To not understand why travel companies are taking flight bookings?

[HomerSimpsonsDonut]

Sorry this is mega trivial but I'm confused and need a rant.

I have a holiday booked to an amber list country, to depart on the 14th August (the holiday was booked last February, pre-covid. Moved from last August to this August).

The flights are booked with TUI. We do not find out the holiday is 100% confirmed until a few days before we are due to depart. I'm confused because other airlines are currently travelling to this destination, not sure why TUI aren't flying there.

Anyway I have had a look on Skyscanner on my lunch, and TUI are still taking bookings for flights, on the day we are due to go? Despite the uncertainty of holidays being cancelled at the last minute. Does it not seem a bit cruel of the airlines to be taking people's money and getting their hopes up, even though they are likely going to cancel?

I hope this all makes sense. I am currently feeling very annoyed about the situation and want to know if I I being unreasonable with wondering why airlines are still taking bookings for holidays that are probably not going to happen?

FWIW I wouldn't have booked a holiday this year, only going as rearranged from last year.

Thanks all.

Because they are a business, they want money and will take any opportunity open to them to eek as much as they physically can out of their customers.

People don't just fly for holidays. If there's enough demand then they will continue to sell the flights.

Am I right in saying you won't need to isolate for Amber destinations if you are double jabbed once the restrictions are lifted? No reason for them not to be selling flights and holidays if this is the case.

Because thanks to the government’s total lack of aid for the aviation and travel industries, and their random adding or removing travel restrictions at short notice, most companies in the travel or aviation sector are on their knees and will go out of business this summer after 18 months of uncertainty if they are not able to take bookings. So they are taking bookings.

Anyway I have had a look on Skyscanner on my lunch, and TUI are still taking bookings for flights, on the day we are due to go?

Surely that's a good thing? The more people booked, the more likely it is that your holiday will go ahead.

People booking now are likely to be very aware that travel is a bit uncertain just now.

They need a % of seats sold to make the flight viable. Cancelling will be a last resort.

What’s the alternative? Not take bookings and then know last minute they can fly, but oh, they now have an empty plane? People by now should be fully aware of the risks of having it cancelled.

Does it not seem a bit cruel of the airlines to be taking people's money and getting their hopes up, even though they are likely going to cancel?

They must be extremely confident that the flight is going to go ahead (doesn't mean your holiday is of course) but the refund and compensation cost if they cancel is too high to simply get a few weeks of money in the bank, especially as it's probably not even likely in their bank but in the credit card companies hold.

Because they still have to have money coming in to stay afloat.

@backinthebox has it spot on. If travel companies don't continue to take bookings they will go under.

Not everyone travels for holidays anyway. Besides, even if you need to isolate there will still be lots of people that want/have to travel.

Surely anyone booking holidays abroad at the minute does it knowing there’s a chance it might not go ahead?

They are simply being truthful with you, governments are chopping and changing rules all the time.

We cancelled because it's too uncertain

@halcyondays

Surely anyone booking holidays abroad at the minute does it knowing there’s a chance it might not go ahead?

I agree - as I said I wouldn't have booked to go abroad this year; it is only because it is a previously booked holiday that has been rearranged.

Why are they likely to cancel? 65% of adults in the U.K. have had both vaccines. They and their children won't have to quarantine when they return. Lots of people will be going on holiday.

@GiantWingedWaspMoth Surely that's a good thing? The more people booked, the more likely it is that your holiday will go ahead

I'd not actually thought of it like that...so thank you, you've made me feel a bit more hopeful!

@Clymene to air of the side of caution? I'm not sure. Just not feeling hopeful as it has already been cancelled once.

@gogohm

They are simply being truthful with you, governments are chopping and changing rules all the time.

We cancelled because it's too uncertain

I'm not surprised you cancelled. If our money wasn't tied up in the hotel we would be cancelling too.

This august? You'll be fine!

Just not feeling hopeful as it has already been cancelled once.

That was last year when there was no vaccine and deaths were high - they need to start making £££ now to alleviate the financial shitstorm that's coming!

Because they’ll go out of business otherwise.

Because the travel industry.is on its knees and they are struggling to survive? Because people want to travel ? Because people will not need to quarantine when returning from amber countries any longer if they’ve been double jabbed? Because people travel for work or to visit families? This is THE best time for them to make money during the whole pandemic. There is literally no reason to believe they will be cancelling anything but red destinations anymore.

@Doublestar

This august? You'll be fine!

I bloody hope so! Me and DH are both double jabbed so I'm hoping that works in our favour too.

Am I being daft in thinking they will find any excuse to cancel?

I think it stems from the fact a lot of amber list country holidays have been cancelled up until 31st July - after "Freedom Day".

The travel companies are in the shortest of circumstances. They can’t just furlough everyone and shut down. They need staff to deal with the incessant cancellations and rebookings - those staff and other overheads need to be paid. The money has to keep moving through the account or else they’ll fold.

*shittest. I meant shittest bloody autocorrect!

@HomerSimpsonsDonut

Am I being daft in thinking they will find any excuse to cancel?

I think it stems from the fact a lot of amber list country holidays have been cancelled up until 31st July - after "Freedom Day".

Probably to do with their suppliers, i.e. the hoteliers in destination will charge them for unused rooms if not cancelled within a certain number of weeks, so TUI would have to refund the customer in full but still pay for their rooms.