A MAJOR UK railway firm is giving travellers the chance to secure £2 tickets.
As part of a flash sale, customers can snap up train trips for next to nothing.
Millions of train tickets can be snapped up for £2 as part of a huge flash saleCredit: Alamy Stock PhotoNorthern Rail has slashed the price of its tickets for a very limited timeCredit: PA
Northern Rail’s generous offering means four million £2 advanced single tickets are up for grabs.
The chance to snap them up won’t last long and there is just hours left to make the most of the flash sale.
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Lasting between September 2 and September 4, the ticket discount is available for travel between September 9 and October 23.
Taking advantage of the deal is a great way to explore the UK for less as autumn begins.
Northern operates over 2,600 trains a day across the north of England, with services running to more than 500 stations.
With so many routes available, travellers can make journeys to and from the likes of Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Harrogate, Crewe, Chester, York and more.
While Railcards can’t be used alongside the offer, the half price children’s ticket offer still stands.
That means kids travel for just £1 with sale tickets.
There isn’t long left until the flash sale draws to a close – and when tickets are sold out, they’re sold out.
Tickets can be bought via the Northern website, app or at ticket machines and at ticket offices at participating stations.
Speaking about the rare offer, Alex Hornby, commercial and customer director at Northern, said: “With four million tickets up for grabs, this is one of our biggest Flash Sales yet, and there’s something for everyone.”
He added: “With millions of tickets available for just £2 each, our Flash Sale will make the railway even more appealing, and we believe it will inspire everyone to explore everything our fantastic region has to offer, from bustling cities to countryside and stunning coastlines.”
Imagine a Saturday night “spectacular,” under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl, with the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing as fireworks explode in the night sky — for $10?
Not a pipe dream.
The L.A. Phil has taken a major step in expanding its accessibility. The organization announced this week that it will offer Los Angeles County residents with active Medi-Cal or EBT cards $10 tickets to L.A. Phil performances at the Hollywood Bowl starting with the 2027 season.
It will offer at least 100 of these tickets at each of the orchestra’s Hollywood Bowl concerts. Tickets will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. The L.A. Phil didn’t say exactly how eligible residents could secure such tickets. It plans to announce that process in Spring 2027 before the season starts.
L.A. Phil Vice President of Community and Government Engagement, Cynthia Fuentes, said in an interview that the organization has been “prioritizing accessibility for a very long time.”
“When you create accessibility programs, they have to be very intentional,” Fuentes said. “Folks are really struggling to make ends meet right now, and for us, it’s so important not only that we create great music on our stages, but that people can afford to see it. Your income levels shouldn’t dictate whether you have access to the arts or not.”
The $10 ticket announcement is the latest move towards making L.A. Phil events more accessible at a time when tickets to see the orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl are, on average, about $48, Fuentes said.
The L.A. Phil has been offering discounted tickets since the 1970s. It now offers more than 50,000 $1 Hollywood Bowl tickets annually — some seats open to the general public and others given out by the L.A. Phil in partnership with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and L.A. County Parks, to low-income students, senior centers and others in need.
Last year the L.A. Phil boosted the numbers of its $1 tickets from 36,000 to 55,000. It also distributes tens of thousands of free tickets to non-profit organizations through a program called Community Concert Connections.
The L.A. Phil debuted its new accessibility program at the Ford during the venue’s 2026 season. The program is still active at the Ford.
“That was our pilot program for the L.A. Phil, with the intention of implementing it at the Hollywood Bowl,” Fuentes said. “When we started looking into EBT cardholder tickets, [we realized] it happens in a lot of museums but not a lot at performance arts organizations. Partly because it’s a ticketed structure with assigned seats and it’s a more controlled environment. We wanted to build the infrastructure of how you execute it on the back end. The Ford was an incredible way to start the process — do it on a smaller scale, look at what works and then be able to scale up to the bowl.”
The L.A. Phil is in a period of transition. Daniel Harding will step in as the L.A. Phil’s new Music Director, replacing Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, starting with the 2027–2028 season. He’ll oversee orchestral programming at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. Newly appointed Creative Director Esa-Pekka Salonen begins his tenure at the start of the 2026/27 concert season in early October. He’ll conduct and curate subscription concerts and multidisciplinary projects. Anna Handler will serve as conductor in residence for the next three years starting with the 2026/27 season.
