School trips overseas cancelled

[Theresnobslikeshowb]

Sorry if this has already been asked, but ds is going away in July overseas with the school. The last payment is due now. So far we’ve heard nothing from the school.

Any idea when trips are cancelled until? Do I pay this last payment?

It’s life. I am getting my head round losing our £900 for dds ski trip.

Lolasmiles that's exactly why our school ski trip hasn't been cancelled. They're waiting for information on refunds and insurance etc

Son was due to go skiing in Austria with the school.

School appear to have been very pro active. We were all told last Friday that the trip was postponed to 3rd week December, back for last day of term.

Seems a decent outcome. Fingers crossed for this CV mess to be over and for there to be snow.

Footnote * my 12 year will will have grown out of the ski stuff I've bought him by then. it's fate.

DC school have today cancelled all booked overseas trips and stated that the insurers are very unlikely to refund as they'll only do so if the Foreign Office rules against travel to the specific countries in question.

I have a feeling they have cut corners and gone for the cheapest, most basic insurance they could get, because I know of other schools whose insurance companies will refund or reschedule trips (similar trips within Europe).

All school trips will be cancelled in March and April at our school. All are insured with the government so will be getting full refunds. So no ski trip for us, which is sad, but in the current climate eminently sensible.
They’ve gone as far as cancelling all school concerts, parents’ evenings and such like. They’ve even informed us of how they will continue to educate our children should the be isolated or if the school is closed in the near future.

School trip to Iceland next Saturday was cancelled yesterday. No idea if we will get our money back, but it’s just tough If we don’t - we have annual travel insurance - not sure if that will cover it?

I feel sorry for DS though - his younger brothers travel all over with a sport they do and he has been looking forward to this for months as his treat. His Birthday present planned for the Easter holidays has also been cancelled. Trying to find a way to cheer him up.

I'm a teacher organising a trip to Germany in May. At the moment, whilst taking school trips abroad is only "advice" and there is also no time scale, the insurance companies won't pay out. We have had some parents withholding the final payment and I have explained to them (on the advice of the tour operator) that if the haven't paid by the deadline, they are effectively cancelling their child's place, so they will lose the first 2 deposits, and their contract with the company will have ceased which mean that if the rest of students can claim in the insurance, they won't be able to. Also, the tour operator have said that they are currently dealing with trips going in the next 2 weeks, then they will move on to April, then May, so if the trip is going later, there's not much we can do yet. They will also try to reschedule before looking into any refunds.

That's a really useful post doomed

Doobee!

That’s insane the trip to Italy is going ahead. Isn’t everything closed there

I live in France and all school trips until June have been cancelled.

Also those of you going skiing to Italy, most of the resorts have closed.. Many of the French resorts are also waiting with baited breath to see what will happen this week.

I also have annual family insurance - assumed it wouldn't cover but not checked. It only covers FCO advice 48 hours before travel, fairly certain wouldn't cover any generic warnings though maybe phone and see.

We've been told if you cancel now lose the deposit (£285), if you pay full amount £850 they will be cancelling looking for an insurance refund, trouble is no idea if they will get that. My insurance has clauses if you don't cancel immediately you are liable for any increased cancellation charges so you'ld get £285 back and lose £565 but no idea what school's insurance does. Wouldn't be surprised if insurers tighten up and start refusing most claims.

Our school hasn't explained what happens if you pull out at different stages though from conversation with teacher suspect situation is similar to Doobee's though they seem certain they won't get a replacement. It seems a bit like playing roulette as to whether if you pay full amount you will get it back, probably safest to lose deposit now.

Everything is closed in Italy yes - atm to 3 April but expecting peak issues around May / June so trip is a write off.

I stand to lose £3k for a cancelled trip that two of my children were booked on. The school have cancelled it, reading their insurance policy it appears that will only pay out if it's cancelled due to illness, death but not advice not to travel.

