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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think if I cancel a December Egypt holiday now they should refund my flights

79 replies

Arnie123 · 16/08/2013 17:38

We had all booked for Cairo this December but are getting concerned about the civil unrest there. Travel company say they will refund for the hotel but not the flight. Are they allowed to do this?

OP posts:
LtEveDallas · 16/08/2013 20:22

We've just got back from Hurghada. Everything was quiet when we were there, but friends that are there now are 'locked down' in the hotel (no leaving on foot during the day, no leaving at all after 1900). Dutch and German travel agents have cancelled and refunded from today.

Hurghada is 6 hours from Cairo - and if the trouble has now reached there then I'd be far to scared to go to Cairo.

Saying that, December is enough time away for it to all be resolved, so I wouldn't make any hasty decisions right now. Egypt is a lovely country to visit as a tourist. I've never felt unsafe there and DD is practically treated like a princess.

travailtotravel · 16/08/2013 20:24

I regularly travel to FCO restricted areas and have special insurance - it is expensive. I just renewed and it's £500 for the year.

For Egypt, it will be the precise nature of the FCO advisory and the route your trip takes that determines whether you go eg if it says all but essential travel to Cairo rather than Egypt, they may change your itinerary to accommodate.

Most trips will go further south anyway.

Obviously between now and December things could well be fine so the company are not likely to make any decisions now. If I were you I'd hang tight and wait and see.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 16/08/2013 20:32

there was civil unrest there for a while now almost a year at the very least you must have been aware of this why did you book it.? It won't be a secure country by the end of the year there's no leader the army are in control and you can see what's happening.

Can you change for a different location I don't know how it works never had a holiday abroad. If not better to lose some money than your lives

MissMalteser · 16/08/2013 20:50

Oh god we have booked for sharm in the second week of September (package holiday if this info makes any difference) haven't sorted insurance yet as normally do that a few weeks before we go and I can now not think of anything worse than visiting Egypt with all this going on, FCO are still advising south sinai is safe I think but the situation is volatile and advice is changing regularly, so I would be ill at ease the whole time, never mind what the poor people of the country are experiencing
Haven't tried to cancel as I have a feeling we will be fobbed of right to the day of departure but as things go I think I will resign myself to losing the holiday with no refund rather than "hoping for the best"

BrokenSunglasses · 16/08/2013 21:09

MissMalteser, Sharm is safe at the moment, although that could change. There was a curfew imposed last night, but it was lifted almost straight away, and all the people I know who live there are saying it's safe just now.

Pigsmummy · 16/08/2013 21:14

Unless the foreign office says that UK nationals are not to travel there then you are scupperd. If you paid by credit card then you can try them but to be honest they won't look at the situation until the time that you travel. This unrest might be over by December. Your best bet would be see if the terms and conditions allow you to change the date on flights and if so postpone.

travailtotravel · 16/08/2013 21:22

MissMalteser you should phone the travel company and ask what they plan to do about the impending risk - the advice could change there at any time so they must have a plan beyond telling everyone when they get to the airport.

It's such a popular destination holiday companies will always want to list it and hope for the best, things can change quickly and be considered 'safe' even if we then feel uncomfortable about it.

Coconutty · 16/08/2013 21:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Ilovemyself · 16/08/2013 21:27

Packages are normally a safer bet than booking a hotel and flights separately. If you book onto a schedules flight then the best you will get is your taxes.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 16/08/2013 21:42

I've booked to go away to Egypt in September, shame to be exact and I will be 6mths pregnant by then, my children are 5 and 2 and after watching the recent events on the news just lately made me phone up the travel company (I cried as I was so anxious) and they have said I can change my destination so long as I stick with the same airline. I was told to suggest 3 hotels then email them with the suggestions and my tea as on why I want to change and they will get back to me in 48hrs with an answer.

The thought of taking my children to that country at this time fills me with dread. DP and I both agree we would prefer to lose the money then travel there.

As far as I know if the foreign office deem is unsafe, which they have for Cairo, then your travel agent should refund you your money. Good luck.

