Holiday/flight cancellations and refunds ( title updated )

[Dazo]

4 minutes ago, graygo said:

Looks like a decent result to me.

Yep, FCO to thank. 

[Shanks said no]

On 01/09/2020 at 20:14, Samuel Camazzola said:

BBC News - Coronavirus: Quarantine restrictions for travellers from Greece
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-53992742

 

Unless the FCO guidance for Greece changes this week, I can see the Scottish Government's decision creating issues with several travellers insurance policies. 

Well I bit the bullet and cancelled my Greek hotel at the weekend. As I was due there in 3 weeks time they could have hit me with a 50% cancellation fee, about £600 but have waived it. I love Greece and the Greeks.

 

Personal circumstances mean we cannot Self isolate for 14 days. 

Still have to cancel easyJet flights, they have offered to shift the dates but I have already booked and paid for 3 foreign holidays next year and Mrs F can’t get anymore time off in 2021. (Money came from losing 4 holidays this year). 
 

question? 
How easy is it to shift flights with easyJet under normal circumstances? I may book flights to Crete in 2021 with the intention of moving them to 2022 when the timetables are released. 

 

 

[Samuel Camazzola]

2 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Well I bit the bullet and cancelled my Greek hotel at the weekend. As I was due there in 3 weeks time they could have hit me with a 50% cancellation fee, about £600 but have waived it. I love Greece and the Greeks.

 

Personal circumstances mean we cannot Self isolate for 14 days. 

Still have to cancel easyJet flights, they have offered to shift the dates but I have already booked and paid for 3 foreign holidays next year and Mrs F can’t get anymore time off in 2021. (Money came from losing 4 holidays this year). 
 

question? 
How easy is it to shift flights with easyJet under normal circumstances? I may book flights to Crete in 2021 with the intention of moving them to 2022 when the timetables are released. 

 

 

Would they potentially provide you with a credit note if you ask? I don't know if that would only come with a 12 month validity though. 

[Shanks said no]

3 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

Would they potentially provide you with a credit note if you ask? I don't know if that would only come with a 12 month validity though. 

extract from easyJet email

 

 

he Scottish Government has recently changed quarantine requirements for passengers arriving in Scotland from Greece. We plan to operate our full flying programme in the coming days. However due to the recent changes, we understand that customers may wish to change their travel plans at this time and wanted to update you on the options available to you: -

If you have a flight to one of these countries within 14 days you can now transfer your flight to an alternative easyJet flight without a change fee by contacting our customer services team here. Any requests must be made by 16:00 on Thursday 10thSeptember.

If your flight with us is more than 14 days away our normal terms and conditions apply and you will be able to transfer your flight to an alternative easyJet flight without a change fee, online through Manage Bookings on our website or through the mobile app. You can make these changes directly and do not need to contact our Customer Services Team.

Please note in both cases, if the new fare is higher, you’ll be asked to pay the fare difference only.

Flights are available to book up to and including 30 September 2021, giving you plenty of opportunities to fly with us at a later date. Rest assured, should any flights be cancelled, you will be notified directly via email and will be informed of your options, which include transferring to an alternative flight free of charge, receiving a voucher for the value of the booking or applying for a refund via a webform on our dedicated Covid Help Hub at easyJet.com

We hope this gives you a little more information so you can consider your travel plans.

Yours sincerely

easyJet Customer Services

 

 

 

 

the booking was made off the back of an earlier easyJet credit note for flights they cancelled to Athens, schoolboy error, I should have taken the cash refund. Means my booking isn’t a normal one showing on my easyJet account, you can only manage it via a booking reference. 

[Samuel Camazzola]

11 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

extract from easyJet email

 

 

he Scottish Government has recently changed quarantine requirements for passengers arriving in Scotland from Greece. We plan to operate our full flying programme in the coming days. However due to the recent changes, we understand that customers may wish to change their travel plans at this time and wanted to update you on the options available to you: -

If you have a flight to one of these countries within 14 days you can now transfer your flight to an alternative easyJet flight without a change fee by contacting our customer services team here. Any requests must be made by 16:00 on Thursday 10thSeptember.

