To book this holiday?

[GreenCheesePie]

It's DF's 60th birthday this summer and as a family (me, DH, DF, DM, DB and DSIL, no children) we've been planning a month in South Korea and Japan for a long time now.

Flights are currently a good price and we were about to book when the news broke about Coronavirus. We're all fit and well, no particular reason to be overly concerned about catching it. But my concerns are whether it's likely to still be so severe by the summer, whether flights are likely to be running, and if for whatever reason we needed to cancel nearer the time whether insurance would refuse to cover it given we'd have booked knowing this was a possibility.

On the other hand, we don't want to miss out, things are likely to turn out fine, and we'd like to book soon as the prices are good.

I realise no one has a crystal ball, but WWYD in our position? Would you book now and hope for the best? By summer I mean late June/ early July btw.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Anyone?

I would investigate travel insurance first, and then pay for very good insurance. If the government bans flights it will be covered on the insurance, make sure you have repatriation cover and the maximum hospital cover. I always book through a broker when doing travel insurance so I know it's tailored to me. I have checked my insurance (as it's a yearly one) they said this below.

It's really important to note that most travel insurance providers will not provide cover for any trips booked to the specific areas mentioned in the FCO travel advice if they were booked after the guidance was published. With some insurers, even if the trip was booked ahead of the guidance being published, the insurer will pay for cancellation costs but will not cover you if you still decide to go on the trip.

Last paragraph was specifically about Corona virus

I really wouldnt. It doesn't matter if you're fit and healthy?

Im sure it won’t be there by summer

It does matter if people are fit and healthy as biggest risk is to those immunocompromised.

I would book it but also buy the best insurance money can buy.

I mentioned being fit and healthy because if any of us were elderly/ immunosuppressed that would be an extra factor in the cost/benefit analysis of whether it's worth taking the risk.

Thank you Crockof- you're right that it's worth speaking to an insurance broker and seeing what they say. At the moment the travel advice for both countries is just be aware that immigration might carry out extra tests on entry.

The flights we were looking at are in transit through China, but I can't find any clear information about whether flights through China are affected or just ones where China is the final destination. There are direct flights that I feel like it might be worth paying the extra for, then at least that's one risk factor of anything going wrong eliminated.

Insurance, insurance insurance, check everything to see if your covered in case you need to cancel.

Having lived in the area when SARS was around and having both H1N1 and HIN5 (Bird and swine flu amongst other nastys) in the family, I can understand the wavering of to book or not, if it was me and insurance would cover, I would still hesitate.

I'd agree with CrockOf. Make sure you can get travel insurance that will cover cancellation if the WHO advice changes and then go ahead and book it. Also make sure it has good medical cover, repatriation etc.

We can't possibly know what the future holds one way or another so getting good travel insurance should be the case for any holidays.

Also I'd always go for the direct flights if you can afford it just because it's much easier. But in this particular case I'm not sure I'd fancy a stop in China if it could be avoided.

Go direct and know which travel insurance to get and buy as soon as you book your flights, before there is any change in Govt travel advice.
I'm booked to go to Japan at Easter and just changed my insurance this week, as reading the small print realised, I was only covered for £500 while away.
New insurance, where I've paid extra for Travel Disruption extension, covers cancellation due to FCO and WHO advice not to travel due to disease/pandemic and if the shit hits the fan when we're away.
My previous policy only allowed cancellation with FCO advice covering hurricanes, earthquakes etc, but no mention of diseases. If it's not mentioned it's not covered.
As to whether Covid 19 will stop travel, I've no idea. But I think it could, hence upgrading my insurance.

Actually, if I wasn't going to see relatives and hadn't already booked, I would delay making any holiday plans to Japan.

Is your DF fit and healthy, or fit and healthy for a 60 year old?

He's going into the 'at risk' age of a lot of stuff. So as you intend to, check out insurance first.

I think I’d book it and just pay extra for direct flights. The latter will be totally worth it as you wouldn’t have to pass through a whole other immigration system.

Also make sure you declare everything, and I really do mean everything even if you went to the doctors/dentists/any health related person and they didn't prescribe anything. I declare heavy periods, dental work and shingles, it has never made my policy more expensive but this way I know I won't be uninsured on a technicality.
Regards actually catching it, by the time you go if projections are correct you will be as likely to catch it on a beach in Scarborough. Also it's airports/aeroplanes that are hives of infection, and yet people are not currently worrying about their Spanish holiday.

I'd make alternative travel arrangements or postpone.

It's not just about you being fit & healthy it's about YOU potentially spreading the virus to other people.