Coronavirus travel disruption - latest info and your rights

helloitshannah

I was due to travel to Madeira on a package holiday on Friday which has been cancelled. The flights have been cancelled and the hotel closed. The travel agency we booked through have offered credit or rebooking but we wanted a refund as we will not know if our financial circumstances in the future will permit us to travel. We have requested the refund but it has been refused - can anyone advise?

sospot

Hi I have booked a package holiday through Teletext holidays flying with Ryan air at Easter to  Tenerife. They have sent me an email asking me not to contact them until 14 days befor I due to travel. Should I wait or can l just cancel now and get a refund ?

Luckett83

Hi there, I've got two travel agencies I'm really struggling with at the moment:

Opodo - my husband and I were meant to go on our honeymoon to Japan on 8th May with Cathay Pacific. Booked the tickets on my AMEX card. CP have agreed to refund flights for everyone who was booked to travel up until 31 May. However, we booked through Opodo who are refusing to even talk to any customer unless they're due to fly in the next 7 days. I've tried getting around their chatbot to no avail and there's no direct phone number.

Ebookers - Our hotel is booked with these clowns, again on the credit card. Tried calling them to ask about refund, get immediately cut off due to 'technical difficulties' (lol sure mate). Again, their policy is to not deal with anyone until they're due to travel in the next 7 days. 

I'm not as bothered about eBookers as I am about Opodo. They are literally standing in the way of people's refunds. Are they allowed to do this?

Is anyone else experiencing this? Is there a way around it? I'm really scared that one of these companies will go under and lots of us will be left out of pocket for something that's not even our fault.  

ballyhargan

We had booked to travel to go a wedding in Puerto Rico on 25.03.20 and return on 31.03.20. We have booked with Aer Lingus going from Dublin to JFK New York and then on to Puerto Rico. Our return flight was scheduled going from Puerto Rico to Boston to Dublin. These flights are not yet cancelled but obviously we now are unable to travel. Any advice on this. We are waiting meantime to see if these flights are cancelled. Possibly the out going flight will be cancelled but do we wait for the return flight to see if it is cancelled also before claiming. My son booked the flights for 3 of us, we all have travel insurance but all from different companies. Any help anyone in a similar position ?

harz99

harz99 said:

As to international travel - does flying to the Isle of Man count? We are in the over 70s and i also have a medical condition so doubt if it would be sensible to fly anywhere, once in the IOM for our intended 5 night break we may not be able to get back due to the Manx 14 day isolation requirement for visitors. Nightmare, so much buzzing around my head!  

At least Premier inn are now allowing cancellation and full refunds for ALL types of bookings to 31/3/20, so that's 5 nights accomodation being refunded. Now I need Easyjet and Travelodge to take the same view.

hopeful12

I have a hotel booked on a non refundable basis in Krakow for mid April. Obviously booked before all of this happened. Booked with Hotel.com, don't want to cancel it just want to change the dates, the website does say this can be done due to circumstances, I  have managed to change my flights, but can't get in touch with Hotel.com, only taking calls from people travelling within 72 hours of travel and the website is an interactive person,who does not understand anything you write ... So what do I do next please ??

jasmidd1970

Hi, so JetBlue are only offering a Travel Credit refund, i.e. I don't actually get my cash back. My travel insurance says that Pandemics are not included. Can I get my money back via my credit card? Booking for different dates won't be suitable due to family circumstances,

growler834

We have a cruise in May booked & paid for. On 13/3 we received an email from Cunard regarding the FCO advisory that over 70's don't cruise. We were offered, amongst other things, a full refund as my husband is over 70. We contacted our TA on 14/3 & he got back to us on 16/3 asking us to put our cancellation in writing, which we did.
Since then, Cunard have suspended cruises up to mid April. 
Today, Cunard have changed their booking/cancellation conditions & are now only offering a Future Cruise Credit on cancellations. They say they will honour refunds for cancellations made before today but we can't get hold of our TA to see if he had already contacted Cunard. A future cruise credit, aside from it being no good if the company folded, is of no use to us as it can only be used on new bookings up to March 2022 and we already have 2 cruises booked up to this period.
What are our rights regarding a full refund please?

Wadsted

Thanks Westin,
What would the position be if the travel advisory covers our departure date and beyond?

Westin

@Wadsted: Sorry, I can't see any other post from you which give any details.
The MSE article might be a useful read for you - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/