I have fucked up holiday

[Youagain2025]

I booked a holiday in tunisa. I have never been abroad before as an adult. I did not know tunisa is not a safe place to go. I didn't even know you could look it up. I just thought that if its not safe that all flights to that area stop . But that's not the case . I tried changing it but they told me I can't because airline operator do not go to the area I want . Its with tunisa airlines so basically it only gos to tunisa? . So i can't go change to a different destination. But unless I pay a load of money I can't cancel either.

Just to add . I do have learning difficulties. Which is probably why I did not realise all of this . I'm so pissed of

I just spoke to credit control . They said if I cancel i woukd have to pay over 3-4 months . Thru could push it to 6 months depending on the situation.

I did tell him why I may need to cancel but that i would much ratget change the destination. He told me I need to look here .

https://www.tunisair.com/en

It looks very confusing and I definitely don't know what I'm doing.

You need to speak to your son

I don’t think you’re understanding what they’re telling you - your flights are non refundable so you’d need to have new flights to Spain and still pay for the ones to Tunisia, or you can change to a different resort and not pay for two sets of flights.

@Youagain2025 if you feel you don't know what you are doing then pause for today. The confusion will be stressing you so much you are going to get more confused.
Tomorrow speak to someone for help - Citizens Advice or someone at your children's school - the Family Support person or a member of staff you get on well with or even a fellow parent if you are friendly enough.
Explain you are so confused it's causing you extreme anxiety and distress.
Hopefully someone will be able to help you.
So stop for today and enjoy your Sunday 🙂

I'm not surprised OP. This link doesn't help you at all unless you still want to go to Tunisia (but to a different resort) which obviously you don't due to your DS's LGBTQ+ concerns, or you want to fly from Tunisia to somewhere else in the world!

Then I think you either need to go to Tunisia or cancel altogether. You could ask someone to help you put together a complaint - the booking process may have disadvantaged you because of your learning difficulties and they have failed to help a confused and vulnerable customer. You have just as much right as anyone else to clear communication and information, and it sounds like you feel you haven't had that from them during this process.

If you cancel, would you want to or be able to book something else? If so, make sure you go through a reputable firm and get some extra help when planning it.

Oh I was really hoping I was being dopey.

Tunisair ONLY fly to and from Tunisia. They have no other routes. So you either go to Tunisia or you lose the flight money as a minimum.

Separately, I did notice someone else mentioned this but I think it may have not been noticed and IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS but I seem to recall that you said you had insurance because you ticked the box - in which case I think you actually don't have insurance at all. Holiday companies like this have tick box for standard insurance, and I doubt you read what the terms are. You have a learning disability, and you have said you are also travelling with SEN children - is that right? You cannot travel on standard insurance in that case - you need insurance that covers those pre-existing conditions. If you don't have it, anything that goes wrong will not be covered, from losing your luggage to being taken into hospital (or refused hospital tratement because you can't pay). I have a disability, but mine is only physical and is stable(ish) and I still have to declare my condition and pay something extra). If you travel anywhere, you must have proper insurance that covers your groups conditions - and that may turn out rather pricey. Last year I broke my finger - just broke a finger, nothing risky at all, and all treatment had been completed shortly before I was due to travel, but when I told the travel insurance they charged me £400 EXTRA on top of my £400 annual policy!

Tbf to Loveholidays, except the route change when they should have vlearly state, Airtunis does not fly elsewhere from London, the OP's reasons for cancelling arr something they can't be held responsible for really.

I think you may be right . I have asked them one more question. If I can change the flights if I paid for the tunisa ones and the new ones . I get a feeling I won't get a proper answer though. I have it all in emails so I do have proof of that .

I know there is meant to be help for people with learning difficulties etc . But it doesn't feel like it. Maybe I'm being a dick . But sometimes I feel like they are used so that the person can be taken advantage off .

Sorry i don't understand the post ?

OK. So, I get that your son might be worried about the LGBT situation. Totally understandable and fair enough. But... In holiday terms, this depends if his worries are practical or ideological. Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with Tunisia's laws on this, so what I'm saying is just for info so you can make up your own mind. Yes, I imagine it's not much fun being gay and Tunisian, despite the fact that it's one of the most relaxed Arabic nations. If the plan is to travel as a family and hit the beach, do tourist shopping, go sightseeing and generally be in the pool, in the town for an ice cream or a meal and that sort of thing, this really won't be an issue. However, if your son is looking for nightlife and a gay scene to enjoy, then that's a non starter as there isn't really one, or not one you can easily dip into as a tourist. It's not like Dubai where western tourists find themselves locked up, but the locals involved could end up in trouble so most would avoid the situation. There are bars that are known to be LGBT hangouts (I think Euro bar in Hammamet is the most well known) but mostly gay culture is kept quiet and underground. A lot of Tunisians are pretty tolerant, but it's still a male dominated culture with those laws in place, and for non tourists, it's a bit of a risk if they do anything much too obvious. Public displays of affection are frowned on all round, gay or straight. That's the issue, being obvious about it - and I repeat, I don't agree with it. It's the same with alcohol. It's super available, all the male Tunisians I know happily drink without a worry and go to a nice restaurant and you'll see lots of women also dressed up to the nines enjoying wines and spirits... But you don't get the mass drunkeness in the towns at 2am because it's not seen as acceptable. Depends what sort of holiday your son wants... Also, if we are talking trans, I would agree it's really not the best place to go.
This is quite a gay friendly website with a view on it if it helps... mrhudsonexplores.com/mr-hudson-on/tunisia-ultimate-itinerary-things-to-do-and-see-within-10-days-in-gay-tunisia/

Much as I love Tunisia, I'd change your holiday if it were super easy to do so just to make your son feel more comfortable. But it's not soundinyso easy, so if you all just want a relaxing, beach, family holiday, it's still fine!

