Martin Lewis warns against separate flight hotel bookings

Martin Lewis, the founder of MoneySavingExpert, has urged British holidaymakers to avoid booking flights and hotels separately this summer, warning that such arrangements could leave travellers out of pocket by hundreds or thousands of pounds if flights are cancelled amid concerns over potential jet fuel shortages.

In a recent social media clip and on his ITV Money Show Live, Lewis addressed viewer questions about refunds for hotel bookings if flights fail to operate. "No, no and this is what I think people need to be very aware of," he said. He explained that package holidays, where flights and accommodation are booked together, fall under Package Travel Regulations, entitling customers to full refunds if a flight is cancelled. In contrast, separate or DIY bookings offer no such protection because hotels are not at fault if travellers cannot reach them. "The point is, if you lose your flight in your DIY booking, there is nothing wrong with your hotel. It's not faulty. It's not cancelling. So you don't get those consumer rights," Lewis stated.

He dismissed reliance on credit or debit card protections, such as Section 75, noting they do not apply without a fault in the hotel...