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Original poster

What are you doing about your August holidays?

51 replies

Needtobepositive · 02/04/2020 18:42

I doubt they’ll go ahead but there is a chance by then that they will. However, I don’t think I will want to take my vulnerable child even if they do. We have paid half of our holiday and really don’t want to lose the money. We are due to pay the rest soon. I know if I pay it all and the flight doesn’t go out I will get a refund. But if it goes out and we chose not to go we won’t get anything back. Can’t decide what to do about payment. What’s everyone else done?

OP posts:
LittleRen · 02/04/2020 18:45

No idea. We had a holiday planned in Orlando end of august. Paid deposit so far... Disney allowing trips to be moved but only trips for up to June at the moment. I guess we will just wait as long as possible.
We will go unless we are told not to. If not our insurance will pay out.
It’s a tough one..

SummerHouse · 02/04/2020 18:47

I don't think I will fly for a year or two. I am not afraid of catching the virus but getting stuck somewhere. We have family abroad so I feel like I might be duty bound but I will dread it. Is your child vulnerable for a specific reason? If so I definitely wouldn't go. I know it's sad but it's just money. We have the most amazing holidays in the UK and it would probably cost about a quarter of the price in which case it would actually be a 25% saving. Wink

madroid · 02/04/2020 18:49

MSE was advising people to pay up.

Personally I don't think international travel will resume by August. I don't think it will really get going until there's a vaccine. Most people will be fearful of exposure unless they are immune because they've had CV. Even then though, are we sure there won't be different strains or mutations?

Sunshinesky1981 · 02/04/2020 18:51

We are supposed to be off to orlando for 3 weeks in August. Everything has been paid. Doubt it will happen, but at the moment just waiting as cant do much as too soon to know if the slim chance it could be ok. Too early to be able to cancel and try to get some of the costs back through insurance

Original poster
Needtobepositive · 02/04/2020 18:56

Vulnerable due to type 1 diabetes. I’m hoping if the flight does go out they will refund us due to her condition as they won’t want to pay out for her to be hospitalised which is likely to happen if she catches it. It is only money and health is so much more important but that money is vital to us at the moment. We can just about afford the rest of the payment but really can’t afford to lose it all as my job has now gone and my husband is self employed and we don’t know how that’s going to turn out. Such a mess. Wish they would just refund what we’ve paid now but know they won’t do that. I may look into moving the holiday to next summer but not sure if they’ll agree to that.

OP posts:
KoalasandRabbit · 02/04/2020 18:58

We've got one booked to Thailand and Malaysia, about £4.1k exposed, atm only £100 has refunded, rest all non-refundable have refused refunds, a refundable hotel has refused a refund. Flights are part refundable in theory so could get maybe £1.5k back there if they do refund but otherwise lost the money. Atm insurance won't payout but countries in lockdown and it's 14 day quarantine. It only pays out for country specific travel warnings not a global one.

There seems to be a move to credit vouchers which could be worthless for us if no vaccine by time expire. Not great. Italy school trip insurance refused to pay out so we lost deposit but at least it was at deposit stage, we could have paid full amount and taken a gamble but deposit was 1/3 and 50-50 if insurance would pay out.

Darbs76 · 02/04/2020 18:58

Best to pay as it protects your deposit. Then if can’t travel you’ll get a full refund. If you pull out now you’ll lose money

KoalasandRabbit · 02/04/2020 19:04

They are looking to change the law so you don't get a full refund just a credit note valid for 2 years - think there's a refund after the 2 years but lots of people having issues getting refunds now. I got an e-mail today from an airline saying for cancelled flights they are only offering credit notes valid for a year now through to Easter 2021 for up to May 2020 bookings. Our insurance doesn't pay out if offered a credit note.

Might be worth checking if your insurance covers redundancy.

Original poster
Needtobepositive · 02/04/2020 19:12

A credit note is fine until they put the prices up and no one can afford to go next year or they go out of business. Although if they go out of business I think we can still claim as Thomas cook holidays were refunded? If they go down the credit note route would we still have to pay the full amount? Or would they credit the the half we’ve already paid?

OP posts:
Imapotato · 02/04/2020 19:14

Sitting tight and hoping we’ll be able to go. I need a holiday.

Sounsociable · 02/04/2020 19:15

We havent booked anything and I'm quite relieved. We've booked to go away at Christmas and paid in full , hoping that will still go ahead. Since neither of us are working at the moment we prob wont have the money to go anywhere even if it is business as usual (which feels unlikely)

KeepWashingThoseHands · 02/04/2020 19:29

MSE advising you pay up, which sounds counter-intuitive but travel guidance isn't that far out so if you cancel now you likely won't be refunded.