If your flight with us is more than 14 days away our normal terms and conditions apply and you will be able to transfer your flight to an alternative easyJet flight without a change fee, online through Manage Bookings on our website or through the mobile app. You can make these changes directly and do not need to contact our Customer Services Team.

Please note in both cases, if the new fare is higher, you’ll be asked to pay the fare difference only.

Flights are available to book up to and including 30 September 2021, giving you plenty of opportunities to fly with us at a later date. Rest assured, should any flights be cancelled, you will be notified directly via email and will be informed of your options, which include transferring to an alternative flight free of charge, receiving a voucher for the value of the booking or applying for a refund via a webform on our dedicated Covid Help Hub at easyJet.com

We hope this gives you a little more information so you can consider your travel plans.

Yours sincerely

easyJet Customer Services

 

 

 

 

the booking was made off the back of an earlier easyJet credit note for flights they cancelled to Athens, schoolboy error, I should have taken the cash refund. Means my booking isn’t a normal one showing on my easyJet account, you can only manage it via a booking reference. 

Seems like best approach is to wait until your departure falls into the 14 day window and seeing what the situation is like from there. 

 

[Shanks said no]

3 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

Seems like best approach is to wait until your departure falls into the 14 day window and seeing what the situation is like from there. 

 

That’s the plan but if Scottish Government lift the ban before the 15th I won’t have any get out and couldn’t risk going now given the randomness of the quarantine measures. 
 

Also the thought of 2+ hours on hold fills me with dread.

[Samuel Camazzola]

28 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

That’s the plan but if Scottish Government lift the ban before the 15th I won’t have any get out and couldn’t risk going now given the randomness of the quarantine measures. 
 

Also the thought of 2+ hours on hold fills me with dread.

Do they offer a callback form? Jet2 are good that way. Fill in the form and you get a call within a day or two. 

[shlabalaba]

Im flying with Ryanair to Portugal in oct - just for the 4 nights  -  I've paid half and the rest gets paid 2 weeks before I go ,  do I cancel now and lose half  ,  wait and pay the rest and hope we come of the 14 day isolation ,    I can't afford to lose 2 weeks wages

[graygo]

33 minutes ago, shlabalaba said:

Im flying with Ryanair to Portugal in oct - just for the 4 nights  -  I've paid half and the rest gets paid 2 weeks before I go ,  do I cancel now and lose half  ,  wait and pay the rest and hope we come of the 14 day isolation ,    I can't afford to lose 2 weeks wages

 

You're not really expecting someone to make that decision for you are you?

[Shanks said no]

Travellers arriving in England from seven Greek islands will have to self-isolate for 14 days from 04:00 BST on Wednesday.

 

 

The islands affected are Crete, Lesvos, Mykonos, Santorini, Serifos, Tinos, and Zakynthos (also known as Zante).

[Samuel Camazzola]

17 hours ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Travellers arriving in England from seven Greek islands will have to self-isolate for 14 days from 04:00 BST on Wednesday.

 

 

The islands affected are Crete, Lesvos, Mykonos, Santorini, Serifos, Tinos, and Zakynthos (also known as Zante).

This approach suggests there is now scope to open up islands (Balearics, Canaries etc) even if there are no exemptions for the mainland. 

[Shanks said no]

5 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

This approach suggests there is now scope to open up islands (Balearics, Canaries etc) even if there are no exemptions for the mainland. 

Would appear so, only flaw with the Greek example is that islands like Serifos and Tinos have no direct flights, with the common route being via Athens or another island. 

[Samuel Camazzola]

7 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Would appear so, only flaw with the Greek example is that islands like Serifos and Tinos have no direct flights, with the common route being via Athens or another island. 

Scenarios like that is where the mixed guidance is creating problems. 