“But Gustavo will be back every summer to do a suite of concerts at the Hollywood Bowl and also in December of this year at Walt Disney Concert Hall,” Fuentes said. “He’ll continue to have a presence with the L.A. Phil.”
Operating the Hollywood Bowl is a partnership between the L.A. Phil and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes the Hollywood Bowl, said in a statement that the L.A. Phil has been “a trailblazer in the arts” for more than a century. Their new accessibility initiative, she said, is “that same spirit of innovation and partnership.”
“The Hollywood Bowl is one of Los Angeles County’s most cherished public assets,” Barger said, “and every resident should have the opportunity to experience the joy, inspiration, and sense of community that it offers.”
“But there’s no other L.A. County facility, for performing arts, that we found in our research that had an EBT Program,” Fuentes added. “Part of our goal is to take our findings to the field to share so that other performing arts non-profits follow, especially L.A. County-based [ones], so we can ensure we’re creating accessibility for everyone in the county.”
Fuentes pointed to her own upbringing to illustrate the importance of accessibility programs in the arts.
“I grew up in South Central with working-class parents that had three kids,” she said. “When you don’t have disposable income, you don’t have opportunities [to see arts performances]. Everyone should have the opportunity to go to a show and share a communal experience around music without the fear of not having enough to make your rent or mortgage.”
A MAJOR UK theme park has been forced to close all day “due to adverse weather and flooding”.
Owners of the park have apologised for any disappointment caused by the decision, telling visitors “your safety comes first”.
Drayton Manor has closed its entire resort today due to flooding and thunderstorms in the areaCredit: Alamy
Drayton Manor Resort will remain shut all day today after heavy downpours and thunderstorms caused significant flooding in the area.
Floods have swamped Birmingham and the West Midlands overnight, with locals reporting cars being “stranded” in flood water and homes being left inundated with water.
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More rain is forecast to hit Birmingham and other cities throughout today, with a Met Office yellow warning for thunderstorms continuing into the evening.
Customers have been advised not to contact staff at Drayton Manor at this stage, saying they would contact visitors at a later date to rearrange visits.
A statement on the theme park’s Facebook said: “Due to adverse weather and flooding, Drayton Manor Resort will be closed today.
“We know many of you were looking forward to visiting, and we’re very sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience this causes.
“There’s no need to contact us at this stage. We’ll be in touch with affected guests shortly with information on how to rearrange your visit for another date.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding while we make alternative arrangements. We look forward to welcoming you to Drayton Manor soon.”
The resort announced the closure on its Facebook page earlier todayCredit: Drayton Manor Resort
Drayton Manor, located in Tamworth in Staffordshire, is considered to be the fourth-largest theme park in the country.
With over 50 rides and attractions, Drayton is home to Europe’s only Thomas the Tank Engine Land and a 15-acre zoo.
Bosses have not yet confirmed whether the park will reopen to visitors tomorrow or throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.
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Past the halfway mark of the Olympic quadrennial, LA28 has passed its own halfway point for ticket sales.
LA28 announced Friday it sold more than 6 million tickets during its first two drops, accounting for more than half of the expected Olympic ticket availability.
The remainder of an estimated 10.5 million Olympic tickets will move to first-come, first-served sales beginning in 2027. Additional inventory across every sport will be added during the next stage and ticket limits will be lifted, but LA28 did not announce the opening date.
“Overall the level of enthusiasm, the interest in the Games, the excitement to commit this far out from the Games has all been really affirming for how LA28 is coming together and the excitement everyone’s feeling about it,” said Allison Katz-Mayfield, LA28’s senior vice president of Games delivery revenue.
More than 700,000 of one million $28 tickets were sold during the first two drops. While fans have clamored for tickets, many were disappointed and frustrated with high prices and limited availability that seemed to sell out almost instantaneously. Each LA28 ticket drop came with the fine-print condition of “subject to availability.”
LA28 wanted to be “conservative” with the initial inventory available during the first two drops, Katz-Mayfield said, because organizers didn’t want to sell tickets only to discover later that fans might be stuck with limited visibility of an event. For example, Crypto.com Arena’s footprint will be changed to accommodate artistic gymnastics, with up to six apparatuses on the floor along with areas for judges, broadcast positions and media. The seating plan, which will be different than ones used for Lakers games or concerts, is still being developed. The same goes for the planning of temporary venues.
