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.

Currently my hotel booked end of May is offering refunds to anyone booked in before 1st June

Either call and rebook for later or wait till they catch up on the dates. I think July August is a bit early for them to deal with at the moment.

Oh and Just thought about it, but my trip is insured as a single policy. I suppose that’s not needed either.

We also have a big deposit down (1k) and due another 2k with love holiday at end of June for an early July holiday.

So don't want to throw another 2k away. Just want my deposit back but, like others have said, now stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Booked for July and August . Separate flights and hotels in both cases . Thanks .

In our case the airline has offered a refund for cancelled flight. Hotel will depend on the company. Ours is offering a date change, and they are honouring the price to move to the same time next year, or voucher.

Accommodation only bookings are not covered in the same way as a package holiday protection.

On the upside our accommodation provider was so keen to get a rebook (we’ve only paid the balance and the rest was due 4 weeks before travel) that they were really helpful with dates and the likes.

Eurostar is only offering credit notes valid til the end of March next year. Firstly I booked Eurostar for a special event which is no longer happening. Secondly, unsure if my insurance would cover a new holiday anyway and thirdly there is a huge difference between a spring holiday and one over winter!

I’ve a holiday to Iceland mid July - balance due mid May - if it’s going we will go otherwise claim from your operator or travel insurance .

For all who are moving holiday dates forward, please also try to make sure the booking reference is the same, so it counts as a change rather than a completely new booking

I don't know if they're all the same, but my insurers suggested this so I'd still be sure of cover when moving mine from June to September

If the FCO have changed it to indefinitely can I claim (through insurance) a flight booked even if it hasn't been cancelled by the airline? Due to fly May and just waiting until I can get a refund

Donut if the FCO are still advising against travel the flight almost certainly won't be going anyway, but "indefinitely" doesn't mean forever - it simply means they don't yet know when the advice is going to change

The point about insurance is to cover for losses which can't be got back any other way, but if an airline cancels a flight it's they who are obliged to refund you and there's no obligation to accept a credit note, voucher, letter written in blood on vellum or anything else

Of course, actually getting the money out of them is something else again, which is why some have said the legal actions will no doubt be piling up after this

I'll just have to wait until they cancel the flights I think. It's Ryanair so who's knows how long it'll take to get my money back

Donut, I think you have to wait until it is cancelled. Eg our holiday company has said May is cancelled but they are not yet sure about June. We will fly in June if the foreign office says it is okay and the holiday company can take us there and lock down is over. They have also paid (for our company) we can now pay 4 weeks before not 12 weeks before so at least I am not being pressured into paying £10k (and if we cannot go in June we will not be going as it is too complicated to take the 11 of us away and I am not convinced moving it to August and paying the extra massive peak time cost would not lead to yet another cancellation anyway so I regard that as a very risky option

I really don't know what to do - rest of payment for our July holiday is due this coming week. Whilst I realise that the FCO advice could be lifted before then, do we really think that will happen, and even if it does - what if our destination country doesn't admit visitors?

PP, I don't think you should pay even though it is for July. I suspect they will not cancel for late payment at the moment. Our package co has said they do not expect payments now until a month before instead of the 12 weeks before they were insisting on at end of March, thankfully as I am certainly not handing them lots of money I might well never get back; but nor have I cancelled as I am an eternal optimist.

So I suggest not paying the balance but not cancelling and wait to see if they chase you and say you will be paying and are looking forward to going but will not pay until 1 July (or a month before) once it is confirmed you can travel to that place.

I expect it is also hard for travel companies to know too eg even if htey open in June for us will they have the staff by then and they already say on their website they are in discussions with the air line (we have a package so the travel co has to sort the flights out etc too)

Simon Calder and Martin Lewis has said you must pay otherwise you are in breach of your contract and not entitled to a refund.

@PoisoningPigeons it depends how much you have paid so far. If it’s a significant amount that you aren’t prepared to lose then perhaps you should continue paying?

I have only paid £200 so far for my August TUI holiday. I have the rest of the deposit due on Tuesday with the full balance due mid May. I’m not going to do anything at the moment, not pay anymore or cancel. I will wait for them to contact me. I’m happy to lose the £200. I actually can’t do anything at the moment anyway as I booked online and currently I can’t get in to my booking to amend, pay or cancel!

I am due to pay TUI around 4k next week for a holiday in July that any idiot can see will not go ahead.

Facebook/Twitter is full of people who have paid in full and are not getting refunds - FC are saying their finance department is not operating so they cannot actually process refunds, so there is no way I am paying that money to them. I'd rather write the deposit off than have to fight to get money back for a holiday I know is not going ahead.

@BoingBoingyBoing where did you see that they are not processing refunds?

They told me, when I called and pushed them as to why refunds are taking so long.

There are thousands of people who have not had their money back for holidays that have been cancelled.

Yes I’ve seen all the comments on their Facebook page. They haven’t actually chased me for further payment yet. My holiday is £7.5k and I’d be an idiot to give them that when people with holidays that have been and gone still haven’t had their money.

We haven't paid the balance on our holiday (due beginning of this week) and so far the travel agency hasn't contacted us to ask 🤷🏻‍♀️.

I'm so confused. We tried to pay our balance but were told we couldn't as only the shop could take our payment but apparently not paying the balance puts us in breach of terms and conditions. (I've been reading all the correct links on the TUI website)

We waited on hold for almost 2 hours to be told we couldn't pay and not to worry but have nothing in writing.

We've had to pay our balance today. it was due on the 4th April. We had no choice. Pay the balance or lose £800.

This way gives us more opportunities.

TUI have now updated that they are only issuing credit refunds now that can be swapped for a cash refund 12 months after your holiday.

Can you add a link @Rollergirl11 ? I don't understand this at all but I am off to google

www.tui.co.uk/destinations/info/coronavirus