Easyjet initially refused to refund £4,000 stag do flights after groom’s two-year-old was identified with aggressive mind tumour
What should have been a joyful time for a bride and groom planning their wedding and celebrations, actually turned into a nightmare.
The couple were set to marry in June and the groom had planned a stag trip abroad with a group of 14. The flights, with easyJet, totalled to £4,000.
However, everything changed when the pair’s ‘two-year-old daughter was diagnosed with an aggressive grade four brain tumour,’ the husband-to-be wrote to the Guardian.
The couple managed to secure refunds from other companies they had booked for various services for their wedding and even the accommodation for the stag do.
But, when the best man contacted easyJet about the flights, the airline would only offer a voucher for the groom’s ticket and a tax refund for the others.
EasyJet justified the decision by arguing the rest of the party could still travel.
The groom, from Wiltshire, penned: ‘This has caused significant additional stress at a time when my sole focus should be spending precious time with my little girl.’
He explained how he also felt bad about his friends being left out of pocket.
A groom’s stag do plans were turned upside down after his 2-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumour
An easyJet customer service agent apologised for not being able to do more and blamed the limited options on the company’s ‘policy’.
The groom, who signed off the letter as JB, wrote to the Guardian asking for help and consumer writer Anna Tims reached out to easyJet.
Tims noted how the airline’s website outlines refunds or credit may be given in circumstances involving sickness or bereavement.
She also found it doesn’t state whether this applies to the entire group or not.
EasyJet argued the ‘compassionate serious illness policy’ only applies to if the impacted, ill person is the passenger.
In the end, the airline gave JB and his stag do group a full refund.
A spokesperson for easyJet told the Daily Mail they were ‘very sorry’ to hear about the customer’s situation and said: ‘To help any customers who are no longer able to travel due to serious illness, easyJet provides the option for the unwell passenger and others on their booking to receive a flight voucher.
‘Whilst the policy would not ordinarily apply if the unwell person is not travelling with us, given these exceptional circumstances, our customer support team have been in contact to issue all passengers on the booking with a full refund.’
Initially, easyJet refused to refund the group of 14 and said they would only give the groom his money back and offered a tax refund to the other members
It comes after another instance, in which British holidaymaker Emily, who doesn’t want her surname to be published, was repeatedly refused a refund from easyJet after staff told her to book another flight.
Emily was due to be on the EZY8072 flight from Malaga to London Gatwick on October 5, 2025, scheduled for 5pm.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Emily described how easyJet proceeded to board the plane about one hour after the schedule departure time with no updates regarding the delay.
‘We then stood and waited to board only to be told we weren’t able to and would have to go back into the airport,’ she added.
‘Chaos ensued and the staff informed all passengers over one hour late that the flight was cancelled and to “book any flight you can”.’
After many passengers took this advice, everyone was later informed that the flight was in fact delayed until 2am ‘because there was a technical problem with the aircraft’.
The passenger and her friends booked on a British Airways flight at around 8pm as they were told they would be refunded.
The flight was to London Heathrow, as no Gatwick flights were available – which was inconvenient for the group. Then it was announced that the flight was no longer cancelled – just severely delayed.
Emily said: ‘We went to the front to check we’d get the money back. They said, “not a problem, just complain when you’re back.”‘
On October 6, the group issued a complaint for compensation.
Emily said this was rejected because they didn’t take the flight (despite being informed it was cancelled and told by easyJet staff in Malaga that they would be able to get a refund).
They issued another complaint, and after several rounds of sending the same explanation and receipts of all their bookings, were still awaiting a refund. Emily said she had been asked to send details five times to easyJet.
After Emily came to the Mail for help, easyJet confirmed Emily will be reimbursed for her alternative flights ‘as a gesture of goodwill’.
