Leeds-based Jet2 has now refunded £1bn to customers for missed holidays during Covid pandemic

The Leeds-based airline and holiday provider have been ranked as the top two travel firms for providing refunds, according to a recent travel refund cancellation survey by MoneySavingExpert.com.

The UK is marking a year since coronavirus took hold of the country and the first restrictions were placed on international travel.

After 12 months of cancelled, rescheduled and disrupted holidays, Jet2 has been recognised by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the only UK airline to promptly provide refunds.

The CEO of Jet2 and Jet2holidays, Steve Heapy, said he hoped holidaymakers could have the "summer they deserve" as the ban on international travel is lifted from April 14 at the earliest.

Jet2 suspended all flights and holiday packages until that date due to uncertainty over travel restrictions.

Demand for holidays in the summer and autumn have boomed, with the airline recording a 1,000 per cent surge in bookings in the 24 hours following Boris Johnson's announcement of the road map out of lockdown.

Extra flights have been added to Greece, Cyprus and Spain to meet demand, after authorities announced that vaccinated UK holidaymakers will be permitted this summer.

Mr Heapy said: "The demand is there, and as ever we have been quick to respond to that, adding flights and holidays where necessary, to make sure we can take customers from our rainy islands to their favourite holiday choices to have the summer they deserve.

"The past year has been extraordinarily difficult for everyone.

"We know that the feeling of being on holiday – whether that is snoozing in the luscious sunshine, reading a book by the pool, running headlong into an azure sea, or simply enjoying time away from it all with loved ones – is something that people are longing for more than ever.

"The time when we can take customers away to enjoy these experiences once again is getting closer and closer.

"Although it has been a year since the first restrictions on international travel were introduced, we know that this means those well-deserved holidays will feel even more special when they return."

How to claim a refund from Jet2 for cancelled flights

Customers who have been affected by the cancellations will automatically be issued with a refund, Jet2 has said.

If you would like to cancel your flight, you can do so via the Manage My Booking page online. However, all scheduled flights are non-refundable.

If the flight is cancelled by the airline and Jet2 cannot offer a suitable alternative, customers will be given a full refund.

Customers who booked flights through an online travel agent, such as On the Beach or loveholidays, will need to contact the agent directly.

For more information, visit jet2.com.