Holiday/flight cancellations and refunds ( title updated )

[graygo]

Norway reinstated quarantine if coming from Spain today as well.

 

I'm now in the position where the stars have aligned and I'm now able to travel to Poland on the 4th August. Flights have been booked since January, we cancelled the hotel thinking there was no chance but the council have arranged care for our foster kids so now have a decision to make.

Edited July 25, 2020 by graygo

[Shanks said no]

25 minutes ago, graygo said:

Norway reinstated quarantine if coming from Spain today as well.

 

I'm now in the position where the stars have aligned and I'm now able to travel to Poland on the 4th August. Flights have been booked since January, we cancelled the hotel thinking there was no chance but the council have arranged care for our foster kids so now have a decision to make.

 

Will be interested to see what you do. I took a knee jerk reaction when holiday 4 was cancelled and booked to go to Greece in September. Now that I have seen what I need to do to travel and the entry forms, even I am having 2nd thoughts. 

 

As usual I hadn't quite thought it through, all it needs is one person on your plane to test positive and the authorities could come knocking.

 

 

[davemclaren]

34 minutes ago, graygo said:

Norway reinstated quarantine if coming from Spain today as well.

 

I'm now in the position where the stars have aligned and I'm now able to travel to Poland on the 4th August. Flights have been booked since January, we cancelled the hotel thinking there was no chance but the council have arranged care for our foster kids so now have a decision to make.

All foreign travel is risky at the moment. 

[Helzibob]

My friend was supposed to be visiting from Washington state this week coming. Her flights got cancelled weeks ago but she got an email today to tell her to get packed for her trip to Edinburgh. You’d think they’d turn off the auto emails. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Jambo-Jimbo]

36 minutes ago, graygo said:

Norway reinstated quarantine if coming from Spain today as well.

 

I'm now in the position where the stars have aligned and I'm now able to travel to Poland on the 4th August. Flights have been booked since January, we cancelled the hotel thinking there was no chance but the council have arranged care for our foster kids so now have a decision to make.

 

I wrote on here or the Covid thread the other day that France was seriously considering closing the border with Spain, such was their concern about the rise in cases in Spain.

[The Real Maroonblood]

3 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

All foreign travel is risky at the moment. 

Exactly.

People still booking then having a tantrum when quarantine is imposed.
The pandemic thread is a prime example.

[graygo]

25 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

 

Will be interested to see what you do. I took a knee jerk reaction when holiday 4 was cancelled and booked to go to Greece in September. Now that I have seen what I need to do to travel and the entry forms, even I am having 2nd thoughts. 

 

As usual I hadn't quite thought it through, all it needs is one person on your plane to test positive and the authorities could come knocking.

 

 

 

Whatever we decide it will probably be left to the last possible moment. Wife's not to bothered about the quarantine thing as we're pretty much never out anyway. 😮

[hughesie27]

Just got booked up for a week in Turkey in September. Fortunately my Insurance covers any covid issues with it too.

[luckydug]

2 hours ago, graygo said:

 

Whatever we decide it will probably be left to the last possible moment. Wife's not to bothered about the quarantine thing as we're pretty much never out anyway. 😮

Thought you said you had foster kids ? 

Would they not have to stay in care if you and your wife are quarantined ? 

[graygo]

11 minutes ago, luckydug said:

Thought you said you had foster kids ? 

Would they not have to stay in care if you and your wife are quarantined ? 

 

Good question and it was a concern so I looked into it.

 

Not unless we showed symptoms or tested positive. In which case they would have to anyway.

 

Edit: Not stay in care but they would need to self isolate with us if we were tested positive.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2020 by graygo

[davemclaren]

1 hour ago, hughesie27 said:

Just got booked up for a week in Turkey in September. Fortunately my Insurance covers any covid issues with it too.

You’ll only really find that out if and when you claim. 

[hughesie27]

5 hours ago, davemclaren said:

You’ll only really find that out if and when you claim. 

Hopefully it won't come to that but this seems pretty clean cut.

 

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/coronavirus/flexplus-cover-covid-19

[davemclaren]

3 hours ago, hughesie27 said:

Hopefully it won't come to that but this seems pretty clean cut.

 

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/support/coronavirus/flexplus-cover-covid-19

Will they cover you if the flight goes due to no FO advice against travel but you are just required to quarantine on arrival and/or return?