[Shanks said no]

On Greek news

The Dutch government has placed Greece’s islands on its orange list of destinations approved for essential travel only, just a day after Britain said that people returning from seven Greek holiday islands would be quarantined for two weeks after arrival to check for symptoms of coronavirus.

 

also reports of 60k brits trying to get home before deadline and the Lesbos outbreak is getting bigger, primarily in the migrant camp, with the refugees who have recently arrived from Turkey.........

 

edit
it appears the main source is a Somali man who was allowed to leave the camp but then returned to reside in a tent just outside the “open” camp. Thoughts go out to the refugees and Greeks trying to manage this. 

Edited September 8, 2020 by The Frenchman Returns

[Shanks said no]

20 hours ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

On Greek news

The Dutch government has placed Greece’s islands on its orange list of destinations approved for essential travel only, just a day after Britain said that people returning from seven Greek holiday islands would be quarantined for two weeks after arrival to check for symptoms of coronavirus.

 

also reports of 60k brits trying to get home before deadline and the Lesbos outbreak is getting bigger, primarily in the migrant camp, with the refugees who have recently arrived from Turkey.........

 

edit
it appears the main source is a Somali man who was allowed to leave the camp but then returned to reside in a tent just outside the “open” camp. Thoughts go out to the refugees and Greeks trying to manage this. 

 

probably deserves its own thread but the Moria refugee camp in Lesvos is no more

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54082201

 

state of emergency declared

https://www.ekathimerini.com/256736/article/ekathimerini/news/state-of-emergency-declared-in-lesvos-after-migrant-camp-fire

Edited September 9, 2020 by The Frenchman Returns

[graygo]

Jet2 says it will not refund Scots tourists scheduled to fly to Portugal

The airline says it will follow the advice issued for England where travellers do not need to self-isolate when they return from Portugal.

 

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/travel/jet2-says-not-refund-scots-22649721

[Samuel Camazzola]

Jet2 Canaries program pushed back to 27th. They don't seem to be anticipating the islands being given the green light this week. 

[hughesie27]

Turkey slightly fewer cases today than yesterday. Heading there on Saturday and concerned they would added next week whilst I'm over there. They were at 14.1 per 100k yesterday so that will put them up a wee bit but a decent trajectory to make sure I get there and back okay.

Unless Nicola weilds her axe.

[Samuel Camazzola]

1 minute ago, hughesie27 said:

Turkey slightly fewer cases today than yesterday. Heading there on Saturday and concerned they would added next week whilst I'm over there. They were at 14.1 per 100k yesterday so that will put them up a wee bit but a decent trajectory to make sure I get there and back okay.

Unless Nicola weilds her axe.

Hopefully her and Humza don't have their usual knee-jerk panic without properly analysing the JBC data and speak to other governments first. 

[highlandjambo3]

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

[Shanks said no]

18 minutes ago, hughesie27 said:

Turkey slightly fewer cases today than yesterday. Heading there on Saturday and concerned they would added next week whilst I'm over there. They were at 14.1 per 100k yesterday so that will put them up a wee bit but a decent trajectory to make sure I get there and back okay.

Unless Nicola weilds her axe.

Turkish figures can easily be brought into question, particularly after Greece was regionalised. 

[Doctor FinnBarr]

4 minutes ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

 

Got a mate who just came back from Gumbet yesterday, no problems. I'm trying to holiday at home (Lossiemouth to be exact) at the end of this month but now I'm having to sweat on West Lothian R rates that are based on 1500 people in West Lothian using a feckin phone app.

[hughesie27]

6 minutes ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Got a mate who just came back from Gumbet yesterday, no problems. I'm trying to holiday at home (Lossiemouth to be exact) at the end of this month but now I'm having to sweat on West Lothian R rates that are based on 1500 people in West Lothian using a feckin phone app.

Exactly where I am headed.