“It’s a fan-focused approach from my perspective,” Katz-Mayfield said. “We don’t want to be in a position where we sell something that doesn’t equate to the experience that someone is expecting to have.”
LA28 said more tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for every sport next year as organizers refine venue layouts. Tickets that appear unavailable one day could go on the market weeks later as organizers gain a clearer picture of setups. With first-come, first-serve purchasing, the ticketing platform will remain open continuously through the Games.
“If you’re one of those people that has a very, very specific idea of what they want and they don’t want to move off that at all … then continue to check back because we’ll have tickets on sale through Games time,” Katz-Mayfield said. “So you can check on that first day. But you could also check two months later, and it could be different.”
New sports remained a hit for fans, who scooped up all available tickets to softball, lacrosse, flag football and squash during the second drop, LA28 reported. All tickets available for Oklahoma City’s softball and canoe slalom events were sold through for both drops. More tickets for those events will be added in 2027.
Although many fans have their hearts set on a single, high-demand Olympic event, others might be open to discovering different sports during the Paralympics. Tickets for the Paralympics will also go on sale in 2027, beginning with a lottery for assigned time slots, similar to the first Olympic ticket drops. About 25% of the total 14 million tickets between the Games are earmarked for the Paralympics, which will be in L.A. for the first time.
The Paralympics are typically priced at much lower prices than the Olympics. The Paris Olympics had single tickets as high as $1,065 (980 euros in July 2024) for swimming and track and field and as low as $26 across all sports. Half a million tickets for the Paris Paralympics were $16 and half of all tickets were priced less than $27. There were also Paralympic ticket packages for multiple sports and families. The strategy paid off with approximately 2.5 million tickets sold, the second-most ever for a Paralympic Games, and a record 12 million total tickets sold between the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.
Despite starting earlier than previous Games, LA28 said it is already on pace to surpass Paris’ sales record after the 2024 Games sold 5.39 million tickets through their second drop in May 2023. Paris sold 9.5 million Olympic tickets total.
Fans who registered for Olympics tickets will already be registered for the Paralympic lotteries and LA28 is working to open registration specifically for the Paralympics.
“[Don’t] forget how great the Paralympics are,” Katz-Mayfield said, “and how much opportunity there’s going to be there to see different sports, new sports, be a part of the Games, and see world-class athletes compete, maybe in a way that you haven’t seen before if you’ve only seen the Olympics.”
Selling millions of tickets before schedules or matchups are even set has “given [LA28] a lot of confidence in where we’re at today,” Katz-Mayfield said. The early ticket sales have given the private organizing committee a strong foundation for one of its largest revenue drivers.
Ticketing and hospitality are expected to cover almost $2.5 billion of LA28’s total $7.1-billion budget for the Games. It is the second-largest source of expected revenue to help cover what LA28 has promised will be a privately funded Games.
LOTS of family shows claim to be for everyone aged 5 to 95, but in practice, very few are.
Now You See Me Live is one of those rare West End unicorns that will have all ages on the edge of their seats (or standing on top of it in my son’s case).
The big-budget magic shows are based on the Hollywood films starring Isla Fisher and Sir Michael Caine and Mark Ruffalo, but fear not, you don’t have to have seen the movies to understand the theatre production.
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They have almost nothing in common, aside from the fact that there are four main magicians known as ‘The Horsemen’ – Enzo Weyne, Andrew Basso, Gabriella Lester and Matthew Pomeroy – alongside three supporting magicians who all appeared on Britain’s Got Talent – Eden Choi, Fraser Penman and Rafferty Coope.
This is, however, as close to a Vegas-style magic show as you’re going to get in the UK, which is why it makes sense that the next stop on its world tour will in fact be the Nevada city.
Running in London until September 6, it had my son and I engrossed from start to finish.
His jaw practically hit the floor, I squealed, the middle-aged man sitting next to me shouted aloud in wonder… the acts the magicians played out for the audience were truly mesmerising.
Without spoiling too much of the magic, the moment the escapologist is locked, handcuffed, upside down in a tank of water in a recreation of Houdini’s water torture stunt, is undoubtedly a highlight of the show.
As was the moment the cast appeared to travel through time, carrying possessions from the audience.
