To think this is totally and utterly selfish

[Cheeseandlobster]

I hope this link works, but basically people are booking two or sometimes multiple holidays with a view to cancelling all but one nearer the time.

No wonder people are struggling to find affordable holidays and the impact on small businesses inparticular must be huge.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57155307

I get why people do it. I don't get why they talk to news sites about it - I'd keep it quiet!!

It's one thing doing this (not ok but some are going to do it) But why make yourself look like an utter twat by talking about it to a news site. So little self awareness.

Get why they have done this. If they're able to travel to Canaries then i feel sorry for Norfolk hotel and all those people who haven't been able to book yet fully committed to holidaying in the UK

Personally, I can't be doing with the faff and disappointment again this year so have opted for UK holiday, come rain or shine and hope to travel abroad again in 2022

I’m not quite sure. I think some places in the U.K. are taking the piss this year with their prices, some have gone up 30/40/50% compared to say 2 years ago.
So if some people cancel last minute there might be some more reasonably priced breaks for the rest of us.

I understand the rationale. I’m unclear why they felt the need to unburden themselves to the media about it.

I agree that some UK holiday owners are taking the piss Its ridiculous how much some have gone up, not to mention greedy. But "calling dibs" on multiple holidays is just as greedy in my book

Hmm. There is a part of me that thinks the UK places that have vastly inflated prices this year will get what they deserve...

I’d be more than happy to holiday in the UK, but so far haven’t been able to find anywhere that’s decent, available and not outrageously expensive.

Prices have gone on on many UK holidays and much p taking so it's their own fault if last minute they lose bookings. Maybe then they will reprice at a lower level?

Most places are requiring full payment up front. So even if they choose not to go on one of the holidays then they will still have to pay for it.

The accommodation owners are not missing out

Is it more selfish than the cottage owners who have put prices up so much?

Yes, it's unreasonable behaviour but I understand why they might feel justified.

I work in the industry. We were pretty much closed all last year and up until a couple of weeks ago (Scotland). We have maintained 2018/19 prices, despite extra costs involved mitigating covid. If customers do this to us we are completely fucked.

Not everyone is taking the piss though. I just came back from a UK Air Bnb booked a while ago with the possibility of full cancellation up to the day before. The owner kept the price despite the fact they could probably have cancelled and got more from someone else, like many other unscrupulous owners have apparently done. Its the honest and fair owners I feel sorry for, not the greedy ones

I saw this earlier - really gave me the rage, although I suppose they're within their rights to do it. We can't book as my husband is currently job hunting - hopefully we will hear some good news in the coming days, but I suspect there won't be anything left now anyway.

Maybe if foreign holidays do open up we'll be able to get a cancellation?

I have 2 booked for the same period
Both were moved forward from last year-probably neither will happen and they will need to be rebooked again.

Not sure how I am depriving anyone of a holiday? or taking from a small business? They are both fully cancellable.

If the things offer no deposit and full refund for cancellation then people will use it.

If it goes the other way then all the ones booked abroad will be fucked iyswim. Seeing as focus is on impact for UK places

Yeah totally think people who doing this are selfish. Those who then go public with it are idiots 😂 if I was the U.K. company who had their booking I would cancel them now and give it to somebody else!

Not sure how I am depriving anyone of a holiday? or taking from a small business? They are both fully cancellable. Really? You can type that with all sincerity?

A decent cancellation policy means you can do as you want regardless of how much money you are depriving them of?

OK! You may have proved OPs point!

@CuriousaboutSamphire

Not sure how I am depriving anyone of a holiday? or taking from a small business? They are both fully cancellable. Really? You can type that with all sincerity?

A decent cancellation policy means you can do as you want regardless of how much money you are depriving them of?

OK! You may have proved OPs point!

Yes. Flights are with BA- booked for £1000- currently selling at £7,500- so if I cancel I don't think BA will be losing out. Plus they have had my money for almost 2 years when I could have had a refund- which they really tried to avoid

Nothing else booked -loads of hotels with space and so we will book when we know we are going.

So who is losing out?

This could just end up as a new way of doing things. People will know to keep checking til the last minute, and those who can be flexible will get last minute bargains.

Those who can’t be flexible with dates might have multiple bookings so they are guaranteed something.

I haven’t done this - cancelled my planned holiday abroad ages ago and booked in the U.K. - just one thing!

But it’ll just take getting used to.

I am wrong. I set of flights is now £13,000 and the other is £22,248

I think they would love me to cancel.

Yes I think it's selfish.

Accommodation owners have the option to make bookings non-refundable, or charge a higher rate if customers want the option to cancel. Many properties on Booking.com were doing the latter even before Covid. They must be coining it in now - dozens of people paying extra for an option to cancel that they’re desperately hoping they won’t need to use. I bet fewer cancel than don’t.

Also, I’ve heard several stories of holiday companies and hotels cancelling long-standing bookings over Covid ‘uncertainty’ - then miraculously feeling more certain about what’s to come and offering the same holiday for sale again, but at a ramped-up price. The original customer has no comeback, because they received their full refund - but booking anything else now costs significantly more.

Holidaymakers and travel companies alike are all trying to get the best deals for themselves. Some days you’re the pigeon; some days you’re the statue.

People do this to restaurants too. Twats

Everyone should be taking deposits which become non refundable closer to date