Shall I book a holiday for August?

[Johnsonsfiat]

Thinking of booking flight and accommodation to France or Spain for family for my 50th.
Worried about Brexit effect. What could be the worst case scenario e.g. currency value etc.

Worst case scenario for the currency is that it will go down even further.
I am British, but in Italy, and book study holidays for Italians coming to the Uk, so the other way round, and they are frantically booking already for next July in case the opposite effect happens, that Brexit doesn't happen and the £ rises against the €. At the moment, and since 2016, it's been very advantageous for them.

Are you booking a package holiday or independently?

Worst case: package holiday company goes bust. ATOL protection will be affected by Brexit so might be worth checking this out.

If you are not booking an all-inclusive holiday be prepared for food and drink to feel expensive.

Going to do flights and probably Airbnb. Will try and book one with a good cancellation policy.

What on earth is the point of Brexit, apart from sovrinty back or something?

Well, the Euro is already horribly expensive, so that may or may not get worse.

I have numerous trips planned for next year. I'm not taking any brexit precautions, but am starting to feel the pinch financially. My May half term flights to Spain were very expensive - I paid more booking early for May next year, than I did for last minute ones in August this year :-/

People will still be able to go abroad.
Maybe buy some Euros now if possible?

There was one poster on here who hadn’t booked a holiday since the referendum in 2016 because they were too worried. So they’ve missed out on three years of holidays for nothing!

However, given that we could very well leave at the end of this month, do you have to book it now OP? I would wait a few months if I were you - August is ages away.

We’re going to our boat in France in a couple of weeks so will be there as the Boris deadline is crossed. I suspect it will cost us dearly because of an abysmal exchange rate. Luckily we don’t spend much when we’re there but our wine to return with is going to be less of a bargain.
I’d buy money sooner rather than later. We keep a stash on a Moneycorp card - it was topped up about two years ago with enough for a few years for us and the children’s ‘emergency abroad money’.
I’d do insurance now before costs escalated further.
Dog was sorted earlier this year so he can travel.
We’ve also made sure all our second EU. passports were current to ensure ongoing EU rights.

I wouldn't buy euros now. Euro states are buying their pounds now as it's so favourable to them.
(the transfers I talked about above- I've always kept them in Euros till the last minute for example, but right now we're getting them over into £ bank accounts asap) Unfortunately I get paid in £s for this job so living in eurozone and earning £s my salary has fallen by about a third since 2016!

I wouldn't buy euros now. Euro states are buying their pounds now as it's so favourable to them

Well - it's £1 = 1.12 Euro now

I can imagine the pound is going to be very volatile over the next few months. If you think that 1.12 is an ok rate, then I would get some. What's the worst that could happen if you do that?

You can buy in a stronger currency and then buy Euros with that. As long as you don’t exchange small amounts frequently, it’s worthwhile. We use Middle Eastern currency on one card as we travel to ME quite a lot and one child is based there quite a lot.
We have Euros on the other card, as we loaded them years ago.

what's the impact to ATOL protection of brexit? That's worrying...

Dog was sorted earlier this year so he can travel.
don't bet on it
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-49863444

ATOL
If there is a no deal Brexit then the UK would have effectively left ATOL so Brits abroad might not be eligible for help
researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8559

@ListeningQuietly I downloaded that paper and read through it and it didn't seem to me to be saying that we would leave ATOL if we Brexit because ATOL is a UK scheme anyway not an EU one. It says that those who have booked a package holiday through a UK company would be fully protected as normal, but the change is that after Brexit anyone who books a package through an EU based company who aren't specifically selling deals targeting UK residents (eg some people try to get cheaper deals by booking the package through French travel agencies etc) would no longer be covered.

Have I misinterpreted this? We have a v expensive (for us!) holiday booked for next year so I want to make sure I'm clear on this.

Hives
The UK part of ATOL is run by the CAA
but it is like many things a "reciprocal" agreement - eg the Spanish Authorities sort out Brits in Spain
and a "no deal" rips up reciprocation.
BUT
By 2020 we will know far more where we stand
so I'd be quite happy booking for next summer if I had any money

@ListeningQuietly You has me worried for a moment. He’s fine according to the listed criteria and we’re not going to ROI.

Cherry
If its no deal, you will have a problem no matter what
www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit
because of the 3 month rule

ListeningQuietly. He’s had his 3 month post vaccine blood test and is successfully inoculated. He’ll have to go to the usual vet in France but always has, for tapeworm treatment before re-entry.
My main concern is Operation Brock and a closed M20.

I have booked for August and am glad that I did amid rumours of a price hike since Thomas Cook went bust!

If you go abroad you may still be able to eat all the nice foods that will no longer be in the UK.

That for me is a good enough reason !