And I’ll never work out how they tasked the entire theatre of 2000-plus people to rip up a bunch of playing cards and the result that ended up in my hand.
Meanwhile, my seven year old son’s favourite act by far was Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Eden Choi, who appeared to shoot hundreds of playing cards out of his hands across the stage.
But for the most part, this is a full-on audience participation event, from start to finish.
We threw bouncy balls around the venue, we ripped up packs of cards, we collectively took part in mind-reading – there were very few parts of the show where we were required to stay silent.
In fact, we were actively encouraged the holler at the stage on several occasions.
When the time came for the curtain to close, my seven year old actually stood on his seat (sorry London Coliseum staff) to give his final round of applause.
Which surely shows you quite how impressive it was.
Click below to sign up to Sun Club and bag your half-price tickets.
18+ England and Wales residents only. Sun Club subscription required. Online access required. Offer ends at 23:59 on 31/08/26. Non-transferable and non-refundable. Offer valid on performances until Friday, September 4, 2026 for Monday – Thursday matinee and evening, Friday matinee, and Sunday matinee and evening shows, plus Friday, August 21 and Friday, August 28, 2026 evening performances only. Discount cannot be applied to previous purchases and is subject to availability. Full T&Cs apply, see below.
And this year there will even be £1 tickets available.
All entry tickets from Monday to Thursday throughout November will be off-peak and priced at just one quid per person.
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New attractions at this year’s event include a K-Pop circus as well as a frozen ‘Neverland’.
Gandeys K-Pop Dragon Circus, will debut exclusively at Winter Wonderland featuring storytelling, comedy and “breathtaking visuals with an electrifying soundtrack”.
The Magical Ice Kingdom will then be home to ‘Neverland’ in association with Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH Charity).
Inside, people can explore ice sculptures and for the first time ever, visitors will be able to step though the Jolly Roger and into a world inspired by Neverland with Peter Pan and Wendy.
Fan favourites will also return including The Giant Wheel, which is the world’s largest transportable wheel, stretching 70 metres high.
And of course, there’s the UK’s largest open-air ice rink too.
A SUPER affordable UK waterpark is set to undergo a major refurb and will get new attractions.
Time Capsule in Coatbridge, Scotland, is set to undergo a £2.5million modernisation project.
Time Capsule waterpark in Scotland is set to undergo a £2.5million transformationCredit: Active NLThe project will include a new water tipping bucket attraction as well as Clip ‘n Climb arenaCredit: Active NL
As part of the project, there will be a new themed tipping bucket attraction, health suites and a Clip ‘n Climb arena.
The changing areas will also be upgraded, as well as the areas around the pool and the soft play area.
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Plans include replacing the water flumes later this year as well.
The project will take place over the remainder of this year and add to already completed projects which include a refurbished gym.
Councillor Geraldine Woods, Convener of the Communities Committee, said: “The Time Capsule has been at the heart of leisure and family life in North Lanarkshire for more than 30 years, and this investment demonstrates our commitment to its future.
“These exciting improvements will enhance the experience for everyone who visits, while creating modern, accessible facilities that encourage more people to be active and enjoy everything the venue has to offer.”
Councillor Jim Logue, Leader of North Lanarkshire Council, added: “This significant investment is about protecting one of our most valued leisure facilities and ensuring it continues to serve our communities for many years to come.
“Many of the new features have been designed to celebrate Coatbridge’s industrial heritage, creating a unique visitor experience while complementing the Time Capsule’s role as one of North Lanarkshire’s flagship leisure destinations.”
The project will take place over the remainder of this year and add to already completed projects which include a refurbished gymCredit: http://www.activenl.co.uk
The Time Capsule waterpark is one of – if not the most – affordable indoor waterpark in the UK, with adult tickets costing less than a tenner (£9.55 per person) and kids tickets costing £7.90 per person.
Under threes go free and kids aged three or four-year-olds cost £5.25 per person.
In comparison, Sandcastle Waterpark in Blackpool costs from £22.31 per person over the age of eight and from £13.96 per child between the age of three and seven.
Inside, you will find high-speed flumes including Tornado Tantrum – a high-speed raft ride, where four people ride together – and Storm Chasers –10hmetre-igh speed flumes.
For those who aren’t a big fan of thrills, you can enjoy the lazy river called Riptide River.
A THEME park in the UK has been forced to close at short notice due to a water outage.
