Now advising to cancel holidays indefinitely

[NemophilistRebel]

News today is now saying that travel abroad for holidays should be cancelled indefinitely

This is going to be a massive hit on the industry and people in general

Especially those hoping for September or October half term breaks.

Sorry to hear that, Shehz21, it's an awful situation for you. I wouldn't count on being able to travel but if you do get to go home to see your dad, it's a bonus.

Also sorry, BrexpatinSwitzerland, the ramifications to the industry are huge and we don't know how they're going to impact throughout.

WHO in their right mind would think that overseas travel is going to happen anytime soon?

What country is going to welcome foreigners full of virus with open arms?

Anyone with a thread of common sense would wait to book their next holiday abroad. Yes we are all looking forward to go away, especially those of us who had to cancel all Easter, May and Summer breaks. It doesn't mean now is the time to book the next one.

We are not even allowed to drive a few miles to the nearest beach, what make people think flying oversea is an alternative?

Uk holidays are about to get very expensive.
so true. People with a holiday home they can airBnB are going to benefit massively, good for them!

I think it would be pretty optimistic to think that unchecked foreign travel for leisure purposes is going to resume any time in 2020

Agreed. I don't think that's being scaremongering - countries are not going to want to take in other countries' citizens with the dreaded lurgy. Unless you can prove you've had it or are somehow immune, I think it's going to be difficult.

I have a holiday booked for July that I am still optimistic about but it is in the country where I live so I am hoping that we will be able to travel around by then.

MamaBear what would we do without your amazing insight?

There's at least two posters on the thread who are concerned with more than just a holiday. A bit of empathy costs nothing and doesn't impact 'lockdown' either.

I'm convinced that some posters are trawling these boards looking for people they can lash out at.

Err indefinite just means uncertain. So the date that we can travel again is uncertain (which we already knew).

The FCO advice has just changed from a fixed date, to an unfixed one.

A few weeks ago the thought of any kind of lockdown was unimaginable, we just don't know what is going to happen over the next few months.

I booked a holiday for the last week of September in December. No idea

Oops... No idea what to do a out cancelling it, or not.

*about

I can't believe people are even planning for OS holidays in 2020. We were planning a 10 week trip back to the UK for mid next year from Aus... that is off the table now... international travel will not just pick up and resume as normal!!! Most countries will be slow to open borders let alone the huge social and economic fall outs that are to come. It's not scaremongering it's bloody common sense. There will be waves of infection to deal with after these first peaks. How can people be so naive?

It seems sensible not to book anything until we know more about what is going on, it will likely depend where you want to go as well as to when things are back to anything resembling normal. I feel bad for those in the sector who's jobs look uncertain, but I hope that uneccessary business travel etc is reconsidered going forward. In my old job one of us was always having to fly back and forth for a meeting that could have been done via Skype.

@Skeletoninatutu There is no way you can know what travel is going to be like in a year's time so not sure why you are calling others naive. There is nothing wrong with planning in any case!

I’ve got hols booked for October. Currently got CV symptoms so if the immune passports become reality it may still happen (if I survive lol)

However, I won’t be crying buckets if not. Long time between now & then

It is not all travel cancelled indefinitely. More that we don't know when travel can happen again. Just as we don't know when lock down will no longer be in place. Best not to look ahead at the moment and just live each day at a time.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe
MamaBear what would we do without your amazing insight?

What insight? Is it likely to you that foreign travel and holidays is going to restart anytime soon?

You really need some random poster on MN to give you an answer?

News flash, there are more than a couple of posters who are concerned with more than a "holiday". Welcome to the pandemic.

I had a holiday booked for 31 March. I am being denied a refund even though I am legally entitled to one. Was told that I had to rebook for later this year even though I have no annual leave left. I have lost £6,600. ABTA is not dealing with complaints at the moment. No one is protecting the consumer.

Did anyone really believe they’d be off on holiday this year?

It’s just not going to happen, with this virus holidays certainly abroad aren’t going to be happening this year. Maybe a break away in the uk by the end of the year if one is very lucky but even that’s hoping imo

Did you have insurance cover @BunsyGirl?

What about your credit card? Any cover there?

Problem is though, that travel agents are refusing to refund, it's rebook or credit notes only. And insurers are refusing to pay out if you've been offered a credit note byt the travel agent, so the advice about paying balances and waiting for the refund is becoming a moot point. I had one booked for 20th April which I'm resigned to losing the £600 for but I also have a £4k balance due in May for a holiday in July which I'm reluctant to pay as I simply don;t believe I will get a refund.

Which in itself means the tour operators will go bust as nobody will be paying them any cash at all. It's a right mess.

@BunsyGirl exactly the same problem (but not such a big balance). ABTA also refusing to help and section 75 claim (via the credit card) won't pay out if you've been offered a credit note, the same as insurers.

@Ohdearymeshame My insurer won’t accept the claim because I am legally entitled to a refund! It’s a complete joke. I am taking it up with my credit card company but that’s what a lot of people are doing and getting nowhere. No one wants to take responsibility.

skeletoninatutu - some of us booked our summer 2020 holidays last October. If I cancel now I will lose the deposit on the accommodation and transport. My insurance company has advised people to pay the balance and not to contact them until 28 days before the departure date.

Many people will have booked holidays in Autumn 2019 for summer 2020 not knowing that coronavirus would have happened.

Bunsy, we need some solicitors to start legal actions I fear as m any companies have very recently moved from - you will definitely get a full refund - to no chance of money back - just some unusable voucher. Our holiday company now says you get a voucher which you can exchange for cash but only in September not now IF the holiday is cancelled.

Currently we are in a stalemate - i have not cancelled our holiday for 11 in late June and the holiday company has not cancelled it either and I will not be paying the full balance unless in June they say they can take us on holiday (which is very unlikely). I will deal with getting the deposit back later. We booked well before this crisis as fitting a holiday around 11 people is very difficult!

Do not cancel a future holiday yet in my view as you may be in a worse position than if the holiday company cancels on you.