A MUM has been left £300 out of pocket after booking flights to Spain when they lifted the rules on unvaccinated travellers – only for then to U-turn hours later.
Brits were left fuming after Spain announced that people who hadn't been jabbed would be able to enter the country – but just hours later, confirmed this was not true.
Kirsty Fenton, 36, said she booked the flights with Ryanair to see her mum who lived in Spain before they changed the rules back again.
She told Sun Online Travel: "I had booked flights to go to Spain to help my mum as she lost her husband suddenly in September and she is trying to prepare her return home planned for July.
"I was so relieved to see the update as I had wanted to travel to help her to pack up her home and come home to us.
"Then came the revoking update – I had just spent £300 on flights."
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She said she tried to get in touch with Ryanair, as she thought they had a 24 hour cooling off period where she could cancel them and get her money back.
However, she said she was told that the 24 hours was only to change the flights, not cancel them, otherwise she would have to pay £45 per person.
She continued: "I can't change them as I was going to help my mum, not a holiday."
"If they would have offered a credit note then I could have booked something within 12 months, most likely my mum's flight home but to be honest, I have no desire to use Ryanair again, I’d rather pay more.
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"I appreciate that this is their usual policy and that’s what you expect from Ryanair, however the Spanish government rules changed twice in quick succession, it was not a misunderstanding on my part."
Sun Online Travel has contacted Ryanair for comment.
She isn't the only person to be caught out with the new rules.
Mum Emily, who is unvaccinated, said she spent £920 on flights with her two kids after wanting a holiday to Spain following the death of her husband last year – only for the country to U-turn.
She said: "I wish I’d not booked the flights and just sacrificed the deposit on the apartment [I'd booked] to go to a country that appreciates us as tourists. I’m going to Turkey tomorrow with no problems."
And people on social media complained too – Twitter user Angela said: "My son booked a holiday to Tenerife a couple of hours ago. Can't believe there has been a u-turn. £1800 paid."
Only those aged between 12 and 17 who are unvaccinated can enter the country with just a Covid test, with everyone else needing a Proof of Recovery certificate.
Vaccinated Brits can enter by showing just showing proof of vaccination, although will need a booster if their second jab was more than 270 days ago.
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Yet Brits hoping to leave the UK travel chaos are facing having their Spanish holidays ruined due to the huge storms sweeping the country.
Beach bar owners have said their Easter hopes have been ruined following the damage done on the back of storms over recent weeks which had already left resorts with repair bills running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.
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