[hughesie27]

11 minutes ago, davemclaren said:

Will they cover you if the flight goes due to no FO advice against travel but you are just required to quarantine on arrival and/or return?

Nah it won't cover for that. However in that instance with regards to Turkey it is likely that the FCO would be advising against all but essential travel to that area anyway which would then be covered.

 

Risk is what happens if they make the changes whilst you are over there I suppose, as has happened with thousands in Spain just now. Again though, you are covered if the FCO advise against travel to an area whilst you are there and need to return early or are stranded.

Edited July 26, 2020 by hughesie27

[davemclaren]

18 minutes ago, hughesie27 said:

Nah it won't cover for that. However in that instance with regards to Turkey it is likely that the FCO would be advising against all but essential travel to that area anyway which would then be covered.

 

Risk is what happens if they make the changes whilst you are over there I suppose, as has happened with thousands in Spain just now. Again though, you are covered if the FCO advise against travel to an area whilst you are there and need to return early or are stranded.

👍

[frankblack]

I honestly don't see the point in booking an overseas trip this year.

 

Wherever you go to will be in varying degrees of lockdown and self isolation.  Everything will have restrictions like here or worse with the added gamble of 14 days quarantined potentially at either or both ends.

 

Holidays are supposed to be about releasing the stress from your everyday life and recharging the batteries.  I fail to see how taking a gamble abroad will do that.

 

If you must go somewhere, take a local holiday and spend that cash on better facilities.

[Governor Tarkin]

3 minutes ago, frankblack said:

I honestly don't see the point in booking an overseas trip this year.

 

Wherever you go to will be in varying degrees of lockdown and self isolation.  Everything will have restrictions like here or worse with the added gamble of 14 days quarantined potentially at either or both ends.

 

Holidays are supposed to be about releasing the stress from your everyday life and recharging the batteries.  I fail to see how taking a gamble abroad will do that.

 

If you must go somewhere, take a local holiday and spend that cash on better facilities.

 

 

 

[davemclaren]

18 minutes ago, frankblack said:

I honestly don't see the point in booking an overseas trip this year.

 

Wherever you go to will be in varying degrees of lockdown and self isolation.  Everything will have restrictions like here or worse with the added gamble of 14 days quarantined potentially at either or both ends.

 

Holidays are supposed to be about releasing the stress from your everyday life and recharging the batteries.  I fail to see how taking a gamble abroad will do that.

 

If you must go somewhere, take a local holiday and spend that cash on better facilities.

I tend to agree. We normally go abroad three or four times a year since we retired and we really enjoy the travel, better weather and sitting outside eating and drinking. Can’t see us taking the risk this year though. 

[Helzibob]

2 hours ago, frankblack said:

I honestly don't see the point in booking an overseas trip this year.

 

Wherever you go to will be in varying degrees of lockdown and self isolation.  Everything will have restrictions like here or worse with the added gamble of 14 days quarantined potentially at either or both ends.

 

Holidays are supposed to be about releasing the stress from your everyday life and recharging the batteries.  I fail to see how taking a gamble abroad will do that.

 

If you must go somewhere, take a local holiday and spend that cash on better facilities.

This is my thinking too. Booked a cottage in Perthshire for Sept and paid more than I usually would for a uk break to get a good quality one. 

[The Real Maroonblood]

3 hours ago, frankblack said:

I honestly don't see the point in booking an overseas trip this year.

 

Wherever you go to will be in varying degrees of lockdown and self isolation.  Everything will have restrictions like here or worse with the added gamble of 14 days quarantined potentially at either or both ends.

 

Holidays are supposed to be about releasing the stress from your everyday life and recharging the batteries.  I fail to see how taking a gamble abroad will do that.

 

If you must go somewhere, take a local holiday and spend that cash on better facilities.

👍

[Jambo-Jimbo]

3 hours ago, frankblack said:

I honestly don't see the point in booking an overseas trip this year.

 

Wherever you go to will be in varying degrees of lockdown and self isolation.  Everything will have restrictions like here or worse with the added gamble of 14 days quarantined potentially at either or both ends.

 

Holidays are supposed to be about releasing the stress from your everyday life and recharging the batteries.  I fail to see how taking a gamble abroad will do that.

 

If you must go somewhere, take a local holiday and spend that cash on better facilities.

 

Agree with all of that.

 

We tend to go away 2 or 3 times a year including city breaks, but not this year, and no plans whatsoever for next year at the moment either, we'll just be patient, wait and see what transpires.