Latara · 16/08/2013 22:14

The large American company my Dad works for has banned all staff from travelling for business to anywhere in Egypt for the near future - this is a company that has important customers in Egypt too.

Their staff travel to some pretty unsafe places normally so Egypt must be bad if this major company are stopping all their business travel.

If this is a serious AIBU - and i'm doubtful unless OP never reads newspapers, goes online or watches the News - then definitely don't go.

justanuthermanicmumsday · 17/08/2013 00:55

I agree with latera don't take the risk especially with kids.

I wouldn't go anywhere even so called safe zones of Egypt. In a country like that you get wackos who would see a westerner as good for killing or bargaining tool. Happened before right not just so called muslim countries Columbia comes to mind.

Original poster
Arnie123 · 17/08/2013 11:02

I have slept on it and now realise taking a toddler into a war zone is highly irresponsible and borderline child neglect. Holiday firm are looking into how much refund we should get and I will know either today or tomorrow. Will probably go to New Orleans instead.

OP posts:
BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability · 17/08/2013 11:06

My friend has decided she isnt going too, shes leaving cancelling though as at the moment she wont get refunded for a sharm holiday

Yonionekanobe · 17/08/2013 11:29

Arnie the way things are escalating you may find that ultimately flights are cancelled and refund given.

Original poster
Arnie123 · 17/08/2013 13:18

They are offering a full refund to people who are travelling within a month and this may be extended depending on the situation in the future. I am not too worried now, either the situation should improve and we can go or of it stays the same we should get a refund

OP posts:
difficultpickle · 17/08/2013 14:21

I really can't see the situation improving by December, if anything I can imagine it getting far worse Sad

Kungfutea · 17/08/2013 15:16

I wouldn't go near sharm right now. I know fco say it's ok but the rest of Sinai has an insurrection with al-Qaeda very strong there. In fact, I'd rather be in Cairo where at least the violence isn't directed at tourists and you're not a target. If it kicks off in sharm, YOU will be the target - to be kidnapped for ransom by the Bedouin or to be killed by al-Qaeda.

Trills · 17/08/2013 15:25

YABU to think that you should get a refund now when the situation may change between now and December.

YANBU to expect a full refund nearer the time if the advice is still not to travel.

Next time buy your insurance when you book.

MariaLuna · 17/08/2013 15:43

Justanut - my DS is backpacking in Colombia right now with his girlfriend and is having a whale of a time!
(needless to say, nowhere near FARC areas).

We were together in Egypt in 2011, it was amazing, in Luxor and even did a day trip to Cairo (by plane).

You wouldn't get me there now tho if you paid me!

So sad what is happening there now....

As for insurance... you wouldn't drive without it, why travel without it?

mummymeister · 17/08/2013 15:58

Arnie 123 that sounds like better news for you. but please please take out travel insurance as soon as you book. why leave it until the month before or the week before. take it out as you make a booking or a change. none of us have crystal balls - unexpected family illness, ash cloud, terrorism anything anywhere in the world and no I am not in the insurance industry just am Shock that people would spend thousands on a holiday but not get insurance as they book it.

cantspel · 17/08/2013 16:03

You cant say the red sea resorts are safe as last week there was a riot in hurghada with at least one dead.

Egypt is on the brink of civil war and i wouldn't care how much money i would lose but no way would i be taking my family there at present and i speak as someone who was there 2 weeks after the sharm bombings of 2005.

MrsHoarder · 17/08/2013 16:09

mummy I never insure for affordable losses. So the cost of a holiday doesn't worry me, but I always make sure I have insurance to get medical treatment and return me home before I leave the UK. Its not irresponsible to do this: especially as if your flight doesn't take off then its not the insurance company who pay, its your tour operator (or offers you an alternative).

Its irresponsible to get yourself stuck on the other side of the world with no insurance, but that's different.

LessMissAbs · 17/08/2013 17:28

When did you book OP? Two years ago?? Theres been civil unrest in Cairo off and on for months. This isn't exactly unpredictable.

StuntGirl · 17/08/2013 18:01

This thread cannot possibly be real, no one can be this dense Grin

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