[Misc] Summer Holidays

[mune ni kamome]

Be very careful. Deposits and Balances seem to have different legal standings. I have two holidays booked this year. My understanding is that the final balance gets refunded if they cancel the holiday but they do not have to refund deposits. Apparently they can force me to accept a credit voucher for the deposit amount. Of course I may be able to pursue the deposit via credit card chargeback/insurance etc

 

[doogie004]

We are waiting for TUI to refund our holiday that we were supposed to be going on tomorrow for 7 days in Madeira....they cancelled it 2 weeks ago and haven’t heard a dickybird since.

We have a holiday in Crete booked in August and yes, we need to pay an extra £300 next week over the £200 deposit.

My concern is holiday insurance at the end of this. Our policy with MoreThan, was due to roll over on 31st March and we were told it was cancelled...so we phoned around for a policy for the next year and didn’t get a single quote.

This will kill the tourist industry that so many countries rely on if no one can get insurance.

Also still waiting on tui refund cancelled nearly three weeks ago was due to go to Rhodes in the 1st


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nicko31]

Resigned to summer 2020 not happening when it comes to hols and days out with low contact are my best expectation.

Lets hope we don't use up summer in April

 

[Live by the sea]

I would say little to no chance of travelling in July or early August .

I usually go to the south of France in the summer , Cannes but certainly not this year . Flights weren’t expensive even if I lose them, hotel booked was but they have already e mailed me , saying free cancellation offered .

 

[beorhthelm]

wouldnt quite right off holidays, if there is a sniff of safe travel, destinations will be open even if there are some forms of restrictions and health checks. many countries have a dependancy on tourism, they'll want to do whatever they can.

 

[Bozza]

wouldnt quite right off holidays, if there is a sniff of safe travel, destinations will be open even if there are some forms of restrictions and health checks. many countries have a dependancy on tourism, they'll want to do whatever they can.

But the "health check" might be:

You've not had the virus yet, therefore you need to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival. Not sure that would be a particularly fun holiday...

 

[Balders]

All I will say on this being in the Trade is that advice has been changing hourly/daily although it has settled down over the last few days...........but there will be more changes over the next few days over advice etc..

The main thing to say is most Tour Operators are doing/offering different things. If you have booked as a Package, you are entitled to a refund under the Package Travel Regulations. If you have booked a Flight, you are entitled to a refund under EU261. There is a lot of conflicting information/ advice in the Media and Social Media, particularly around ABTA's stance, but this is purely advice, not Law. There also is a lack of clarity over Protection on Credit Notes/Vouchers and who is protecting them - the wording is very important as accepting a voucher could mean losing all your consumer rights.

Balance payments are the current challenge and I would certainly look at it depending on who your holiday is booked with, again as they are doing different things not only with potentially extending balances (could be withdrawn soon) but more of a case of taking your cash and turning it into a credit note in the next 6-8 weeks if your holiday is cancelled.

FCO updated their advice yesterday from 30 days to an "Indefinite" period. Most companies/airlines had cancelled up to the end of April, so over the next few days they will be advising what new date they will extend cancellation to - as an example Jet2 are now saying 17th June.

Basically the Airlines have spent all the cash or are unwilling to refund it, hence them offering Tour Ops credit notes, Tour Ops can't refund what they haven't got from the Airlines and basically it's just a mess.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

As we are taking all the grandchildren this year we plumped for a house rental with a pool in the IoW, so lucky we normally travel mainland Spain / Portugal in Summer and Canaries in the early Autumn.

 

[Giraffe]

I'm no expert, but I would say there is little or no chance of non essential foreign travel this summer.

This. Sadly a lot of people are going to lose their family holiday this year. So sad.

I just hope most can their money back. If I had one booked I would not be paying the balance and would ask them if you could pay it later given the circumstances in the hope there is a chance it could still happen.

 

[pasty]

We have a family villa booked in Alicante for 11 of us in June. Without doubt we won't be going, but the balance was due on arrival so that simply won't be paid. Getting our deposits and flight payments back however might be a different story.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

Waiting for easy jet to cancel my flight too Poland ,don't want a voucher just my money back thanks ?
Regards
DF

 

[dazzer6666]

Just got refunded by the hotel for a Easter weekend in Norfolk (might have coincided with a match)..............had already told them we wouldn't be coming prior to full lockdown and hotel closure and they'd offered rebooking to another time but they were OK to fully refund now hotel is closed. Got a holiday booked for the end of August - hotel has already been paid in full but T&C allows a full refund as long as cancelled 21 days before arrival so going to wait and see re that one. If flights are happening again by then we'll definitely go - the hotel isn't closed at the moment.

