Holiday booked, what can I do?

monanelly

Hello,
Hi, I’m asking on behalf of my daughter. She’s a single mum with 4 young kids and has a holiday booked in Salou end of July this year. My question is, would she be able to get a refund OR vouchers for her holiday, as she is quite concerned about travelling so soon. She has been in contact with the tour operator yesterday and they said she can change her holiday to next year BUT THE HOLIDAY HAS DOUBLED IN PRICE!! can they do this ?? 
As a single mother of 4 young kids money not easy and while in lockdown has had to use money saved for her holiday on essentials.  
Has she any rights here or what if anything can she do?  
Please help!!
Looking forward in getting some much needed advice.

[Deleted User]

Hi Monanelly,   

Unfortunately the only hope that your daughter has of a refund from the tour operator, is IF the holiday is cancelled.  Or goes ahead with significant changes (e.g. hotel or flight changes)  Then she would be able to request a refund/credit note.     If the holiday goes ahead as planned then she will not be able to claim anything.   At the moment nobody knows so although she is able to cancel it if she chooses she will be cancelling under the original terms and conditions she booked with.   Tour operators are unlikely to be offering rebooks until they know if the holiday is proceeding or not.    The only small window of hope may be her insurance policy?  Take a look and see what it says about cancellation and FCO advice?   Some will pay for cancellation up to 31 days before holiday date IF FCO advice is against all travel at that time. 

Again, unfortunately (as am not unsympathetic to her plight) her domestic situation is of no concern to the tour operators and yes, the cost can be increased - supply and demand?   If people do not take them up on the vastly increased prices they may reduce them again.    

Mrsn

monanelly said:

She has been in contact with the tour operator yesterday and they said she can change her holiday to next year BUT THE HOLIDAY HAS DOUBLED IN PRICE!! can they do this ?? 

Yes they can do this. Prices fluctuate all the time for holidays and at the moment with people wishing to rebook for next year due to safety concerns they are capitalising on that demand, in essence no different to holidays being more expensive in the school holidays. 

Who is she currently booked with?? Her options are really going to depend on whether a) the flights are operating which I think might be likely by that point and b) whether her hotel is open and what “changes” they have made to accommodate guests.

Neil49

monanelly said:

Hello,
Hi, I’m asking on behalf of my daughter. She’s a single mum with 4 young kids and has a holiday booked in Salou end of July this year. My question is, would she be able to get a refund OR vouchers for her holiday, as she is quite concerned about travelling so soon. She has been in contact with the tour operator yesterday and they said she can change her holiday to next year BUT THE HOLIDAY HAS DOUBLED IN PRICE!! can they do this ?? 
As a single mother of 4 young kids money not easy and while in lockdown has had to use money saved for her holiday on essentials.  
Has she any rights here or what if anything can she do?  
Please help!!
Looking forward in getting some much needed advice.

You don't say who you have booked with but if it's TUI then a recent article in the Independent may be relevant.

They say that although TUI are planning to recommence holidays from the 11th July they will only be running at around 4% capacity which averages out at approximately 400 passengers per day. Even if you aren't with them it shows that tour operators won't suddenly leap into action and run a full operation from day.

In the meantime all you can do is wait and see what happens with your booking. Some people may go on holiday at that time but many others won't. 

bradders1983

If it is Salou then TUI are not starting off with mainland Spain flights anyway, it seems.

dizzyhead_2

I am in same position. All inclusive holiday booked with on the beach for 31st July which my children don’t want to go on as anxious about it. Flights with Ryanair and they not interested - they are flying so we have to go or pay nearly the cost of the flights to change to next year! Been praying the foreign office won’t change its advice but not looking hopeful. 

Life__Goes__On

dizzyhead_2 said:

I am in same position. All inclusive holiday booked with on the beach for 31st July which my children don’t want to go on as anxious about it. Flights with Ryanair and they not interested - they are flying so we have to go or pay nearly the cost of the flights to change to next year! Been praying the foreign office won’t change its advice but not looking hopeful. 

Any travel insurance that you could claim from, as  some you can cancel 31days with FCO advice

monanelly

Hi, thank you everyone for your input.   She is flying with Jet2 as far as I remember.  I’ll get her to check her travel insurance .