Chessington World of Adventures confirmed that anyone heading to the park will have their tickets “revalidated” for a future visit.
Chessington has been forced to close for the remainder of the dayCredit: AlamyAnyone with tickets will be able to visit another day free of chargeCredit: Alamy
The water outage was reported by Thames Water, which said a burst water main was affecting the KT9 area.
While repairs are underway, the park will be closed for the rest of the day.
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Chessington said in a statement: “Due to a water outage in the local area affecting our operations, Chessington is closed today.
“All tickets booked for today will be automatically revalidated under our Return Promise and can be used on a future date.
A FAMILY day out can easily set you back over £100 for a family of four.
And with it being the summer holidays, just a few days out can quickly add up to the cost of a holiday abroad.
Many of the different offers include tickets to theme parksCredit: HandoutIf you travel by train, you can get 2-for-1 or discounted tickets to UK attractionsCredit: Alamy
Instead of watching your wallet empty of cash, there are actually a number of ways to get free and cheap attraction tickets.
Here’s our round-up of the best options and what days out you can get for less:
Sun Club promotions
As a Sun Club member, you have access to loads of free and discounted days out across the UK.
Currently, these include free tickets to the races, 50% off Horrible Histories Live, savings on theatre tickets and 2-for-1 tickets to Diggerland theme parks.
LatestFreeStuff.co.uk always has different offers on attractions.
Some you might need to snap up quick, while others might have more availability.
Current offers on the website include a free National Trust pass and free bike hire.
Previous offers have included free Eden Project tickets as well as discounts on major UK attractions.
Promotional supermarket packs
If you are in the supermarket, look out for promotional packs.
On items such as Cadbury‘s multi-packs, Kellogg’s cereal, Heinz products, Carex soap and Robinsons squash, you’ll often find offers to attractions in the UK.
For example, Kellogg’s cereal boxes often have 25 per cent off online advance entry tickets for up to two people to Merlin attractions including the London Eye and Legoland.
Cadbury’s, on the other hand, often has instant 2-for-1 vouchers for top UK attractions.
National Rail
If you are heading out on a day out, taking the train could save you both hassle and money, because National Rail offers 2-for-1 deals, a third off savings, and other discounts for attractions when you travel via train.
Attractions include 2-for-1 tickets on City Cruises, 20 per cent off Frameless and 50 per cent off Thinktank at the Birmingham Science Museum.
Tesco Clubcard
Tesco Clubcard members can convert their Clubcard points into Reward Partner vouchers.
These vouchers cover major UK theme parks including Alton Towers and Thorpe Park as well as English Heritage sites and a number of museums.
Octopus Energy
If you are an Octopus customer and are signed up to Octoplus, you can redeem your points for a free National Trust pass.
02 Priority
If you happen to be an O2 customer, make sure you have the O2 Priority app as it is full of offers and giveaways.
Currently through the app, you can get discounted tickets to Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical, free kids tickets to Jurassic Oceans at the Natural History Museum (with one adult ticket) and 20 per cent off tickets to Up at The O2.
With MoneySuperMarket, you can get a free attraction pass worth £180 which includes English Heritage sitesCredit: AlamyAlso included in the pass are fun family activities such as as Go ApeCredit: Alamy
MoneySuperMarket
If you sign up to a MoneySuperMarket account and allow it to check your credit score, you can get a free days out annual pass worth £180.
The pass includes top attractions such as London Zoo, English Heritage Sites and Go Ape parks – you can redeem one ticket each time you visit an attraction, per account.
Vodafone
Via Vodafone‘s VeryMe Rewards, you can get a Kids Pass which offers between 10 and 56 per cent off entry to attractions across the UK, including Alton Towers and Go Ape.
To get this reward, you’ll need to be a Vodafone Pay Monthly mobile customer or a qualifying Pay As You Go customer.
Vitality Health Insurance
If you get moving, Vitality Health Insurance will reward you with discounts to top Merlin attractions, such as Thorpe Park and Alton Towers.
You are able to redeem four tickets at 30 per cent off each month.
Welcome Break
Welcome Break operates 31 hotels across the UK’s motorway network – such as Days Inn and Ramada hotels – making them ideal stops to split up a journey.
But more than just the hotels, Welcome Break has 62 service stations across the country.
