Coronavirus travel disruption - latest info and your rights

podgy

bradders1983 said:

Ha, you arent going to find any!

Cheers Bradley, I thought as much. Not going til later in the year anyway so, please God, we will be in a better place.

podgy

And the pre-existing ones all appear to have a general exclusion for pandemics anyway 

jasmidd1970

I have a few dilemmas.....
1. Flights booked on JetBlue to travel from NYC to Barbados.... "refunds" possible, but only in the form of a Travel Credit to use when booking something else on JetBlue, but they don't have any intercontinental services so as a UK resident I cant use it. They have not responded to my plea for some compassion and understanding... would travel insurance recompence me?
2. Flights booked with Virgin Atlantic. No refunds now, but can rebook - but when I look at an alternative option it is more than £2k cheaper - will they refund me the difference... again no replies from them so far.

anyone got any thoughts or experience on similar (or even better the same) scenarios?

TheLastCub

My niece and her partner are in Tokyo; were due to fly home today with SAS airlines after their holiday. They went to Airport but it was deserted & flight cancelled!  Unable to contact SAS, except for once, via twitter, when it was suggested that they're now booked onto tomorrow's flight but, looking online that looks cancelled too! Any suggestions of who to contact to assist to get home?

marmite1979

Ryanair claim my flight is running. How does that work when we are told not to travel to Spain? It may run but only citizens returning to Spain can use it. What do Ryanair want me to do? Fly with them sit on the plane and then repatriate myself on there plane.

silvercar

kuepper said:

I have Holiday Safe premier annual multi trip policy as a 70+ and can't see any mention of it in MSE guide in coronavirus. Also can't see any mention in policy of FCO advice. I have 3 holidays booked and though I don't think FCO will advise against travel to them It's looking increasingly likely (based on some European countries being added today and UK's increasing numbers of cases ) that the first 2 countries (Madagascar, Kazakhstan) will refuse me entry as I'm a traveller from the UK. Am I not covered for anything, is it best to cancel and at least get the air taxes back ? etc

If you aren't covered (and worth checking with your insurer) then I would wait. You can cancel the day before and would be just as eligible for your taxes back as if you cancelled today. By delaying, if the airline cancels your flight you would be entitled to a refund. The only time I would say cancel now is if you thought the airline was going bust, as then there would be nowhere to claim the taxes from. 

silvercar

Butty07 said:

I have booked with Ryanair to go to Malaga on Tuesday. Although the FCO advise is not to travel to Spain the flight has not been cancelled and Ryanair are refusing to allow me to claim a refund. What are my rights?

Claim on your insurance if you have cover that includes a refund if the FCO advise not to travel. Otherwise wait and see if the flight is cancelled. Cancelling now and you should get your taxes back, less an admin charge, so worth calculating that.

silvercar

jacquiWO said:

hello, my dilemma is i have a flight to mallorca on Monday 16th March  (tomorrow am) its last  Easy Jet flight out and none returning until 30th March, i am due to return on 27th March. FCO has advised to travel if i do insurance will be invalidated, i can't reorganise flights as I don't known when I can next go. I can't get a refund, if  I dont turn up I risk loosing money, can't get through to call centre by phone or via online chat to ask for advice. went to airport and easy jet staff no help. I should be covered by my insurance to claim for refund on flight but only of i comply with airlines policy! any reassurance appreciated  

If the FCO have advised against travel, then you should try your insurer. If you want to reorganise but don't know dates, see if easyjet will allow you to accept a credit. The other option is to book for a later date and if you need to change again accept it may have change charges associated with it. If easyjet has cancelled your return flight they should refund that.

silvercar

The really short answers to a lot of these questions is that a flight being cancelled means you are entitled to a refund. Flight still running and it's an insurance claim if you don't want to travel or an overseas government won't allow you to enter.

Rock_melon

I have booked a holiday to Rome with a company that is an online travel agent which consists of flight, accommodation and transfer.  It isn’t classed as a package deal though.  Will I be entitled to a refund if the fco is stopping travel to the are I am going... even if the accommodation was booked non refundable 
thank you