Cancelling holiday.........

[london11]

Last year we booked a holiday abroad for May 09. We stupidly didn't rush to buy holiday insurance and also stupidly paid the whole lot at booking using a debit card (I know!) as we had the money at the time.

A few weeks later we discovered I am pregnant and another few weeks later that we are having twins. So.....Thompson wont let me fly as I would be in my 33rd week for the return flight, Dr wouldn't write a letter for me even if I could fly and I can't get any kind of insurance to cover me for the trip anyway.

Having spoken to the companies we booked flight and hotel through we cannot get any money back if we cancel and can't change the holiday to one earlier or later. No insurance to claim through and as we paid with a debit card we have no come back there either.
We have the holiday advertised for sale but no luck yet.

Am I missing something? Is there anything else I could try or any rights I have? A massive long shot I know but we are getting desperate now and kicking myself for stupidity when booking

Thanks in advance.

You've left it a bit late! Sometimes the travel agents can 'sell' the tickets on. Have you tried your household insurance company?

do you have any travel insurance free with any bank account?

and which companies won't let you amend dates - many flight dates can be changed for a charge. Name and Shame!

Presumably you are now within that last period where you forfeit all costs if you cancel. I doubt you have any rights as such under hte ta nd c's you agreed to at the time of booking. Sorry. I suspect even if you did have insurance you'd have been expected to deal with this sooner to mitigate costs.

Your best bet is to continue to ask to change the booking but you would probably be charged a fee and any price differential to do so , likely to be ££ as £ will have dropped so much since you booked.

We have been trying all sorts since the booking, not just trying now! This was just a last resort 'help, maybe i've missed something'.

Booked through independant companies on the internet so no travel agent.

No travel insurance with bank accounts - we have looked into that.

Appreciate the answers, I know it is all wishful thinking, just gutted at lack of foresight and losing money

give more details about where and when and you might be able to sell it on here!!

If you booked separately you may still be able to cancel or change the flights

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You can normally change your holiday within 10 weeks of travel (we just have), Im guessing that yours is now outside this time.

If you booked last year, surely you knew straight away that you wouldnt be able to travel in May so why didnt you change it, similarly why not get insurance sooner (not that it would have covered you for pregnancy anyway I doubt).

I would ask them again, that given the circumstances would they consider changing your holiday to something earlier/later, they will want an admin fee (per person).

If they wont then sorry but youy had plenty of time to sort it, sorry to sound harsh but I used to work in travel and the stupidness of some people used to bowl me over!

sorry meant that if you found out you were pregnant last year surely you know you wouldnt travel

Once we knew it was twins (22nd dec) we got in touch......they wont let us change the holiday. It is already booked for the very first day the company fly out to this particular place and they are not letting us transfer to a different holiday at a different time. I am happy to pay an admin fee.

As I said, my fault for not sorting out insurance quicker, I have not denied my stupidity.

I am trying everything to 'sort it' and have been since I knew I wouldn't be able to fly.

Thank you for the help anyway, DP and DS are probably going to go without me.....someone might as well have a nice holiday before the babies

I would suggest writing to the chairman of the company about this - worth a shot. Worth bearing in mind though that holiday insurance would be unlikely to protect you against this.

It might be worth dropping an email to your local Trading Standards office to see if they can advise you...

Might be an idea to try advertising it at your local school or nursery?

where is it to and how much were you selling it for?

sorry to read about your problems. No advice but wanted to say congratulations on your twins

Here's what I would do:

Write them a letter saying you were so looking forward to the holiday as a break. Explain the circumstances of how you had money at the time, and in the financial crisis, wanted to secure the holiday. Be honest that you didn't know you were pregnant and while welcome news, that you cannot take the holiday as you cannot fly.

Ask them if they would be willing for you to change dates and that you would be so grateful if you could do this...

(mumoverseas - did you have your baby?)

Let me get this right- You have booked NOT a package holiday, but various travel elements for your holiday (ie accom, flight etc- all seperate)?

Is that right?

What exactly does it say in the booking conditions? Normally, you would forfeit the deposit if you cancelled and then a sliding scale of cancellation charges begin usually 6 - 8 weeks prior to the departure date. Changes are normally allowed for an administration charge, although sometimes that also changes with 6-8 weeks of departure. It is irrelevant as far as cancellation charges go that you paid the full amount at the time of booking, the booking conditions would still stand.

Ah yes, missed that post. Flights are often non changable/refundable. Are you sure the accommodation is non refundable?