package.

If a customer or a member of their household receives a positive COVID test prior to travelling, they can rebook without incurring amendment charges for any element of the booked package.

If any element of the booking is not available and Jet2holidays is unable to offer an equivalent holiday (in line with ABTA’s definition of a ‘significant’ change to a booking), customers will receive a full refund.

Refunds will be paid within 14 days of cancellation.

If – between booking and departure – the UK imposes quarantine on arrivals from the destination country, customers will be entitled to change or cancel their booking without incurring charges for any element of their package.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: “We are proud to sign up to BBC Watchdog’s Package Holiday Pledge, and we are proud of the fact that we are already delivering on the commitments in the pledge. We have been looking after customers and independent travel agents throughout the pandemic, and we have the accolades to prove it. That said, we warmly welcome BBC Watchdog’s campaign as it will further help customers when it comes to understanding who to trust and who not to trust when booking a package holiday. With confidence returning and holidaymakers looking forward to getting away this summer and beyond, this pledge further underlines our customer-first strategy. Quite simply, it tells customers something we have been proud of saying for years – we deliver package holidays you can trust. Many other companies, when asked by BBC Watchdog, simply could not pledge that.”