Can I cancel my Greek holiday if it’s too hot there? Consumer rights lawyer DEAN DUNHAM replies

I was due to go on a big family vacation to Greece later this month with grandparents and little ones in tow.

But the heat seems unbearable and I am also worried about the fires.

Can I postpone the holiday – will my travel insurance cover this?

Hannah Metcalfe, Cambridge.

Dean Dunham replies: You should review the terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to find out what circumstances and events give rise to a claim.

There are three cases where you may be able to cancel your insurance and file a claim.

The first is if you cancel for medical reasons and can get a doctor’s note saying you can’t travel due to the excessive heat, as it exacerbates a medical condition.

The second is if the UK government issues an alert advising you not to travel to your destination except essential travel due to heat.

The third is if a state of emergency is declared at your travel destination for more than a few days. I would suggest you check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice before you travel.

A word of warning: if you knew about the extreme heat at your travel destination before you made your booking, your insurance company could use it against you and deny your claim.

In all other circumstances it is very unlikely that you will be covered as your insurer will probably say there is nothing stopping you from traveling and will label this as ‘refusal to travel’ which will rarely be included in a policy.

Can I claim a refund if my flight is cancelled?

My flight is one of 1,700 canceled by easyJet earlier this month, many of which were due to fly from Gatwick between July and September. I have been offered another flight, but I just want my money back.

Can I request a refund and will I also receive compensation?

Abigail Connor, Wembury, Devon.

Dean Dunham replies: When an airline cancels a flight, it is obligated to find alternative flights for passengers, which is often referred to as ‘rerouting’.

Passengers then have the option of accepting the alternative flight or receiving a full cash refund.

Likewise, if an alternative flight cannot be found, you are entitled to all your money back – not just vouchers.

Your right to compensation depends on two factors: how long the airline has given you notice of the cancellation and the cause of the cancellation.

The law, known as UK261 or, in Europe, EU261, says that if the notice is given less than 14 days before the date of departure, the airline must pay compensation.

This is unless you have been re-routed and are delayed less than two hours in reaching your final destination, or the cause of the delay was beyond the airline’s control and therefore falls within the definition of ‘extraordinary circumstances’.

Airlines will often claim that the cause of the delay or cancellation falls within this definition. If you receive a cancellation more than 14 days before the departure date, you are not entitled to compensation.

The good news is that I understand that easyJet does not claim that the cause of these cancellations falls within the definition of ‘extraordinary circumstances’, so those notified less than 14 days before the departure date may be eligible for compensation.

• Write to Dean Dunham, Money Mail, Scottish Daily Mail, 20 Waterloo Street, Glasgow G2 6DB or email d.dunham@dailymail.co.uk. The Daily Mail assumes no legal liability for answers provided.