[Dazo]

FCO added Balearics and Canaries to essential travel only. May yet get a refunded via insurance. 

[Jambo 4 Ever]

No sympathy for those who booked to go to spain

 

the advice was always to not travel and stay in Scotland 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Natural Orders said:

No sympathy for those who booked to go to spain

 

the advice was always to not travel and stay in Scotland 

 

What about if you live in England, they were told it was safe to travel to Spain and accordingly have done so, and whilst there might be a few Scots there at present, by far and away the vast majority of Brits over in Spain right now are from England.

[NANOJAMBO]

42 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

What about if you live in England, they were told it was safe to travel to Spain and accordingly have done so, and whilst there might be a few Scots there at present, by far and away the vast majority of Brits over in Spain right now are from England.

My lad's mate had to take up his holiday (booked last year) because the tour company said "no" to a refund because the govt was allowing flights. He was in Spain 2 hours when the changes were announced and has since said that many bars  (not sure where he is exactly) are closing 10.00/11.00, many restaurants are closed and there are no facilities open at his hotel (pool, bar). And when he gets home he will have no wages for 2 weeks. 

Meanwhile ITV news was banging on about peoples holidays being thrown into chaos (while 120 are dying every day)  and then had an interview with a travel agent who said "if you're prepared to take the risk , go for it !". 

Edited July 27, 2020 by NANOJAMBO

[Samuel Camazzola]

2 hours ago, Natural Orders said:

No sympathy for those who booked to go to spain

 

the advice was always to not travel and stay in Scotland 

You do realise folk would have been booked up pre COVID and wouldn't have been in a position to give up their trips for a refund? 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

33 minutes ago, NANOJAMBO said:

My lad's mate had to take up his holiday (booked last year) because the tour company said "no" to a refund because the govt was allowing flights. He was in Spain 2 hours when the changes were announced and has since said that many bars  (not sure where he is exactly) are closing 10.00/11.00, many restaurants are closed and there are no facilities open at his hotel (pool, bar). And when he gets home he will have no wages for 2 weeks. 

Meanwhile ITV news was banging on about peoples holidays being thrown into chaos (while 120 are dying every day)  and then had an interview with a travel agent who said "if you're prepared to take the risk , go for it !". 

 

Yip, there is going to be thousands of people caught up in this, through no fault of their own, who had a holiday booked months ago but now have no choice but to go or they lose their money.  At the start of this all the travel experts advised people to pay their balance and many thousands did and later regretted it, as they then hoped that their holiday was cancelled or either they'd have to go or lose their money. 

 

I booked up last October for Lanzarote this July, this could have easily have happened to me, if I had paid my outstanding balance, and if things had been better at the start of this month.

 

But some people seem to think that everyone has rushed out in the last 2 or 3 weeks to book a holiday to Spain, when the truth is most will have been booked many months ago.

 

Edited July 27, 2020 by Jambo-Jimbo

[Homme]

49 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

You do realise folk would have been booked up pre COVID and wouldn't have been in a position to give up their trips for a refund? 

 

How does that happen that you can't be in a position to give up a holiday? Is someone making them go on holiday to one of the worst hit COVID countries in the world? 

[Homme]

And similarly, surely if your going to lose your money if you don't go on holiday, you could stay at home and spend / lose even less? And put it down to bad luck. 

[Jambo 4 Ever]

2 hours ago, Homme said:

 

How does that happen that you can't be in a position to give up a holiday? Is someone making them go on holiday to one of the worst hit COVID countries in the world? 

This 

[OBE]

8 hours ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

Yip, there is going to be thousands of people caught up in this, through no fault of their own, who had a holiday booked months ago but now have no choice but to go or they lose their money.  At the start of this all the travel experts advised people to pay their balance and many thousands did and later regretted it, as they then hoped that their holiday was cancelled or either they'd have to go or lose their money. 

 

I booked up last October for Lanzarote this July, this could have easily have happened to me, if I had paid my outstanding balance, and if things had been better at the start of this month.

 

But some people seem to think that everyone has rushed out in the last 2 or 3 weeks to book a holiday to Spain, when the truth is most will have been booked many months ago.

 

 

Same, same. Booked in October 2019 for July 29th 2021. Ryanair still sitting on refund, Nexus Leisure (accommodation) offered unusable voucher. Recently opened an insurance claim for the later. Halifax/Lloyds/AXA Insurance stated claim will be considered within 30 days, 30 working days more like, so 6 weeks.

