Will Brexit affect European travel?

The speculation surrounding what will happen once Britain is finally free from a member of the European Union is beginning to become clearer, although something that has yet to be clarified is exactly how our departure will be affecting travel. In the next two years, we will be faced with negotiating the terms of our departure and this is what has spurred the debate when it comes to the free movement of travel for EU citizens. So many of us have taken our privilege of being able to travel though Europe freely and abuse the process, perhaps taking for granted how important this ability really was. For those of you who are still unsure of what Brexit will mean for us Brits with regards to our ability to travel throughout Europe, this is what we know so far…

What happens about delayed flights?

At the moment, we are able to have access to high levels of compensation under EU laws so it seems probable that British airlines will fight to ensure that this protection is lessened once we have removed ourselves from the European Union. It is believed that as a result of us departing the EU we will find it more difficult to claim back compensation when it comes to cancelled or delayed flight services and may even have to attend court in another country in order to fight your case. Either way, the situation does not look favorable.

What about health benefits?

The European Health Insurance Card is one which gives UK citizens free or reduced cost healthcare cover when travelling in any European Union countries (of which there are 27). This little card can work alongside your travel insurance and allow you to have access to healthcare when you need it. While the future of our EHIC card system is as yet undecided, it is still important that should you require a UK EHIC renewal, you apply for one as soon as possible. Regardless of what terms we negotiate the card will still be accepted for the next two years so do not miss your chance of acquiring healthcare during this period.

Borders

For the time being it appears that the conclusion when it comes to travelling to other EU nations once we have left will remain borderless in the sense that we will not require visas. However it does mean that we are likely to face longer queuing times at the airport and will have to go through to passport control when we first enter the country.

The cost of travel

Now that we have chosen to leave the EU, airlines will need to meet new air service agreements is the likes of BA or EasyJet are to carry on flying in and around Europe as they were prior to this. However, the negotiations that will be taking place that will impact on the price of air travel are set to be an important talking point. It is not yet clear how Brexit will impact the price of air fare, but it may well increase.