"FREE CANCELLATION" means FULL PAYMENT

Our flights were cancelled due to the new covid variant. I contacted the company to cancel, over 30 hours before we were meant to collect, but got an auto response, to which nobody responded. When following up they say they can't refund me as I was a no show. I cancelled way before, but they were too useless to get back to me, and then it became my problem. Their "FREE CANCELLATION" means FULL PAYMENT. BEWARE OF USING THIS COMPANY! Not impressed!!