 

[Springal]

It will take years for airlines to recover from this. Every country is going to get out of this at different times, have different restrictions etc. I imagine most airlines won't run anything close to a full schedule for at least a year and the routes that do run will be expensive. Also with airlines furloughing staff, you can't just start back up from stop. Will take time to get staff back into the business, re-training etc

Personally I'd be surprised if you see any of the European resorts open for much of summer. Perhaps August-October but we'll see

Talk today from EasyJet that they want to cancel an order for new planes as they think they'll have too many planes now with their forecast to ramping operations back up

 

[Binney on acid]

Were gonna need the airlines to get back to normal pretty sharpish, for when The Albion are in Europe next season.

 

[Bozza]

If flights are happening again by then we'll definitely go.

I'm not sure how anyone could say that with certainty?

Different countries are going to go through different phases of this at different times. Regardless of how in control any given country is at any time, another country could be very much out of control.

So you'd still go if, in your destination, the virus is still rampant, health services are overloaded leading to high death rates and none of your family have knowingly had it yet?

You'd still go if you were told you'd need to self-isolate in a hotel room, not able to leave it, for 14 days?

You'd still go if international travel was in such a state of flux, there may be doubts as to how and when you could fly home?

There are still so many possible reasons as to why reasonable people (and you are a reasonable person!) may not wish to jump on a plane, I don't see how you can be certain you would. I know I certainly can't say "if my October flights go, we'll be on it" until much nearer the time, and I remain doubtful that we'll be going.

 

[knocky1]

I’ll not be risking forking out on a holiday abroad. BBQs on Hove Beach for me.

 

[dazzer6666]

I'm not sure how anyone could say that with certainty?

Different countries are going to go through different phases of this at different times. Regardless of how in control any given country is at any time, another country could be very much out of control.

So you'd still go if, in your destination, the virus is still rampant, health services are overloaded leading to high death rates and none of your family have knowingly had it yet?

You'd still go if you were told you'd need to self-isolate in a hotel room, not able to leave it, for 14 days?

You'd still go if international travel was in such a state of flux, there may be doubts as to how and when you could fly home?

There are still so many possible reasons as to why reasonable people (and you are a reasonable person!) may not wish to jump on a plane, I don't see how you can be certain you would. I know I certainly can't say "if my October flights go, we'll be on it" until much nearer the time, and I remain doubtful that we'll be going.

Yes, obviously.....depends on the degree of normality. Destination is currently locked down, the no. of cases are small though. I think the biggest issue will be anyone from Europe being unwelcome for quite some time................

 

[Balders]

Bozza - personally I think yours is a responsible attitude..............but never underestimate people having differing views.

I've rebooked Travel for as early as the 1st August (for a rearranged Wedding in Mexico!) and others have rebooked for Aug/Sept. Personally I think they have no chance of going, but I have to do what they decide. Also I'd say from speaking to my customers on future bookings, the majority have the view that if the plane goes, they'll be on it........

 

[Nitram]

Lost our April week in Sardinia, booked with a Tour Company who are currently playing silly buggers about refund (want to give us credit for a future holiday but I would rather have my 2K back thank you).

Almost certain our September Croatia week will be off as well.

Motorcycle Tour of the South Downs it is then!

I was experiencing similar but managed to get my money back. I needed to force their hand with numerous emails. Got a full refund instead of a credit mine was a cruise but same principle applies if booked through a travel company.

While cruise lines' terms and conditions typically say they can change itineraries at will without recompense, the Package Travel Regulations overrule such clauses when changes are significant – such as changing the country of departure or arrival.

Yet for anyone who booked the trip under the protection of the Package Travel Regulations 2018 – through a travel agent or direct with the UK sales operation of the cruise line –*the law is clear: their planned trips have changed significantly and they are entitled to all their money back.

But the Package Travel Regulations*make it clear: “The traveller may, within a reasonable period specified by the organiser accept the proposed changes; or terminate the contract without paying a termination fee.”
If the customer does not wish to make the revised journey, they are entitled to receive a full refund – within two weeks

 

[Change at Barnham]

Waiting for easy jet to cancel my flight too Poland ,don't want a voucher just my money back thanks ?
Regards
DF

You can get a refund but only on the phone.

I received an email to confirm that my flights had been cancelled and that I had the option of receiving a voucher with a 6 month expiry date (which can easily be obtained online).

Or a full refund by calling their contact number.
I called on Saturday morning and was on hold for 4 hours and 20 minutes. When I got through it was to a call centre in South Africa via a poor crackly line.
But once I got through they were excellent and put the money straight back on my credit card.

So the message is to be patient and allow yourself enough time.