By Euronews Travel
Published on
Expedia and Lastminute.com, two of Europe’s largest online travel booking platforms, have pledged to improve their refund process and provide clearer information about passenger rights.
The change is designed to help passengers more easily claim refunds for these third-party platforms when their flights are cancelled by airlines and provide clearer information about what rights passengers have under EU law.
The move follows discussions with the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) Network – a network of national consumer agencies responsible for the enforcement of EU consumer protection laws.
What changes for travellers?
If you book a flight through Expedia or LastMinute.com and your airline cancels it, you’ll now be entitled to a refund within 14 days. This includes a seven-day limit for the airline to return the money to the travel agent and then another seven days for the agent to pass this money on to you.
Previously, many travellers experienced long delays, sometimes lasting months, before seeing their money returned from cancelled flights. Both companies have said they have now cleared any backlogs for reimbursements.
It will also be easier for passengers to get in touch with these two travel agencies. Their contact details, including phone numbers and email addresses, will be provided in or via the support or ‘contact us’ sections of their websites.
Both companies have also pledged to clearly explain passenger rights when a flight is cancelled. This includes the right to choose between rerouting or a refund under the EU’s air passenger rights rules.
You’ll also be clearly informed of how buying multiple legs of a flight through different carriers could impact your ability to claim compensation if just one leg is cancelled. This is particularly important for passengers booking complex journeys or looking for budget options.
When will the changes take effect?
Lastminute.com has said it began implementing the new measures from 1 July 2025 and will have fully implemented them by 1 September 2025. Expedia says its current practices already match the commitments it has made.
It is part of a broader effort by the EU to improve customer protections in the travel sector, and they join three other travel agencies, Edreams ODIGEO, Etraveli Group, and Kiwi.com, which committed to the same best practices back in 2023.
What are your rights to a refund under EU law?
Under current EU rules, if an airline cancels your flight, you are entitled to rerouting or a full refund within seven days when requested. You may also be entitled to compensation if the airline is to blame for the cancellation.
But it can be harder to get a refund if your flight was booked through a third-party platform such as an online travel agent. The commitment from Expedia and Lastminute.com aims to bridge that gap, meaning you’ll wait a maximum of 14 days even if a third party is involved.
In 2023, the European Commission proposed new rules for trips that use more than one form of transport, such as a journey using both trains and buses. These new regulations, if adopted, would include the same timeframe for reimbursement via intermediaries for the cancellation of flights.
The proposal for these new rules is still being negotiated by EU lawmakers.
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