[hughesie27]

9 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Turkish figures can easily be brought into question, particularly after Greece was regionalised. 

Absolutely. Just leave it for 2 weeks though eh!

 

[hughesie27]

17 minutes ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

Was meant to go to Turkey in June which was cancelled. Rebooted 6 weeks or so ago and looks like I'll be getting to go. Cases in Turkey just now are up there with the worst they had it a few months the ago. Still only 1700 or so cases for 82 million. 100k tests a day. If they are telling the truth.

If I have the quarantine it will be shit but a risk I'm willing to take. Outside of that it seems as safe as anywhere else at the moment. May as well be in the sun by a pool.

[Shanks said no]

3 minutes ago, hughesie27 said:

Absolutely. Just leave it for 2 weeks though eh!

 

Good luck, I was tempted to rebook Greece for Turkey but have given up till 2021

hope Nicola and her team don’t pick up Balkan News

https://balkaninsight.com/2020/08/28/turkish-government-accused-of-hiding-real-covid-19-figures/

[Samuel Camazzola]

42 minutes ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

Yes, although packaged destinations are limited at present (Cyprus, Turkey, Italy, Madeira, some of Greece...) 

 

If folk have no qualms about potential quarantine measures on return, it seems a lot of foreign destinations are deemed safer than here. 

 

Villa stays are appealing to many too as the only close proximity to fellow travellers will be on the plane. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

1 hour ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

 

They are and probably in larger numbers than you'd think.

 

Just a few days ago, Miss JJ was on a flight to Santorini which was pretty much full, how many people onboard will have had the flight/holiday booked before covid I don't know, but I can't see it being all of the 150+ that were onboard.

In saying that she has been on flights in the last two or three weeks which only had 20+ people onboard.

[Nucky Thompson]

1 hour ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

I've not long booked a package holiday with Jet2 going to Lanzarote in February. £600 cheaper than the same holiday this February 

[graygo]

2 hours ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

 

It's not just foreign holidays, Boris has just scuppered our Blackpool break next weekend so now need to claim back £705 from Hoseasons. Was meant to be 9 of us going, 6 adults and 3 kids.

[theshed]

3 hours ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Are people STILL actually traveling abroad on holiday?  I don’t mean bookings made a few months back or more where you need to wait for cancellations to claim refunds etc....I mean have people actually been booking holidays abroad during the last month or so........

FFS stay home, its bonkers out there.

I’m in Poland the now and booked it two days before we left 

I’ve worked all through the lockdown and the mrs esp has been rushed off her feet so we thought stuff it let’s get away 

 

Last I looked Poland’s figures are 9.5 compared to over 20 for the UK so going by those figures it’s safer here 

 

People just getting on with things as normal here at the moment, no booking a table to get a drink, no signing in with your details just to get into costa ect 
 

Not saying people aren’t caring but it’s much more relaxed and I haven’t thought about Covid for a couple of days till I read this thread then it minds me of the shit  I’ve to go home to 

[Taffin]

30 minutes ago, theshed said:

I’m in Poland the now and booked it two days before we left 

I’ve worked all through the lockdown and the mrs esp has been rushed off her feet so we thought stuff it let’s get away 

 

Last I looked Poland’s figures are 9.5 compared to over 20 for the UK so going by those figures it’s safer here 

 

People just getting on with things as normal here at the moment, no booking a table to get a drink, no signing in with your details just to get into costa ect 
 

Not saying people aren’t caring but it’s much more relaxed and I haven’t thought about Covid for a couple of days till I read this thread then it minds me of the shit  I’ve to go home to 

 

I was in Poland for the night last week. It was great, nice and relaxed atmosphere and thoroughly enjoyable.

 

I'd say it's a great time to be holiday tbh

 

[hughesie27]

22 minutes ago, BarneyBattles said:

I think there’s very little chance you’ll be going there in February.

Really? You could go there now if you were happy to Quarantine. Do you think we will return to 0 travel?

