My DM is on a tour via Dubai and she won’t cancel

[Donotfitin]

My DM is due to fly on Wednesday via Dubai to Thailand. The tour is like £5k and they won’t let her cancel so she’d lose her money (minus airfare as Emirates is giving refunds).

AIBU to think she’s being irresponsible by going?

She doesnt need to cancel they will just use another airport

Presumably she’s an adult and able to make her own decisions?

I’d probably risk it rather than losing £5k tbh. And if it’s a tour they should sort out any issues on the way.

No need to cancel unless the gov are advising not to pass through?

Presumably but even though I’ve been telling her about the closed airspace she actually didn’t get that was the issue until today.

she also wants loves to claim she needs assistance at the airport (even though she doesn’t) but I have no idea how she’d manage

flights are still being cancelled at random, that’s why.

Yes, but it's not a human right to travel at any time, irrespective of global circumstances.

If a (longer, or more circuitous) route is being offered, with a different stopover, then they don't have to refund or cancel.

She needs to take that option. Or deal with some brief uncertainty etc.

Presumably she has capacity to make her own decisions?

She's better off letting the airline and tour company cancel then you get a full refund

That’s the thing they’re not offering a different stopover nor have mention their backup plan… (which I’m sure the don’t have one)

Has she booked it as a package? If so then its the tour companies problem.

I would be concerned about flying via Dubai and some flights are going ahead at the moment so it may well not be cancelled. If it's a UK tour operator then as UAE is red should they not refund presuming she booked before it went red.

Is the flight included in the fare, was she flying emirates and now needs to book another flight with a different airline and route, where is she flying from.

She can go a different route to thailand

Yes, but they’re ridiculously expensive so she won’t. It’s either Dubai or Dubai

If she cancels, she'll lose her money. But if there is a genuine issue around her time of departure and the tour company cancels, they will almost certainly move her - switching flights, dates etc and she won't lose her money.

My parents’ friends flew back from Dubai very recently, after this all started.

Has she booked the flights and tour together through a company or has she booked the flights independently from the tour?

If she has booked it as a package, and the flight is scheduled to go ahead then the tour operator will proceed. If there is an issue then it's their responsibility to source an alternative route or they might offer a refund if no alternative flight is available.

If she has booked air independently, it's not the tour companies responsibility as they are still able to provide the tour.

Doubtful her insurance will pay out either for cancelling as the holiday is able to go ahead.

I'd do the same as her - wait it out and see what happens. £5k is loads to lose. If she's requested assistance I'm sure they'll help her. I would silence my phone if I was you @Donotfitin and warn her that you won't be stepping in if it all goes wrong but assuming she is an adult with capacity to make decisions then it's up to her.

She booked it together through an agency (non UK based), but it’s unclear what their contingency plan is or if they have one for that matter

Are you concerned she will be caught in Dubai @Donotfitin ? If there are issues with the airspace her plane will reroute, or the flight will be cancelled.

Well if the flight is cancelled then she will get a refund or can rearrange?
Do you not think your mum is capable of making decisions?

The airspace is no longer closed.

Does she claim assistance or not?

What if she does claim assistance, airports are bloody big places?

My concern is that she’ll either get stuck in Dubai or Bangkok. She’s 76 and still fairly capable in general, but she does take tons of different medications (including a heart problem).

She’s in theory of a sound mind, but I’ve been telling her for weeks about the partially closed airspace and she didn’t get it until today.

You do realise that at 76 she is probably not as phased are you are about this??

She can get medication abroad if needed.