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Original poster

Holiday cancelled - where instead?

26 replies

ThexFallxIsxSkying · 22/07/2023 18:10

So, wildfires have cancelled our holiday :( we are due to go on Gatwick strike dates so Gatwick is a no no.

Hit me with suggestions for short haul destinations, pref all inclusive, from other London airports besides Gatwick. For a family with two very active older children. Want hot but ideally bearable!

I'm feeling ridiculously stressed and sad about this- but of course no way near as stressed and sad as the poor people there right now caught up in those awful fires! Dreadful.

OP posts:
Fivemoreminutes1 · 22/07/2023 18:16

Club Med Opio Provence

cherryassam · 22/07/2023 18:34

Club La Santa Lanzarote

TheChosenTwo · 22/07/2023 18:37

Nooooo 😭
Obviously as you said it’s far worse for those who are living there and enduring this but that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to be very disappointed too!
I hope you manage to sort something out short term, we booked our flights for the end of summer very recently and although we had most accommodation booked we wanted a couple of extra nights so found what we were looking for on Booking.com, flights on sky scanner. Everything was really reasonable, the costly thing was adding baggage (honestly came to about half the price of our flights for 5 people!) so if you’re looking to keep costs down perhaps a package might be best although I didn’t look for those so prices may be sky high. Good luck 💐

Original poster
ThexFallxIsxSkying · 22/07/2023 18:45

TheChosenTwo · 22/07/2023 18:37

Nooooo 😭
Obviously as you said it’s far worse for those who are living there and enduring this but that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to be very disappointed too!
I hope you manage to sort something out short term, we booked our flights for the end of summer very recently and although we had most accommodation booked we wanted a couple of extra nights so found what we were looking for on Booking.com, flights on sky scanner. Everything was really reasonable, the costly thing was adding baggage (honestly came to about half the price of our flights for 5 people!) so if you’re looking to keep costs down perhaps a package might be best although I didn’t look for those so prices may be sky high. Good luck 💐

Thank you so much for being so kind. I really do feel gutted at the moment although I know its just nothing compared to what the people actually dealing with it are going through. It took so long to research and choose that holiday. And we're a bit tied to the holiday provider we booked through (british airways) as I'm not sure we'll get our money back unless we just switch to another package with them but I'm really struggling to find many options from Heathrow which aren't also to locations suffering from wildfires at the moment. The climate's gone crazy.

OP posts:
JinxMonsoon · 22/07/2023 18:53

Sorry to hear OP 😢 We just got back from Greece, where there are now wildfires reported, it was hot but not an inferno portrayed by British media.

How about Madeira? We have been 3 times now, with BA and had plenty to do, with pleasant temperatures. Not sure what the accommodation availability will be like just now though.

Barbadosgirl · 22/07/2023 18:55

Oh no! Where were you meant to be going? Have they given you an immediate refund so you can pay for the new one? I am bricking it as am meant to be flying to Rhodes on Weds where the wildfires are spreading. I am already thinking in advance about alternatives but would need the money paid back to re book

Roselilly36 · 22/07/2023 18:56

Canary Islands flying from Stansted? Search Jet2 or Tui. Expect for the holiday to be more expensive though, what with the Gatwick strikes, and appalling U.K. summer, I think many might have the same idea.

User894532765 · 22/07/2023 18:57

Yes, Madeira is a good shout or Gran Caneria

Original poster
ThexFallxIsxSkying · 22/07/2023 21:48

What's Madeira like in terms of culture / things to see? And weather...it doesn't seem much warmer or drier than UK?

OP posts:
BlackLambAndGreyFalcon · 22/07/2023 21:51

Noooooo... who were you flying with OP and how were you notified?? (I have an Easyjet flight booking out of Gatwick on one of the strike days and am currently on tenterhooks!) How awful for you!

littlemisslozza · 22/07/2023 21:52

We've just got back from Corfu and it was 35/36 each day. Pretty much what we'd expected. Quite a bit north of where wildfires are so not experiencing the same problems.

Sunsnowsun · 22/07/2023 22:42

What about a holiday in the French Alps, it’s beautiful and tons to do.
we stayed at Chalet Rosa in Chinalion, Le Grand Bornand with Aravis Holidays.