We've paid a deposit on a villa + flights with BA. I'll be disappointed if we can't go purely as would like a holiday, but if we get a refund or can rebook another time I'll get over it and it's what I'm expecting.

I don't really agree with the govt bailing out the airlines, so if they go bust we may not get refunds. There are too many this time and more deserving causes with key workers etc. plus Branson and the like need to cough up from their personal wealth.

cologne4711 · 02/04/2020 19:38

We were going to Scotland in May half term and had booked accommodation but decided to drive up (one of our better decisions, as Flybe then went bust and we would have flown with them). The accommodation provider moved our booking to the first week in September and the payment deadline is now the middle of July so things should hopefully be clearer by then. Hopefully we can go as we will be in the UK and are driving, but it could depend on other factors such as having an immunity certificate or not being in a lockdown area such as China has.

I don't agree with airlines getting bailouts either, unless they provide essential links like UK to Channel Islands or to Scottish islands. I couldn't care less if Virgin can't fly to the Caribbean.

cologne4711 · 02/04/2020 19:39

I got an e-mail today from an airline saying for cancelled flights they are only offering credit notes valid for a year now through to Easter 2021 for up to May 2020 bookings

I am pretty sure that is not legal. If they have cancelled the flights they have to refund the fare.

Redwinestillfine · 02/04/2020 19:42

We were doing a staycation but they emailed to say don't pay the balance yet and we'll see what the situation is then....I suspect it won't go ahead but at least we don't have to stress about it.

Maryann1975 · 02/04/2020 19:43

We are due to go to Greece in August, we’ve paid £300 deposit and have to pay the other £5000 in May. We talked about it last night and have pretty much decided to forfeit the deposit and not pay the rest. Even if it’s all settled down by then, I’m not sure I will want to travel and we might need the 5k we’ve saved to plug the hole in our finances if work doesn’t bounce back by then.

itsgettingweird · 02/04/2020 19:47

Im booked for end of August.
Deposit and some DD paid. Balance due 3 weeks before we fly.

I will pay when it's the deadlines. If cancelled I'd happily carry money over to rebook for next summer - but only if they don't raise the prices and it's double the cost for the same thing!

I think they will lose far more if prices are hiked up. If they cancel I'll be fighting for full refund. I think whatever government decide to pass as a bill will still be able to be challenged via courts and a lot of people like taking on these big cases for free and it gets their name out there!

GeraldTippett · 02/04/2020 19:48

I'm not counting on being able to go to NZ on holiday in December and I'd certainly not count on going anywhere in August. Even next Easter might be a stretch sadly.

Ironically we got some 'too good to be true' airfares for the trip. Turns out, they were Sad

cptartapp · 02/04/2020 19:49

Ours is all paid up for Halkidiki, we booked direct. Just been advised by our travel insurer that as we booked before March 17th we are covered if it doesn't go ahead.
We were lucky enough to squeeze in three holidays in the last six months to Spain, Rome and Tenerife, so won't feel too hard done by.

brentwoodbaby · 02/04/2020 19:52

Planned to go to Vancouver for three weeks at end of July/beg of August; had booked flights but nothing else so have held off booking car or accommodation just yet as insurance won't cover things booked after 13th March.

Hoping that travel restrictions will be lifted by then and if not BA will reschedule flights and we can go at Xmas or Easter next year instead.

HisBetterHalf · 02/04/2020 20:01

Apparently if they go bust you would lose credit note and not be refunded further. Big gamble.

hardtail · 03/04/2020 17:17

We was booked 6th august for gran canaria for a family of 4 decided to cancel and to lose the deposit and get our money back whilst you still can as they are bringing in a new law where they wont have to refund but to give credit notes in the coming days to save the airlines from going under ,,although thats good for the airlines i felt i would refer my money so i can decide next year which company if any we use an not just to be tryed to jet2

MrsWhites · 03/04/2020 17:22

Also booked for August, paid deposit so far and remaining payment due next month. I’m nervous about the rumours that only credit notes will be offered. This could mean we have £9k tied up with Virgin, looking at next years prices the same holiday would cost us £2k more at a time we are unlikely to be able to afford that. But if we don’t pay we forfeit £700, not a massive sum compared to the full amount but still money down the drain!

fluffysticks · 03/04/2020 17:28

We were due to go on a cruise in early July. We have transferred the booking to next year so we haven’t lost our deposit.

Itsjustmee · 03/04/2020 17:34

Generally credit notes aren’t honoured if a company goes bust
So I would be very suspicious of any company offering or demanding that you accept a credit note .
If they go bust you lose everything and possibly there will be some loophole that means you won’t be able to claim it back on your credit card