I know you can't actually answer this . But imn so pissed of that fir the past few days they have kept telling me to look for a new destination knowing full well tyru don't fly else where. Even the credit control told me to go to Tunisia airlines and see where they fly to then majr a request to love holiday. So why are they telling me to look when I they know they don't fly anywhere else.

@Youagain2025 Here's the problem you seem to have OP. loveholidays seems to be telling you (from what you've told us) that you can change your holiday destination, but you still have to fly with Tunisair - which is odd because Tunisair only flies to Tunisia from the UK. Maybe what they're actually telling you is that you can change your destination, but if you do, you will still have to pay for your original Tunisair flights (maybe the flights are non-refundable?) and then pay for a new package to a different destination.
So, I think you need to do this: sit down, with your DS, look at the loveholidays website and find a holiday destination you're both happy with and can afford. Then phone loveholidays on 01234 975 975 and explain that you can no longer go to Tunisia (it's up to you whether you explain why) and want to book a new holiday to your new chosen destination, but ask them how much of the original Tunisia holiday will you have to pay? If it's just the flights, you could negotiate with them the length of time you could repay those flights costs, in addition to your new holiday cost which you will have to pay in line with the contract terms. However, if they tell you that you will have to pay for ALL of the Tunisia holiday, plus the new holiday on top, then obviously you won't be able to afford this and would have to just cancel the holiday altogether.
I'm so frustrated because I reckon I could get this sorted out for you really quickly if I were sat next to you! Good luck OP. 🤗

Yes! This is exactly what you should be asking them OP (see my previous longer post), but I think you need to phone them on 01234 975 975 to talk it through, rather than email, as I have a feeling you may be getting artificial intelligence generated replies and you need to speak to a real human being.

You're not being dopey OP. 😊

I think that they aren't trying to be unhelpful, but more than they (a) don't know the answers themselves and (b) you and they are talking at cross purposes. I have just checked for you, and it seems that Love Holidays don't have a disability support section. I have never used them because they don't impress me with their approach.

I know this won't help you right now, but if you are thinking about a nice foreign holiday in the future, someone else suggested Hays travel agent. I have also found TUI very good and there is a telephone number that you can talk to even before you book for help and they also arrange any special needs you have at the airport or in the resort. Their number is 0800 145 6920. They have helped me find out about the practical details of hotels and other aspects of the holiday so I can decide what suits my needs.

In terms of the holiday, honestly, I would just say go. I can sympathise with your sons views, but he's presumably not going on holiday for a pickup, so it won't be an issue. I have friends in Tunisia, and many people know where the "gay scene" is, and it isn't approved of but it is largely tolerated if people are circumspect. They shouldn't have to be, I agree, but equally we have to respect the wishes of people in other countries and they often don't accord with our own. Probably best not to pack the gay rights T-Shirt, but honestly, I have seen more than a few gay tourists there and nobody was in the slightest bit bothered.

I should have added, before you do anything else I would check out what insurance would actually cost you, because it very easily may be unaffordable given your circumstances, in which case the entire of the rest it irrelevant. You're going to need a specialist company that deal with pre-existing conditions because the mainstream companies charge a hell of a lot more. I use Staysure
https://www.staysure.co.uk/p/medical-travel-insurance/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=MPX_UK_GOOG_SEA_G_None_Medical_All_Modern+Search+Restructure_Conditions+Tier+1_65%2B&utm_term=travel+insurance+for+disabled&utm_content=Condition_Disabled_Mixed&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4v6-BhDuARIsALprm31DTB4icvckk265I2tvgRhW25XyjyAKdNYlFInivYVj9aKH81DeGfIaAqE4EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Yeah but in this case I was hoping I was i was hoping I was just doing something wrong. But no they are sending me on a noise chase .

Yeah ds is not going to be looking for gay bars or hunting fir a date or anything like that. I think its more if one of the younger kids say something or that ds can't have a general discussion about gay stuff. I was worried about what clothes I can and can't wear etc. But I should think ds being gay feels really difficulti and maybe a bit scary for him. Even though he had intention of going on the pull

I understand that, I really do. But I have seen many gay people in Tunisia (and know a couple of gay Tunisians). Don't go "over the top" and nobody cares. If he went "over the top" in the UK, where it is legal, he would still get some disapproval, and that's pretty much the same in Tunisia. Some people may be offended or disapproving, but he'd have to go a long way to get arrested. Tunisia isn't daft - they don't want anything getting in the way of tourists coming to their country. Tourism is a major industry all year around. Those attacks in 2015 nearly killed the country - they won't be letting anyone mess with tourism. There are countries I would say don't go to - Tunisia simply isn't one of them.

As for what you wear, as you've been told - in the resort whatever you want but some restaurants expect a modicum of decency - no swinwear, possibly long trousers for men. Outside the resort, this is not a country that practices burkas! If what you would think of as modest here, it'll be fine in Tunisia. Tunisia is not perfect (where is?) but it is a modern country and many people wear very much what you probably wear already.

Did you see what @PhilippaGeorgiou said about insurance, @Youagain2025? I think that’s really, really important.

Tunisair ONLY fly to and from Tunisia. They have no other routes. So you either go to Tunisia or you lose the flight money as a minimum.

This isn't true. A quick search on the website shows Tunisair flies from London to Venice for example. However trying to cobble together a new holiday from scratch just based on a random destination sounds like a recipe for disaster under the current circumstances.

Yes I'm going to screen shot it now . So that I don't forget

Great.

And I’m really sorry you’re having such an awful time. I hope you manage to get away somewhere.