[Dazo]

8 hours ago, Homme said:

 

How does that happen that you can't be in a position to give up a holiday? Is someone making them go on holiday to one of the worst hit COVID countries in the world? 

 

23 minutes ago, OBE said:

 

Same, same. Booked in October 2019 for July 29th 2021. Ryanair still sitting on refund, Nexus Leisure (accommodation) offered unusable voucher. Recently opened an insurance claim for the later. Halifax/Lloyds/AXA Insurance stated claim will be considered within 30 days, 30 working days more like, so 6 weeks.

Yep I’m in both of these situations. Due to go to Fuerteventura in the next couple of weeks which was booked long before Covid but deciding not to go. Ryanair pretty much the only airline not cancelling flights so was resigned to £700 in fees to change but may now have the chance of an insurance claim due change in FCO advice. Now got the dilemma of waiting on insurance or changing flights. 🙄

[Ray Gin]

Fly off somewhere during a global pandemic and you have to accept the risk that you may be forced to quarantine on either arrival or return. 

 

Spikes are still popping up all over the world. 

[Ray Gin]

8 hours ago, Homme said:

 

How does that happen that you can't be in a position to give up a holiday? Is someone making them go on holiday to one of the worst hit COVID countries in the world? 

 

This. 

[Homme]

'No choice but to go on holiday' is one of the daftest things I've heard

[OBE]

1 hour ago, OBE said:

 

Same, same. Booked in October 2019 for July 29th 2021. Ryanair still sitting on refund, Nexus Leisure (accommodation) offered unusable voucher. Recently opened an insurance claim for the later. Halifax/Lloyds/AXA Insurance stated claim will be considered within 30 days, 30 working days more like, so 6 weeks.

 

July 29th 2021.......2020

[Jambo-Jimbo]

22 minutes ago, Homme said:

'No choice but to go on holiday' is one of the daftest things I've heard

 

'or lose their money', which is the other part you've missed out.

 

If you've paid your holiday months ago, then it's either go on holiday or lose your money, and many people will find themselves in that very position.

 

A lot of people listened to the 'travel experts' on TV & Radio who said to pay your holiday balance because the worst that could happen was for the holiday to get cancelled and you'd get your money back and if the holiday went ahead go and have a wonderful time they all said, and many people did just that and paid their balance off back in April, but by doing so now face a real dilemma because nobody said or thought anything about quarantines or restrictions or xyz, and now they have a simple choice of either going on holiday or most likely lose their money.

[Dazo]

48 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

'or lose their money', which is the other part you've missed out.

 

If you've paid your holiday months ago, then it's either go on holiday or lose your money, and many people will find themselves in that very position.

 

A lot of people listened to the 'travel experts' on TV & Radio who said to pay your holiday balance because the worst that could happen was for the holiday to get cancelled and you'd get your money back and if the holiday went ahead go and have a wonderful time they all said, and many people did just that and paid their balance off back in April, but by doing so now face a real dilemma because nobody said or thought anything about quarantines or restrictions or xyz, and now they have a simple choice of either going on holiday or most likely lose their money.

That’s Just not true we have been told throughout this that the advice can/will change depending on the numbers. People have chosen to put the holiday before any thing else, that’s fine it’s a personal choice but ffs don’t mean or expect the government to wipe your arse when it goes wrong. They had a choice, mines is safety and family before money. 

[Samuel Camazzola]

10 hours ago, Homme said:

 

How does that happen that you can't be in a position to give up a holiday? Is someone making them go on holiday to one of the worst hit COVID countries in the world? 

The customer will get a refund NOW as FCO guidance has changed. If someone had booked pre COVID to go last week, they'd have lost their money if they had decided to pull out (and didn't have a medical reason which an insurance policy may have covered). 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

20 minutes ago, Dazo said:

That’s Just not true we have been told throughout this that the advice can/will change depending on the numbers. People have chosen to put the holiday before any thing else, that’s fine it’s a personal choice but ffs don’t mean or expect the government to wipe your arse when it goes wrong. They had a choice, mines is safety and family before money. 

 

As did I, which was why we cancelled.

 

I'm really struggiling to put into words what I mean, but that's ok folks have a go at me, laugh at me, I'm out.

[Dazo]

2 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

As did I, which was why we cancelled.

