AIBU to cancel AI holiday having lost sense of taste/smell?

Please make sure you're completely covid free so you don't pass anything onto anyone else which is what I thought your main concern would be rather than eating.

Wear a mask in the airport and on the plane. If you still have symptoms you’ll still be infectious.

I was on holiday recently and lost my appetite as well - I look on the bright side, I actually came back slightly lighter than I went. I did eat but small amounts and had to rely on interesting texture rather than taste, day 9 my taste started to return. Thankfully i wasn’t flying but long distance overland isn’t great with a cold either

Why waste the money cancelling, especially when you’re not going solo, you’re going to have to eat be that at home or on holiday, I’d rather have my food made for me and be able to do holiday things then sit at home having to cook and do the normal slog.

Have you tested? I had a terrible virus last week, standup classic nimbus symptoms but tested negative, with two different branded kits, I was so convinced was Covid. Lost taste for a few days, is gradually coming back. Don’t cancel a whole holiday cos of that, it’s crazy! Would your insurance pay out anyway? What grounds? Whatever virus you had it will have gone by now.

Surely your DH and DC will want to eat?!

Is there more to this OP? It seems like a disproportionate reaction to temporarily loosing your sense of taste and smell.

I can't understand why you'd even consider cancelling? Surely it's not just all about you? What about your husband and children? Presumably they still want to go on the holiday. I don't know why not wanting to eat so much is such a problem?

Wouldn't you lose the money if you cancelled now?

If not, I'd still go because with DC, you're paying for ease. No shopping, cooking, thinking. Not having to find your purse every time the toddler wants a drink or ice lolly, which will be a lot.

The best thing about AI is that you don't have to worry about getting everyone in a restaurant, paying for it at the time etc. It's easy, which sounds just like what you need right now.

I definitely prefer the food not on an AI holiday though and I go to "good" AI places.

Ive suffered with this for about 10 years, mine can go for a couple of months at a time. Many a holiday I have not been able to taste or smell and although I dont go AI, we always go self catering, we go on holiday primarily to experience the food, new flavour experiences, new restaurants, bars etc etc. We are all about the food and its incredibly depressing when that happens

Also Im a bit perfume collector so I always go into home made or independent perfume shops while on holiday and that gets ruined if I cant smell too.

You just have to make the best of it as I doubt any insurance would pay out to refund due to loss of taste and smell.

It is miserable when you can't smell or taste anything, you have my sympathies. Many years ago, long before coming came along, mine disappeared for a couple of weeks. I still ate but it was truly dull.

BUT

• there's more to a holiday than food
• I doubt you can cancel for free
• your holiday insurance won't cover you

so you might as well crack on and make the best of it.

You'd give up the opportunity to be in a new place, presumably sunny, with interesting new sights, not having to lift a finger or spend another penny if you don't have to, just because you can't taste the food?

With Covid it can take a long time for taste and smell to come back, mine took about 2 and a half years! Hopefully it will come back much more quickly for you, but I wouldn't cancel a holiday for that reason (as long as you are well enough to go and no longer infectious.)

That doesn’t sound like enough of a reason to consider cancelling. You might be a foodie but surely there’s other things about holiday you will enjoy? And your husband and child’s enjoyment must count for something.

The last ai I went on the food was lovely. Huge range of delicious meat, fish,vegetables and salads and different options daily.

Well you're wrong. Why wouldn't people go for the food? It's a huge part of the holiday for a lot of people

Take antihistamines and Sudafed before the flight. The rest and sun will help you feel better.

You still have four days before you go and hopefully the congestion will start to ease by then. I suffer with sinusitis where I lose taste for up to two weeks. I swear by facial steamers, if you haven’t tried that yet. Do it two or three times a day before you go (doesn’t need a decongestant oil added)

This was my first thought too. Enjoy the sunshine if nothing else OP, it’ll do you good.

Get some Sudafed to help with the congestion. I hope you feel better soon.

You’re unlikely to get a refund this late in the day so i’d just go and hope taste comes back soon. Mine was gone a week or more with my first covid.

I was on AI this summer. It was not special so poor sense of taste/smell made no difference. If anything, it's probably better!

Depending on your age, COVID might not be the reason things don't taste the same. If you're of a certain age, you'll be disappointed to learn that loss of taste/smell is another unfortunate aspect of 'the change'.
If you have had COVID, and there is some about, I doubt you are infectious now but you could wear a mask in the airport/on the plane.

@Vodkamartini3olives has sensible advice here since you are unlikely to recoup a full refund. And sitting on a lounger in the sun is surely better than whatever you have planned for the foreseeable.

I honestly didn't think anyone went on AI holidays for the food. It might actually be better without a sense of taste.