Coronavirus travel disruption - latest info and your rights

Former_MSE_Callum

The coronavirus outbreak is causing major travel disruption around the globe, with some UK holidaymakers being forced to change their trips and many worried about future travel plans. Here's the latest info on how travellers have been affected, and your rights - we'll update and add to this guide in the coming days.

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Coronavirus travel disruption - latest info and your rights

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philc43

I have a flight booked for Liberia later in March.  Liberia is putting all travellers from countries with more than 200 coronavirus cases into a government facility for a 14 day quarantine period.  This completely disrupts the trip which was for 10 days only.  I obviously want to cancel as it is highly likely the UK will reach 200 cases in the next few days.  What are my rights to get any money back from travel insurance since the FCO have not actually advised against travel to Liberia? 

The_Fat_Controller

Ask your insurer directly, nobody else can give you a definitive answer.

Daniel1111

I'm in a similar boat. Every insurance company I've checked says no they don't cover that scenario.

IMO it's shocking that the FCO doesn't advise against travel to a country if all Brits going are going to end up in a mandatory quarantine. I would email your MP and the FCO directly (as I have), and maybe if enough do it, they'll change their approach.

philc43

The_Fat_Controller said:

Ask your insurer directly, nobody else can give you a definitive answer.

The answer is no money back in my case.  This is a situation not covered in the above guide to travel disruption.

mattyprice4004

Daniel1111 said:

I'm in a similar boat. Every insurance company I've checked says no they don't cover that scenario.

IMO it's shocking that the FCO doesn't advise against travel to a country if all Brits going are going to end up in a mandatory quarantine. I would email your MP and the FCO directly (as I have), and maybe if enough do it, they'll change their approach.

But it's not hit 200 cases yet, so it's not a situation that's happened. 
Maybe they will when the time comes, but for now it's business as usual. 

MiraculousM

Moderators, would it not be more useful to make a sub forum for this? There are way more questions and the Volcano one is defunct. Maybe change that one to a corona one? 

Westin

Here is the official notification from the National Public Health Institute of Liberia. 
https://nationalphil.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Travel-Advisory-final.pdf

It is a constantly changing situation and I suspect updates either on the conditions of entry from the NPHIL, or on travel advisories from the FCO will happen over coming days/weeks. All you can really do is keep monitoring these.   

Unless the FCO advise otherwise, airlines and travel providers will be unlikely to amend their travel terms and booking conditions.  If you feel uneasy with the situation you can of course not travel, but you will likely lose your money on non-refundable air tickets and travel plans. Ultimately the decision is yours.

Daniel1111

mattyprice4004 said:

Daniel1111 said:

I'm in a similar boat. Every insurance company I've checked says no they don't cover that scenario.

IMO it's shocking that the FCO doesn't advise against travel to a country if all Brits going are going to end up in a mandatory quarantine. I would email your MP and the FCO directly (as I have), and maybe if enough do it, they'll change their approach.

But it's not hit 200 cases yet, so it's not a situation that's happened. 
Maybe they will when the time comes, but for now it's business as usual. 

It now has.

Israel is to ban entry for UK residents as of tomorrow, too.

silvercar

Daniel1111 said:

mattyprice4004 said:

Daniel1111 said:

I'm in a similar boat. Every insurance company I've checked says no they don't cover that scenario.

IMO it's shocking that the FCO doesn't advise against travel to a country if all Brits going are going to end up in a mandatory quarantine. I would email your MP and the FCO directly (as I have), and maybe if enough do it, they'll change their approach.

But it's not hit 200 cases yet, so it's not a situation that's happened. 
Maybe they will when the time comes, but for now it's business as usual. 

It now has.

Israel is to ban entry for UK residents as of tomorrow, too.

I thought Israel was requiring residents of certain countries to be staying somewhere where they can self isolate (eg a home rather than an hotel), the UK wasn't on the original list, though I expect it could be by tomorrow. If they do require self isolation for 14 days, there may well be people who were planning on going for a few months who will be prepared to self isolate for 14 days.

aroominyork

silvercar said:

Daniel1111 said:

mattyprice4004 said:

Daniel1111 said:

I'm in a similar boat. Every insurance company I've checked says no they don't cover that scenario.

IMO it's shocking that the FCO doesn't advise against travel to a country if all Brits going are going to end up in a mandatory quarantine. I would email your MP and the FCO directly (as I have), and maybe if enough do it, they'll change their approach.

But it's not hit 200 cases yet, so it's not a situation that's happened. 
Maybe they will when the time comes, but for now it's business as usual. 

It now has.

Israel is to ban entry for UK residents as of tomorrow, too.

I thought Israel was requiring residents of certain countries to be staying somewhere where they can self isolate (eg a home rather than an hotel), the UK wasn't on the original list, though I expect it could be by tomorrow. If they do require self isolation for 14 days, there may well be people who were planning on going for a few months who will be prepared to self isolate for 14 days.

FCO travel guidance for Israel says "Non-resident visitors from France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and Austria will not be able to enter unless they can provide proof they can be placed under home quarantine." 

I am booked to visit Israel on 2 April for 10 days and have two questions. FIrst, if that is extended to the UK will my travel insurance cover cancellation (or pay for me to stay there four more days locked in a room!!)? Second, my adult kids are travelling with us and have not yet taken out travel insurance. If they take out a policy today and the UK is later put on a no entry or home isolation list of countries, will their travel insurance pay for cancelled flights? Thanks.