If you stop off at one or stay in one of the hotels, make sure to set up an account when you use their Wi-Fi as you’ll get Road Trip Rewards.
Each time you log in to the Wi-Fi at either a hotel or service station, you’ll gain a point.
These points then go towards entering you into different prize draws.
For every three visits, you’ll go into a draw to bag a Merlin attraction discount, for every five visits a £50 Welcome Break voucher, and with 10 visits a Merlin Gold Pass. For every 15 or more visits, you’ll get a chance to win a family weekend away.
Lots of the different schemes can also get you cheaper tickets to the Eden ProjectCredit: AlamyAlton Towers is also available on many discount schemesCredit: Alton Towers
Blue Light Discount
If you work in the NHS, emergency services, or armed forces, you can get a Blue Light Membership, costing £4.99 for two years (so just under £2.50 a year).
This membership can then get you loads of discounts on days out and attractions, including 15 per cent off entry to Alton Towers, 20 per cent off English Heritage sites, and 10 per cent off Eden Project tickets.
There are loads of attractions with discounts as part of the membership, including local and regional attractions.
National Lottery Week
In March each year, the National Lottery hosts The National Lottery Open Week, with loads of free or low-cost days out.
These include castles, museums, sports venues, galleries and theatres across the UK.
Local resident/postcode discounts
It is worth looking up which attractions are in your area, and whether they offer discounted entry for you as a local.
For example, The Eden Project offers a discounted Cornish Residents Pass.
Similarly, Kew Gardens offers a reduced entry fee for local residents and young people, and Tower Bridge offers £1 entry to Southwark residents.
The best way to find this out is to search ‘attractions near me with resident offer’ online, and Google should pick up your location and find the attractions near you providing a discount.
Kew Gardens offers a discount for localsCredit: ReutersYou can get cheap tickets to events and activities through Groupon and Wowcher tooCredit: Ninja Warrior UK
Groupon and Wowcher
Groupon and Wowcher are both great sites for getting cheaper days out for the family.
You can search for things near you to do, and depending on your location, these can include things like the Ninja Warrior UK experience, bus tours and circus shows.
MoneySavingExpert, which was founded by Martin Lewis, shared a tip for plane passengers
Martin Lewis is the founder of Money Saving Expert (stock photo)(Image: ITV)
Some customers could be owed back hundreds after purchasing plane tickets, according to MoneySavingExpert (MSE). The consumer website, founded by journalist and TV personality Martin Lewis, regularly shares advice to help Brits.
In advice for travellers, the money experts pointed out that passengers who book non-refundable plane tickets but don’t end up using them can still request a refund for some of their money. While the refund won’t cover the entire cost of the tickets, they can get the Air Passenger Duty refunded.
In a Facebook post, MSE said: “Air Passenger Duty is a tax only paid by the airline to HMRC if you fly. If you don’t fly, whether you cancelled a non-refundable ticket or you missed your flight, you can request a refund from £8 to £253 per person.” The post also included a real-life success story from MSE Clare.
Clare revealed that her in-laws received a refund of £92 each after realising they needed to change their return flight home after visiting the UK from Australia. The family members had assumed they wouldn’t get any money back from their non-refundable tickets after their plans changed, but a “quick email” to their airline confirmed the good news. Clare said it was “a small consolation, but better than nothing.”
In the comments under the post, MSE added: “There’s no deadline for how far back you can claim – though some airlines impose their own (and a few charge an admin fee).” More information is available on the MSE website.
It said: “When you book a flight departing the UK, your ticket price will include various fees, such as airport tax. However, this isn’t collected by HM Revenue and Customs from the airline until after you actually fly. If you don’t fly – even by choice – you shouldn’t have to pay the tax.”
If you’re looking to make a claim, airlines publish information for passengers explaining exactly how to get it. Skyscanner explains: “The procedures for claiming an airport tax refund vary from airline to airline.
“Some will refund it automatically, whereas others require you to fill out a form. It’s worth noting that some carriers will charge an admin fee for the refund application, and with budget airlines, that fee can often surmount the amount you’ll get back.
“Each airline should publish details of how to claim back APD tax on its own website. If you cannot find this, call the airline and request details.”
Skyscanner added: “Some airlines have commercial agreements with various airports and may not always pay airport taxes. If you didn’t initially pay them, you wouldn’t be eligible for a refund.”