Coronavirus travel disruption - latest info and your rights

missaction

I booked an apartment in Southampton on a non refundable basis in order to go to a festival at the beginning of July. The festival has obviously been cancelled but Booking.com will not refund the accommodation. I obviously paid over the odds as it was a festival weekend, and even if lockdown restrictions have been lifted a little by then I’m not sure I would want to stay in an apartment as I would not know who had stayed there before me ie is it clean/ virus free. Do I have any options? 

baz8755

I am due to go to Orlando with Virgin holidays in September and wish to contact them to discuss postponing/cancelling the holiday. We have tried all the contact us details from their website and nothing works.

Does anyone know a way of being able to contact them regarding this

jamescaffrey

Hi Everyone,

we booked a flights and hotel package via a UK Travel Agent in one transaction and paid in full same day up front(18 Jan 2020) on our Mastercard full total of £2759 with no more to pay.

The flights were with Jet2 ( Man to FCO(Rome) departing 2 June 2020 and returning 9 June 2020. Our 3rd passenger whilst flying out with us from Manchester, was allocated an EasyJet return flight from (FC) - Rome to London Gatwick, as she lives in Woking, UK.) The hotel in Rome(The Tribune Hotel) was for 2 rooms(3 guests) for 7 nights with bed and breakfast included from 2 June to 9 June 2020.

We received an email on 18 Jan 2020 with attached ATOL certificates(which confirmed we had booked a PACKAGE}, along with a T&C's sheet(A4) and a Receipt/Info Sheet(A4)(the single Receipt sheet had a small itinary summary listing our flights, plus the hotel in Rome we had booked( 2 rooms with bed and breakfast at The Tribune Hotel). We have never had any further documentation or information re our package booking, so we had no idea about any status of the room bookings and none was ever mentioned verbally or in writing.

We heard nothing else until Travel Agent emailed us on 8 April 2020 saying that we had probably already heard or become aware, that Jet2 airlines had cancelled all flights until at least Mid June(which obviously meant that our flights element of our Package had been cancelled). The Travel Agent at no time offered to try and find us any alternative possibe flights/different airline etc or to advise us of our rights/options under the Package Travel Regulations.

They added that our 3rd traveller's return one way flight from Rome to London Gatwick with EasyJet scheduled for 9 June 2020 was still showing as active and that they would update us further about that single leg flight as and when appropriate.

They said they had contacted the hotel in Rome(The Tribune Hotel) directly and were awaiting a response, but that as our 2 rooms were booked as non refundable rooms, the hotel might not be willing to cancel the rooms/refund cost of rooms, even though our Jet2 flights had been cancelled by Jet2 due to the Pandemic etc.(This was the first time we were told about the status of our room bookings being non flexible/non refundable basis). TA email to us of 8 April 2020!!!!!

On the 7 May the Travel Agent emailed again saying that the suppliers they used for the Tribune Hotel(Rome) were asking us to provide very specific possible alternative dates for consideration of a rearranged deal for some point of time in the future(instead of our current booked dates of 2nd to 9th June 2020. They needed very specific suggested dates from us, as they said this particular hotel in Rome had a normally very strict stance regarding non refundable/non flexible existing room bookings.

In view of this information, I emailed the Travel Agent on 10 May 2020, advising that under the Package Travel Regulations, we would like to request a full cash refund, due to a significant and essential item of our booked package being no longer available to us(ie the transport element of our flights from Manchester to Rome and back, as was advised to us by our Travel Agent on 8 April 2020.

I received this quick  brief email response on 11 May 2020 from our Travel Agent as follows

"Hi Phil 

Unfortunately I have no update, for you; at present the suppliers  hotel cancellations at the moments are up  to 28th May and Easyjet is currently at 15th May. So as it stands the only part of your trip affected is the Jet 2 flights. I am keeping an eye on this and will be in touch when it includes your dates.

Kind Regards".

I would appreciate any advice/opinion etc regarding our position with our Travel Agent currently, from other Forum contributors/Members please.

Many Thanks & Take Care

Phil.

northwest1965

jamescaffrey said:

I received this quick  brief email response on 11 May 2020 from our Travel Agent as follows

"Hi Phil 

Unfortunately I have no update, for you; at present the suppliers  hotel cancellations at the moments are up  to 28th May and Easyjet is currently at 15th May. So as it stands the only part of your trip affected is the Jet 2 flights. I am keeping an eye on this and will be in touch when it includes your dates.

Kind Regards".

I would appreciate any advice/opinion etc regarding our position with our Travel Agent currently, from other Forum contributors/Members please.

Many Thanks & Take Care

Phil.

I 

I just checked the EasyJet flight and there is no flight so that is incorrect. It sounds like you are being fobbed off. If you booked a package holiday then you are entitled to a full refund.
Our Easyjet flight on 22nd May is cancelled so they are working much farther in advance that 15th

Life__Goes__On

jamescaffrey said:

Hi Everyone,

we booked a flights and hotel package via a UK Travel Agent in one transaction and paid in full same day up front(18 Jan 2020) on our Mastercard full total of £2759 with no more to pay.

