Advice re last minute holiday change

Emal3440

Hi there, just wondered whether anyone can offer some advice please?

My Mother in Law has bought a mini trip to Barcelona wed-sun. They have got flights, transfer and hotel included. They have had the holiday booked for a number of months now, and are due to fly out in two days.

They have been contacted by the tour operator to let them know that there is a planned 'rally' where a number of roads are closed around the city, meaning that they can not be transferred on the date they arrive. They have been booked in to a hotel next to the airport instead and a transfer arranged for the following day.

My question is whether she is able to ask for a refund for that initial nights stay in Barcelona? She is now having to stay in an airport hotel, which is obviously not something she wants to do. She has been offered to change her flight to a later time, reducing the amount of time spent in the hotel, but that's not really a good option for her. Also, they have suggested she cuts her holiday short by a day and flies in the next day...again not a good option. She feels that the airport hotel is the only option she can take.

She has booked this for her 70th birthday, so it would be a real shame if it were marred by this, and we cant work out how this public holiday is something the travel operators didnt know about! Or why they have left it so late to inform her about it. Surely it's something which should have been discussed when booking??

Thanks in advance for any help.

bradders1983

Where in Barcelona are they staying? Assuming she is flying into Barcelona airport itself (and not Girona or something) there is a metro and train station right next to the terminal building she is likely to be flying into, surely she can just nip on that? Yes its hassle and she isnt getting her pre-booked transfer but surely thats a better option than a airport hotel?

As an aside, there is no public holiday in Barcelona this week

https://www.edarabia.com/barcelona/public-holidays/

Grumpelstiltskin

Maybe something to do with this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-105333/Demonstrators-riot-Spain.html

bradders1983

Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »

Maybe something to do with this?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-105333/Demonstrators-riot-Spain.html

Doubt it, looks like that was only a two day summit and its now finished.

Emal3440

Thanks so much for your replies.

I only know it's a 16 minute journey to the hotel, so assume it's in Barcelona itself.

The metro would be good, but her husband has Parkinsons and his mobility is not good enough to be getting on the metro and walking any distance.

I have looked on the links, very odd regarding it not being a public holiday? I think this is what they have been told in CO-OP travel.

sheramber

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/barcelona-or-bust-rally-ice-and-le-mans-2019-tickets-51943572624

bradders1983

sheramber wrote: »

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/barcelona-or-bust-rally-ice-and-le-mans-2019-tickets-51943572624

That would not require any roads being closed in Barcelona until Sunday (and even that wouldnt be very likely), the OPs parents in law arrive Wednesday.

What hotel is it? The info Co-op have been told sounds very dubious, find out the name of the hotel and then contact them to ask. Maybe a taxi to the nearest non-closed street, assuming there are even closures to begin with?

As an aside, Barcelona seems a very odd destination to go to if your father in law can barely get around. But each to their own!

JGB1955

11th September is Catalonia's National holiday.



There is advice about it at https://barcelona-top-travel-tips.com/11-september-national-holiday-catalonia/#visiting-barcelona-on-september-11th

bradders1983

Seems odd it isnt on that link I posted earlier then.

JGB1955

More info at https://www.barcelonayellow.com/bcn-events-calendar/details/29-diada-nacional-national-day-catalunya-barcelona

bradders1983

What time does their flight arrive in at? A lot of the events arent until the afternoon.