Passengers have hit out at budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet for refusing to refund flights to Italy after seven people died from coronavirus there.
Italy has dramatically stepped up its fight to contain the virus after a huge spike in cases, with 229 diagnoses confirmed and seven dead.
The country has effectively placed 50,000 citizens on lockdown by shutting off more than a dozen towns and cancelling public events, with Britons returning from the worst-affected regions of Lombardy and Veneto asked to self-quarantine at home.
But people due to fly to the country with either Ryanair, easyJet or British Airways this week are furious after air carriers told them they cannot get a refund and will have to pay to change their flights as routes are ‘operating as normal’.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not changed its travel advice for Italy, so airlines claim there is no reason for extraordinary measures.
But despite the ‘danger zones’ being outside of major tourist areas, Britons are fearful they may come into contact with the virus and others say they will have nothing to do with attractions shut and residents banned from leaving their homes.
Passengers have hit out at budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet for refusing to refund flights to Italy (two passengers pictured at there yesterday) after seven people died there from coronavirus
Britons due to fly to Italy with either Ryanair or easyJet (file image used) this week are furious after the airlines told them they cannot get a refund and will have to pay to change their flights as routes are ‘operating as normal’.
Customers took to social media to complain, where the airline said flights were operating as normal and no refunds of free flight changes would be offered
One passenger, Alan Byrne, tweeted Ryanair saying: ‘Can flights be refunded/booked for another destination following the recent coronavirus outbreak in Italy? We are due to fly out this Friday from Dublin?’
Ryanair responded: ‘Hi Alan, Changes can be done online in the ‘My Bookings’ section, once you have retrieved your booking. Bear in mind that fee + fare difference may apply.’
Someone else commented: ‘This is outrageous! There are official government travel warnings to Italy – why don’t you offer a free cancellation or at least free change of flight????
‘Do the reasonable thing. What do expect? Do we need to put our families in harms way? We paid over $600 for this flight.’
Complaints to easyJet’s social media page ballooned yesterday
An easyJet passenger tweeted the airline: ‘@easyJet not only have we had to change our holiday once because you cancelled our flight home, we now can’t seem to speak to anyone about the Coronavirus outbreak in northern Italy which will mean we’ll have to change our holiday AGAIN.’
They earlier complained: ‘Can you please give us advice on whether we will be safe to travel to Verona (seeing as there have been 7 deaths in Italy already from Coronavirus) and if not will we receive any compensation for having to change our flights (yet again!!) to be able to go away.’
An easyJet spokesman replied: ‘At the moment everything is flying as normal.
‘There is no advice for airlines or customers not to travel. We will continue to monitor the situation and would like to reassure you that our existing policies and procedures are in line with guidance by the WHO and EASA and that we remain in regular contact with them.’
There are fees to change flight dates with both Ryanair and easyJet. For Ryanair customers it costs between £35 and £95 depending on the route and between £25 and £52 for easyJet customers.
Research has shown very few travel insurance policies cover coronavirus flight cancellations even less for refunds if flights are still operating.
While major airlines, including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have suspended flights to Chinese destinations such as Beijing and Shanghai until the end of March, they are unlikely to do the same for Italy.
British Airways is also charging people and refusing to give refunds beyond its 24-hour ‘cooling off period’ if customers want to change their travel plans to Italy.
Passenger Simon Hetherington tweeted: ‘@British_Airways Hi – I am flying to Pisa & travelling through parts of Italy by car.
British Airways is also charging people and refusing to give refunds beyond its 24-hour ‘cooling off period’ if customers want to change their travel plans to Italy
British Airways customers also hit out at their airline on social media after it revealed
‘I contacted the support helpline to cancel the flight due to the Coronavirus outbreak there, however was told it was only possible with a fee. Can you help please?’
But BA replied: ‘Hey, Simon. I’m afraid we don’t have a policy in place for Italy at the moment.
‘We follow the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office within the UK, so until then, there would be a fee to make a change. I’m sorry to disappoint you.’
Karen Johncock fumed on Twitter: ‘@British_Airways Cannot get through at all on the phone have been trying since yesterday morning!!
‘Can we change destination or defer flights, Due to go to Venice on Friday…’
The rest of Venice’s famous carnival was cancelled by local officials after the Italian coronavirus death toll reached seven yesterday.
For Ryanair (pictured) customers it costs between £35 and £95 to change a flight depending on the route
Passengers also hit out at Ryanair on its social media channels today and yesterday
An easyJet spokesman told MailOnline: ‘We are aware that the Italian authorities are taking some additional measures in response to cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.
‘There is currently no change to advice for airlines or customers, so our flights are operating as normal and standard terms and conditions on tickets continue to apply.
‘The health and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is the airline’s highest priority.’
MailOnline has contacted Ryanair and British Airways for comment.
The FCO travel advice for Italy does not warn against travel, but reads: ‘There is an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus in China and elsewhere, including Italy.
‘The government of Italy has introduced extraordinary measures that allow regions to implement civil protection measures in response to Coronavirus.
‘This includes the isolation of 10 small towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto. The regions of Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Piemonte and Emilia Romagna have implemented measures including the suspension of public or private events, the suspension of schools and higher education and the suspension on the opening of museums and cultural institutions for seven days.
‘If you are already in the regions affected you should follow the instructions of local authorities.’
MailOnline has contacted Ryanair for comment