 

I'm really struggiling to put into words what I mean, but that's ok folks have a go at me, laugh at me, I'm out.

I think it’s the implication people had no choice and the anger at the FCO advice changing. Did anyone think the FCO advice wasn’t going to change from time to time, country to country ? Don’t go on holiday if you aren’t prepared for what can happen. 
 

I would imagine a lot of people currently in Spain From Scotland could have claimed on their insurance leading up to their holiday. 

[graygo]

Just now, Dazo said:

I think it’s the implication people had no choice and the anger at the FCO advice changing. Did anyone think the FCO advice wasn’t going to change from time to time, country to country ? Don’t go on holiday if you aren’t prepared for what can happen. 
 

I would imagine a lot of people currently in Spain From Scotland could have claimed on their insurance leading up to their holiday. 

 

Why would you imagine that? No insurance company will pay out if there is no advice from the FCO not to travel unless absolutely necessary. 

[Dazo]

Just now, graygo said:

 

Why would you imagine that? No insurance company will pay out if there is no advice from the FCO not to travel unless absolutely necessary. 

Because that advice from Scotland only changed recently. So the weeks before their holiday would have been the time to claim. Clearly as soon as that advice changed they couldn’t. 

[graygo]

14 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Because that advice from Scotland only changed recently. So the weeks before their holiday would have been the time to claim. Clearly as soon as that advice changed they couldn’t. 

 

The advice was always not to cancel your booking, it was to let the travel company do it. That way you are covered.

I don't blame anyone who has gone on holiday if it's not been cancelled by the provider and the FCO say that it's ok to travel. Obviously if the possibility of having to self isolate is an issue for you then don't go but for some that's not a huge problem.

I might be going away next week unless things change for my destination.😁

[Jambo 4 Ever]

On 25/07/2020 at 23:33, hughesie27 said:

Just got booked up for a week in Turkey in September. Fortunately my Insurance covers any covid issues with it too.

Why not holiday in Scotland instead?

[Samuel Camazzola]

6 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

The advice was always not to cancel your booking, it was to let the travel company do it. That way you are covered.

I don't blame anyone who has gone on holiday if it's not been cancelled by the provider and the FCO say that it's ok to travel. Obviously if the possibility of having to self isolate is an issue for you then don't go but for some that's not a huge problem.

I might be going away next week unless things change for my destination.😁

Hopefully you get away and enjoy it. From what some have said about getting away in the last few weeks, they had a great time and they weren't inconveniences at all. 

 

The decision taken regarding the Balearics and Canaries is a nonsense. Their respective rates of infection are lower than ours! 

[Samuel Camazzola]

9 minutes ago, Natural Orders said:

Why not holiday in Scotland instead?

Because the weather in Scotland is shite 90% of the time and folk want to get away to different surroundings and cultures. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

32 minutes ago, Dazo said:

I think it’s the implication people had no choice and the anger at the FCO advice changing. Did anyone think the FCO advice wasn’t going to change from time to time, country to country ? Don’t go on holiday if you aren’t prepared for what can happen. 
 

I would imagine a lot of people currently in Spain From Scotland could have claimed on their insurance leading up to their holiday. 

 

Which in hindsight was the wrong words to use, as what I should have said and was what I actually was meaning was being faced either with the choice of going on holiday or losing their money, but sometimes I struggle to put down on paper what I actually mean, so that is my fault that I chose the wrong words.

 

I'm not going to condem anybody who is going on holiday, that is their choice, but don't moan when or if it all goes pear shaped and anybody who does go abroad has to accept the risk in the current climate that it could very well go pear shaped.

 

What I was meaning and would have helped if I'd choosen the right words was this.

That most of those holidays were booked last year and from the very start people were advised not to cancel but pay their holiday in full and wait on the holiday company cancelling the holiday and if it wasn't cancelled go away and have a great time.  Many people did just that, and now they have a choice of either going on holiday or cancelling it and probably losing their money.

 

[frankblack]

4 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

Because the weather in Scotland is shite 90% of the time and folk want to get away to different surroundings and cultures. 

 

Lets be honest its not the best option in the middle of a pandemic.

[Samuel Camazzola]

15 minutes ago, frankblack said:

 

Lets be honest its not the best option in the middle of a pandemic.

Based on what can be seen and reported regarding various 'hotpots' throughout the UK, I'd rather fly away somewhere.