What are my rights? We need to cancel a trip to Mexico as I cannot travel there due to pregnancy.

McKneff

I got the impression that the trip was booked before the conception....

Potbellypig

Don't they have babies in Mexico?

Nick_C

McKneff wrote: »

I got the impression that the trip was booked before the conception....

Yes but they could cancel and lose £250 (and use the holiday budget for the additional expense of having a baby) or bring the holiday forward to much earlier in the pregnancy.

Voyager2002

Potbellypig wrote: »

Don't they have babies in Mexico?

Mexican parents cannot protect their babies from Zika, just as British parents cannot protect their babies from Brexit. Best practice is to avoid exposing your baby to both hazards.

Voyager2002

Pollycat wrote: »

I think it's unreasonable to expect travel agent staff to give advice on health issues.

I would expect them to be aware of official government advice about the destinations that they promote.

Pollycat

Voyager2002 wrote: »

I would expect them to be aware of official government advice about the destinations that they promote.

Really?
I wouldn't have those expectations.
It's not as though the information is only available to 'travel advisors'. It's in the public domain.
But then again, I can't remember the last time I set foot in a travel agent shop.
And I only trust myself for awareness of travel related stuff.
I don't even go to my GP to discuss holiday vaccinations unless I've done the research myself beforehand.

NoodleDoodleMan

I don't think it's unreasonable at all to expect travel agents to be aware of a major specific health hazard in foreign parts, especially a popular holiday destination like Mexico - and to caution customers seeking to go there accordingly.

Being economical with the truth springs to mind.

Obviously opinions differ.

Nick_C

NoodleDoodleMan wrote: »

I don't think it's unreasonable at all to expect travel agents to be aware of a major specific health hazard in foreign parts, especially a popular holiday destination like Mexico - and to caution customers seeking to go there accordingly.

Being economical with the truth springs to mind.

Obviously opinions differ.

The terms and conditions of booking a package holiday normally place this responsibility on the customer.

Thomas Cook for example say:-

"It’s your responsibility to make sure everyone travelling has valid travel documents (e.g. Passport, Visa) and has followed health advice. For up to date UK Government health & travel advice please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-traveladvice, https://www.hpa.org.uk and https://www.nathnac.org and contact your GP.

Please also see our Holiday Information pages and website for more information.

We can’t accept any liability for your failure to do this."

photome

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Mexican parents cannot protect their babies from Zika, just as British parents cannot protect their babies from Brexit. Best practice is to avoid exposing your baby to both hazards.

Are you suggesting mexican parents should protect themselves from the hazard that is brexit.

NoodleDoodleMan

The terms and conditions of booking a package holiday normally place this responsibility on the customer.

Understood - the standard "get out of jail" small print to absolve the operator if adverse circumstances prevail, no arguement on the legality etc.

However, I would still expect a travel agent to be clued up and forthcoming on relevant major health issues in the exercise of his/her profession.

Just my view, as I said, others differ.