Coronavirus travel disruption - latest info and your rights

silvercar

Shelleyntrixie said:

Ours is 2nd of may. first holiday in 2 year and not gunna like we have scrapped bottom of the barrel for this brake to the point  where my family paid for my passport. We have had the worst 12 months ever! due to my ill health and other things that's gone off we just wanted a brake. My partner has worked all hours god has sent for us to be able to have a brake.We now have the possibility of no holiday due to work commitments and lack of availability to move our holiday dates as I work for a small community care company for the elderly, that are rightly so canceling calls to protect their families and their self. we also have no money to do anything including looking for insurance nevermind a mid week shop because we can't get essentials. I am devastated to say the least as its having a huge impact on my partners mental health and I cant fix it for her. so any advice would be truly grateful X

You need to get insurance, even if you have to beg and borrow to get it. 
Think what would happen if you went on holiday and became ill abroad with no travel insurance?

Westin

@Artur_K:  I think you will find this is just a temporary web issue. It has been reported on this board by others and seems to have been put down to just their system being overwhelmed by the number of cancellation and credit requests.  Perhaps pick a quite time to try again or leave a day or so.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6115505/trouble-getting-the-ryanair-get-refund-button-to-work#latest

chris-j

Have flight book in April, went on to change it last night and when it listed my alternate date, one of lfights was £8 more than if I was choosing a new booking, so they are not being honest about this.

ntay1066

Last year we booked a 3 night stay at a UK hotel to stay at the beginning of April 2020. We paid a deposit of £180.00 which we accepted was non-refundable as per the hotel terms and conditions if we had to cancel. On 21st March 2020 we received an email from them stating that they have cancelled the booking as the hotel will be closed with immediate effect for the foreseeable future. They state that even though they have cancelled the deposit is still non -refundable but can be transferred for an alternative booking within 2020 only. Can you advise if they are legally allowed to do this as we are unlikely to be able to rearrange dates for later in the year and also concerned that costs will be higher.

rogue999

Should have been travelling to Lanzarote on 1st April with Easyjet for a 2 week villa stay (booked separately). Disappointed (to say the least) to find our Zurich travel insurance doesn't cover FCO advice not to travel, below is the statement from their website.

Change of FCO or WHO Advice

Basic, Standard, Enhanced or Essentials policies.

We do not provide cover for change of FCO or WHO advice under our Basic, Standard, Enhanced or Essentials policies. If you purchase one of these policies to cover a single trip and cannot travel due to the FCO or WHO subsequently advising against all travel or all but essential travel to your destination country or area, you can cancel your policy (including cancelling outside of the 14 day cooling off period) and receive a full refund (subject to no claims made or pending on the policy).

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I am hoping a refund from Easyjet will be straightforward once they actually cancel the flights, but looks like I'm not covered for the villa, which was over £2k.  I've approached the villa company (a small villa company in Lanzarote) and asked if they could hold over our money to another booking in the future, but obviously they're not obliged to.

Any other advice greatly appreciated - gutted to lose the Villa money, this would have been out first overseas holiday in 8 years and the kids were really excited.

Alter_ego

ntay1066 said:

Last year we booked a 3 night stay at a UK hotel to stay at the beginning of April 2020. We paid a deposit of £180.00 which we accepted was non-refundable as per the hotel terms and conditions if we had to cancel. On 21st March 2020 we received an email from them stating that they have cancelled the booking as the hotel will be closed with immediate effect for the foreseeable future. They state that even though they have cancelled the deposit is still non -refundable but can be transferred for an alternative booking within 2020 only. Can you advise if they are legally allowed to do this as we are unlikely to be able to rearrange dates for later in the year and also concerned that costs will be higher.

As they have cancelled, they have breached the contract. Point this out to them. If they don't refund - small claims court.

Westin

@rogue999 :  I think your current approach is the best one. Try to salvage what you can through concessions.  Just shows that cheap insurance can be a false economy.  I do hope you can get something sorted out with the villa owner.

@ntay1066 : I am not a lawyer but I believe given the closure you are entitled to a full refund.  That said I expect the hotel owner, especially if a small business, is strapped for cash at the moment which I suspect is why they have only offered a credit/rebooking.  You may have the law on your side but you need to way up the chances of a small claims court option being possible at this time.   If you paid by credit card I would suggest the route of a s75 claim, but this will hit the hotelier.  It would be good to find an amicable solution. We are all in this together and there are so many British jobs and businesses will at risk.

mbtaylor

Our package hol in May is going to be cancelled as Spain extends its emergency period.  We have paid £300 & have £500 to pay in April. If On the Beach offers us a replacement hol next year would we be covered by ATOL if they go bust? I'm guessing we wouldn't be able to book exact details now as flights & hotel prices won't be available yet.

Westin

@mbtaylor: As the Spanish Government only announced the extension to the state of emergency early today I would suggest you let your travel company absorb the information, understand the consequences, reset policy and instigate new procedures.  Patience may be required.  Please don’t try to call them first thing Monday to ask these questions. Airlines and travel companies need to be allowed to deal with the here and now, customers to be repatriated from overseas and those who had been due to travel in coming days.

japitts

We've got a couple of UK cottage rentals booked which, although currently outside the immediate travel advice, I'm starting to have serious doubts about. The bookings agent has put out the usual advice so far in terms of stopping new bookings and cancelling/rearranging existing ones. The one thing they seem a little grey on and seem to be avoiding mention of, is their booking fees if you go down the cancellation route. It's small-fry in the grand scheme, and perhaps one of those "give it time" things, but I can't see how they can refuse a refund of these fees - can they? I'd have thought S75 would cover it if all else fails, but I know that needs them to cancel it or for travel advice to cover your dates.