Onthebeach refunds

Browntoa

To rename the thread 

tapoccatapocca

So on the beach are actively targeting people to cancel their booking losing 75% of their fees knowing full well a holiday to Spain in 3 weeks won't happen. This is not a nice trick as many won't realise and think they have been treated fairly. Have other seen this email from onthebeach and been tricked or stood firm to keep the booking. We haven't paid our last instalment (hence their suggested to cancel) but would rather pay and wait til they cancel than get cheated. 

Westin

It’s really not a ‘trick’.  They are not ‘cheating’ you. 

Like the rest of us they simply do not know what is happening next.  As you may of seen from the news the turning back of multiple Jet2 aircraft midflight gives an indication on how travel firms do not know until last minute what is going to happen next.

Let OTB deal with the immediate issues. You go in three weeks and no doubt the situation will have changed and probably for you be clearer on options in a few days time.  If you want to cancel now, today, off your own back then you pay the fees and lose some money. If you have patience and let matters take their own course, likely by mid to end of next week the matter will be clear, policy set and probably a clear path to be able to reschedule or cancel you holiday without financial penalty.

Pollycat

Without sight of the email, it's difficult to agree that they are 'actively targeting' or 'tricking' people to cancel.

Mintybawz

EMAIL FROM onthebeach.co.uk  Important information regarding your holiday

**To customers travelling within 30th March to 14th April** Dear Customer, Since the shutdown of flying to Italy and the outbreaks of Covid-19 across most of Europe, we are all facing an unprecedented situation. As such, none of us can know what the next few weeks and months have in store in terms of further outbreaks, school and business closures, periods of quarantine and government advice on whether it is safe to travel or not to holiday destinations across Europe. We appreciate that this is an unsettling time for all of our customers and we know that some of our customers would rather not travel away from home until the situation improves significantly. However, until and unless the government guidance on travel changes, leading to closures of airspace, airlines will continue to fly and the booking conditions of most of these airlines will result in a 100% cancellation charge for customers who choose not travel. We are contacting you because the balance of your holiday is due imminently. If you have already decided that there is no possibility that you will take the holiday that you had planned, we would ask that you let us know as a matter of urgency so we can action the cancellation with your providers to ensure that no further cancellation penalties are due. It is vital that, as your travel agent, we have certainty over whether you are at home or have travelled abroad. You should send an email as a matter of urgency (and well ahead of your balance date) to covid5@onthebeach.co.uk with the instruction to cancel your holiday booking. Please note the subject of this email should be your holiday departure date and your MYB reference number, i.e. “RE: */*/2020, MYB***”. If you cancel as set out above, of course we will waive our administration fees for the cancellation (usually £30 per person) and we will cancel your final balance payment. Unfortunately, for the reasons stated above we will be unable to refund the flight element of the holiday. If the government guidance subsequently changes after you have cancelled your holiday, we will provide you with a voucher/credit against a future On the Beach holiday to any destination and to be taken in the next 24 months. As this is rapidly evolving, we will only be able to notify you as to the exact amount of this credit once the situation is settled. As ever, our customer wellbeing is of utmost importance to us. Should you wish to keep your holiday plans in place, please keep a close eye on the FCO LINK and rest assured we are available to customers in resort 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on our in resort helpline, the details of which are included in your travel paperwork. All the best Simon Cooper CEO, On the Beach

Pollycat

I can't see any 'actively targeting' or 'tricking' people with that email.

They are telling you the balance of your holiday is 'due imminently'.

They are asking you to let them know if you are going to cancel.

They are telling you they can't/won't refund your flight element (that's the difference between using a company like OTB and TUI).

mattyprice4004

Use a cheap online travel agent, and surprised when they give a lesser service than TUI etc. 
Shocker! 

Personally, slightly less of a good service than you'd get with a larger company. 

Sooler

Informative email making it clear that "If you have already decided that there is no possibility that you will take the holiday" to cancel before the payment is due, if you cancel after you will incur higher losses.

Spain’s state of emergency duration is 15 days. Flights to Spain are open 30th March.

UK is excempt from the EU lockdown announced.

Sooler

Situation now changed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6115836/uk-government-fco-advises-against-all-foreign-non-essential-travel

Mintybawz

Thank you all for your advice.
onthebeach has messaged tonight cancelling my holiday due to FOC advice

DM261

Mintybawz said:

Thank you all for your advice.
onthebeach has messaged tonight cancelling my holiday due to FOC advice

Did you get a full refund from OTB? I’m due to travel with them on 2nd May