[heartsfc_fan]

Staying in Scotland for my family.

Got a long weekend in a campervan in Perthshire next week then a couple weeks after leaving the kids with the in-laws and got a wee B&B in Stirlingshire.

 

No abroad for us until things have calmed down.

[highlandjambo3]

Sod that.....I’m staying in my bubble 

[Samuel Camazzola]

Pending any islands being opened up, possible holiday destinations are now, Italy, Cyprus, Turkey (and Greece from some airports).

 

Turkey or Italy appeals. ☀ 

[The Real Maroonblood]

Very pleased with EasyJet.

Just had my full refund.

Return flight wasn’t cancelled so didn’t expect full refund.

Especially when I was being asked for details for the return flight.

It was probably just a standard email.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

2 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

Very pleased with EasyJet.

Just had my full refund.

Return flight wasn’t cancelled so didn’t expect full refund.

Especially when I was being asked for details for the return flight.

It was probably just a standard email.

 

Result  👍

[The Real Maroonblood]

54 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

Result  👍

Thanks.

[graygo]

Had to cancel Blackpool trip organised for this weekend on Friday. Money back in account today, well played Hoseasons.

[hughesie27]

Can confirm Turkey is lovely right now. 

[jimmyjambo]

Cancelled our accommodation in Lanzarote for a week in the middle November, just hope our flights with Jet2 get cancelled to get a refund, we won't be going regardless

[OBE]

8 minutes ago, hughesie27 said:

Can confirm Turkey is lovely right now. 

 

My BBQ chicken was lovely also...mmmmm.

[Samuel Camazzola]

2 hours ago, hughesie27 said:

Can confirm Turkey is lovely right now. 

If my Portugal trip turns out to be a no go, that's where I'll be heading. ☀ 

[graygo]

13 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

If my Portugal trip turns out to be a no go, that's where I'll be heading. ☀ 

 

Turkey has just recorded it's highest daily death number (63) since the beginning of May.  Try Scotland, I've heard the figures are pretty low there. 😉

[Samuel Camazzola]

31 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

Turkey has just recorded it's highest daily death number (63) since the beginning of May.  Try Scotland, I've heard the figures are pretty low there. 😉

Its a big country therefore that number can get lost within the stats. Their rate is still way below the 20 benchmark for now so will see what happens. 

 

If not there, will get to somewhere. ☀ 

[redjambo]

45 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

Its a big country therefore that number can get lost within the stats. Their rate is still way below the 20 benchmark for now so will see what happens. 

 

If not there, will get to somewhere. ☀ 

 

Bit in bold - absolutely. There are always alternatives, SC.

 

Just to throw some data on Turkey into the mix, purely for info:

 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

47 minutes ago, Samuel Camazzola said:

Its a big country therefore that number can get lost within the stats. Their rate is still way below the 20 benchmark for now so will see what happens. 

 

If not there, will get to somewhere. ☀ 

 

Not for us this year I'm afraid.

It's not so much the fear of catching covid as we could catch that easily enough here, it's just the overall enjoyment we feel would be severly impacted, plus Mrs JJ and all the other staff at NHS Borders have been told that if they go away and have to quarantine or self isolate upon return they won't get paid for it, different if the holiday was booked pre March then they'll get wages but they'll get nothing if booked post March, so that's just another thing we've had to consider.

Besides they are starting to gear up for a second wave, so I won't be surprised if all leave is cancelled like it was in March to June.

[Samuel Camazzola]

Denmark will likely be next country added to the list thus week. Bulgaria has a chance of being added to the safe list but no info on some of the popular islands where the mainland is expected to remain out of bounds. 

[Sooperstar]

Looking for somewhere to go next weekend. Were hoping for sun and a swimming pool and no quarantine on return. Thought we had it nailed with 4 nights in Cyprus, but you need to have evidence of a negative covid test on arrival so that has scuppered things.

 

Looking like Berlin or Krakow now, where the weather will be good at least.