It is currently mid 20s in the day but cool at night.
Loads to do from swimming in Lake Annecy to mountain biking.
www.Aravis international-location.com

WeAreTheHeroes · 22/07/2023 22:47

Madeira is beautiful. Lush, tropical and plenty to do whatever the weather. The only thing it doesn't really have is sandy beaches. If the weather is bad (windy, etc) you can't land at Funchal and might be diverted to the Canaries instead. Madeira is much more beautiful than the volcanic Canaries.

We went a couple of years ago because it was on the UK government's Covid green list and enjoyed it more than we expected.

Original poster
ThexFallxIsxSkying · 22/07/2023 22:55

WeAreTheHeroes · 22/07/2023 22:47

Madeira is beautiful. Lush, tropical and plenty to do whatever the weather. The only thing it doesn't really have is sandy beaches. If the weather is bad (windy, etc) you can't land at Funchal and might be diverted to the Canaries instead. Madeira is much more beautiful than the volcanic Canaries.

We went a couple of years ago because it was on the UK government's Covid green list and enjoyed it more than we expected.

If you get diverted, how do you end up in Madeira? I'm a bad flyer so wouldn't fancy getting off and back on again!

OP posts:
WeAreTheHeroes · 22/07/2023 23:03

They fly you there once the bad weather has passed. Funchal has a short runway next to the sea so it's tricky to land at. Our landing there was uneventful.

YouveGotAFastCar · 22/07/2023 23:03

JinxMonsoon · 22/07/2023 18:53

Sorry to hear OP 😢 We just got back from Greece, where there are now wildfires reported, it was hot but not an inferno portrayed by British media.

How about Madeira? We have been 3 times now, with BA and had plenty to do, with pleasant temperatures. Not sure what the accommodation availability will be like just now though.

You know hotels have burned down today?

SquishyGloopyBum · 22/07/2023 23:23

Just to say if BA have cancelled your holiday you are entitled to a full refund. Don't let them fob you off with a voucher....

BarbaraofSeville · 22/07/2023 23:25

I think I'd look at the Canaries if you want AI and it will probably just decently warm not stupidly hot.

If your holiday was cancelled, won't your travel insurance pay out? Also if you paid even a deposit on a credit card, this is another option to get your money back, including if your new holiday cost more - we got the extra cost of new flights from our credit card when Monarch went bust 2 days before we were due to fly and we had to pay £££s for flights with another airline to save our holiday.

Roselilly36 · 23/07/2023 05:51

It will be down to the travel company to issue a refund, travel insurance protects the the policy holders should they need to cancel, not the company they have booked with. They will also be additional protection by credit card company, if paid by cc. Or ATOL protection should the holiday firm go bust. Take the refund, do not accept a voucher, as others have said.

User894532765 · 23/07/2023 05:57

I enjoyed Madeira but we did get delayed going home as it was windy, it's quite common I think. Your best bet would probably be the Canaries, We liked Gran Canaria best out of them.

Barbadosgirl · 23/07/2023 06:07

YouveGotAFastCar · 22/07/2023 23:03

You know hotels have burned down today?

Show quote history

I have not seen any hotels burnt down in the news. Just that some homes and hotels were under threat. Where have you seen it reported hotels burnt down?

Matilda762 · 23/07/2023 07:34

ThexFallxIsxSkying · 22/07/2023 21:48

What's Madeira like in terms of culture / things to see? And weather...it doesn't seem much warmer or drier than UK?

We went to Madeira recently and I didn’t think it was the destination for children; there are some nice walks if they like walking,

What about Slovenia, Croatia, ?

Theredjellybean · 23/07/2023 07:38

If you like AI and have active kids try Neilson holidays.while not completely AI it's mostly and the sports and activities for children are brilliant.
They have locations in Croatia, Sardinia,Spain as well as greece

Brk · 23/07/2023 08:09

Heathrow has flights to Larnaca in Cyprus… They have waterparks and watersports etc

Lilacshade · 23/07/2023 15:50

Costa Adeje Tenerife was very popular with my family when I took 3 DC aged 18/19/20.
The water park is fantastic, water sports on beach, lots of good hotels. It's never as scalding hot as Greece.

If you fancy Cyprus we stayed at the Olympic Laggon Nissi beach near Larnaca. Five minutes from a water park and has it's own lazy river and a few restaurants.