Surely I/ the school must be able to get a refund from somewhere given I/ the school have not made the decision to cancel? I don't care what people say about sunk costs etc. I want to use my hard earned money for another trip later. This trip was the kind of 'trip of a lifetime' and I paid gradually every month to give the chance for my DC to go. I cannot afford just to wave goodbye to £3k.

Also, I am well aware that life/ being well is more important than money and that the next few months is going to be disastrous in many ways. But it doesn't stop me feeling worried about a potential £3k loss.

Sorry to hear you have £3k at risk. Unfortunately at the moment lots of people are just losing the money. Our travel company isn't helping anyone unless forced to so a country FCO advice is don't travel to at the time they will offer a refund on, otherwise no help at all. Insurance - our school insurance is refusing the claim as its for early June and they are only considering March / April departures. So parents cancelling now lose deposit. If you pay the full amount you can play insurance roulette and get all or nothing back depending on what FCO advice is to that country at that time. That's what are insurers are saying anyway, others may have different terms and conditions but there's a lot of getting out of paying at the moment.

If school's insurance won't pay out not sure you will get help from anywhere else unfortunately. If you have annual family travel insurance maybe give them a call but would assume it doesn't cover school trips. Travel agent said schools should try Department for Education but good luck getting money out of them.

We have the same with a summer holiday, stand to lose £2.4k if FCO advice doesn't go to don't travel which unlikely to but currently UK residents have a 14 day quarantine possibly in a hospital there.

Maybe this will see the end of ridiculously expensive overseas school trips. No bad thing IMO

Check the destination country on the FCO website. Our school has said trips are still going ahead, but the FCO has advised against all but essential travel to that country. Our own travel insurance policy will cover DS on a school trip and cancellation if the FCO advises against it. So if necessary we'll claim a refund from that.

If you have annual family travel insurance maybe give them a call but would assume it doesn't cover school trips.

Our annual policy with Direct Line says this re school trips, so check the policy document.

Independent travel
This policy provides cover for the policyholder and the domestic partner of the policyholder living at the same home to travel independently of each other.
It also covers any dependent child but only while they are travelling with one of the above people or on a trip organised by schools or recognised organisations that are supervised by adults.

Thanks very much - I've got two annual ones that cover June. Checked first one and doesn't cover FCO advising against travel, did mention could cancel if authorities require you to stay home, doesn't mention school trips but may still be worth a call. Would expect a no. Other does pay out for FCO advice but only 48 hours before travel but maybe worth me calling.

Another option maybe if you paid by credit card though no idea of fine print. We didn't. I'm expecting to lose deposit but was £285 so not great but could be much worse.

I wish there were less expensive school trips - so much pressure to take them - I know one family it was years of savings and including from relatives, first time child had ever been abroad.

I paid gradually through ParentPay and some of the payments were made from credit cards. I'm not sure if that would be an option for potential refund if it came to it.

If I get nothing back, it doesn't matter in the grand scheme, but I would like my money back if possible. It's so hard because I'm worried about businesses going under but also it's a lot of money to lose.

Hope you can get some money back. We've only lost deposit but checked both our family insurance t&cs and doesn't look like they cover. If we pay full amount schools insurance may pay out full amount but if FCO advice has changed you would lose whole lot.

Ds’s school sent an email saying to stick to payment deadlines and they’d keep us informed. Trip not until July. I have no idea where we stand with insurance if it’s cancelled. Maybe it will turn into a game of who blinks first between the parents, the school and the travel company. Also have an older ds booked on NCS but that isn’t so big a deal.

This is our school's travel companies policy - basically says they won't help unless they are obliged to as FCO advise against travel at time of trip. Otherwise trips running and normal cancellation charges. I think insurance is mainly only paying out when advice to that country is don't travel at the time you are travelling / within next month. School cancel trip often you will lose whole amount. You cancel due to concerns over coronavirus you will lose whole amount.

www.rayburntours.com/blog/2020/03/13/covid-19-important-information-about-your-school-trip/