The flights were with Jet2 ( Man to FCO(Rome) departing 2 June 2020 and returning 9 June 2020. Our 3rd passenger whilst flying out with us from Manchester, was allocated an EasyJet return flight from (FC) - Rome to London Gatwick, as she lives in Woking, UK.) The hotel in Rome(The Tribune Hotel) was for 2 rooms(3 guests) for 7 nights with bed and breakfast included from 2 June to 9 June 2020.

We received an email on 18 Jan 2020 with attached ATOL certificates(which confirmed we had booked a PACKAGE}, along with a T&C's sheet(A4) and a Receipt/Info Sheet(A4)(the single Receipt sheet had a small itinary summary listing our flights, plus the hotel in Rome we had booked( 2 rooms with bed and breakfast at The Tribune Hotel). We have never had any further documentation or information re our package booking, so we had no idea about any status of the room bookings and none was ever mentioned verbally or in writing.

We heard nothing else until Travel Agent emailed us on 8 April 2020 saying that we had probably already heard or become aware, that Jet2 airlines had cancelled all flights until at least Mid June(which obviously meant that our flights element of our Package had been cancelled). The Travel Agent at no time offered to try and find us any alternative possibe flights/different airline etc or to advise us of our rights/options under the Package Travel Regulations.

They added that our 3rd traveller's return one way flight from Rome to London Gatwick with EasyJet scheduled for 9 June 2020 was still showing as active and that they would update us further about that single leg flight as and when appropriate.

They said they had contacted the hotel in Rome(The Tribune Hotel) directly and were awaiting a response, but that as our 2 rooms were booked as non refundable rooms, the hotel might not be willing to cancel the rooms/refund cost of rooms, even though our Jet2 flights had been cancelled by Jet2 due to the Pandemic etc.(This was the first time we were told about the status of our room bookings being non flexible/non refundable basis). TA email to us of 8 April 2020!!!!!

On the 7 May the Travel Agent emailed again saying that the suppliers they used for the Tribune Hotel(Rome) were asking us to provide very specific possible alternative dates for consideration of a rearranged deal for some point of time in the future(instead of our current booked dates of 2nd to 9th June 2020. They needed very specific suggested dates from us, as they said this particular hotel in Rome had a normally very strict stance regarding non refundable/non flexible existing room bookings.

In view of this information, I emailed the Travel Agent on 10 May 2020, advising that under the Package Travel Regulations, we would like to request a full cash refund, due to a significant and essential item of our booked package being no longer available to us(ie the transport element of our flights from Manchester to Rome and back, as was advised to us by our Travel Agent on 8 April 2020.

I received this quick  brief email response on 11 May 2020 from our Travel Agent as follows

"Hi Phil 

Unfortunately I have no update, for you; at present the suppliers  hotel cancellations at the moments are up  to 28th May and Easyjet is currently at 15th May. So as it stands the only part of your trip affected is the Jet 2 flights. I am keeping an eye on this and will be in touch when it includes your dates.

Kind Regards".

I would appreciate any advice/opinion etc regarding our position with our Travel Agent currently, from other Forum contributors/Members please.

Many Thanks & Take Care

Phil.

You are due a cash refund within 14 days. 
What the TA is telling you is all smoke and mirrors, how they booked it has nothing to do with you in regards to your legal refund.

Tell your TA  that you want your cash refund due under the The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018
If refund is not forthcoming then you will issue a Chargeback  on that transaction.

elliethevet

Hello! I’m wondering if someone can give me some advice
i booked a package holiday through LoveHolidays to The Azores, due to leave June 13th. My full balance isn’t due until may 30th. So at the moment I have paid 650 and am due to pay the remaining 750 at the end of the month. 

I have just received an email from RyanAir which says our flights have been cancelled and steps on how to process a refund. I assume as this was all arranged through LoveHolidays that if I request a refund it goes straight to them.... I have yet to be contacted by them 

My question is.... as the flight is now cancelled, am I still required to pay the remaining balance at the end of the month, as surely this is them invalidating the package holiday before me not paying? 

Any advice greatly appreciated. 

Ellie

northwest1965

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/martin-lewis-explains-you-should-21946941

katecox

Hi. I have a holiday booked with tui that I am considering rescheduling to next year( it hasn't been cancelled yet) will my insurance still cover me as this will be the same holiday or will it be seen as a new holiday and hence not covered

Browntoa

As it stands no travel insurance will cover covid19 related claims . All other items are covered .

So your holiday is covered unless covid causes cancellation

northwest1965

Browntoa said:

As it stands no travel insurance will cover covid19 related claims . All other items are covered .

So your holiday is covered unless covid causes cancellation

If the FCO advises all but essential travel, then it's not covered? Even if your insurance covers you for pandemics?