Travel to Portugal

cbatt18

Hi, I have holiday booked to Portugal (Vilamoura) on the 13th of July. Flights and accommodation booked separately (villa and flights Ryanair) before pandemic. As it stands the FCO’ advice is all but essential travel to mainland Portugal. What are my rights can I cancel holiday NOW with full refund.
Thanks

sue1976

If you cancel then you won’t be able to claim a refund. I think that the FCO advice is due to change sometime in the next few days. You would only be entitled to a full refund if both the flight and accommodation were cancelled by the airline and the hotel or travel agents. 

cbatt18

Thanks! Do you know if the  FCO advise is going to change for travel to mainland Portugal over the next few days?

cbatt18

Also if FCO advice doesn’t change then our insurance will be invalid. So unsure what to do! Are we going to have to wait until day of travel (9 days away)? Which means packing for a holiday we might not be going on

macman

The flights may well be cancelled, but since you booked the accom separately, that will not void your accom contract. If the accom is available, you'd either need to look at a claim on your holiday insurance, or alternative means of travel. There is nothing to prevent you entering Portugal from Spain, which probably means a flight to Seville as the nearest alternative airport.
The FCO advice is advisory only: you can travel direct to Faro if the flights operate, but as you say, your insurance may not cover you.

sheramber

Check your insurance policy to see if you are covered for FCO advice not to travel. If you are it will tell how many daysin advance you can claim. It is usually   30  or 28 days so you are well within that time scale.