Loveholidays-will my hotel be cancelled if FCO Advice doesn’t change?

sturgeon

I’ve read all the shambolic feedback for this company and have struggled to contact them. It’s simply not possible, no phone lines, ignore social media, live chat has hundreds of people in a queue but 99% of the time you can’t even enter the queue. It’s unbelievable that they’re allowed to get away with this. 

Anyway, I booked early June to go to Dubai for a December trip. I knew that travel was risky and it wasn’t on the FCO advised travel list, just like every other destination at the time. Clearly advice on many destinations has changed since then. Im unable to find an answer regarding my question. If the FCO advice doesn’t change by December, especially as an ABTA travel company, would they be obliged to refund or issue a credit note? I knowingly paid for the holiday when FCO said don’t travel but surely it’s the same for the thousands booking USA trips next year, for example. Yes I expect hassle regarding credit notes etc but are they obliged to refund if the government advises against all but essential travel even if that rule applied when the booking was made?

I’d expect them to be obliged to refund based on the fact that they and many other travel companies are still selling trip to destinations that we currently are unable to visit according to the FCO advice, but of course both parties hope guidance changes in the meantime. 

Just have no idea when I’d even hear if they’d cancel so cannot plan around this at all. I’ve seen many posts online from people going to spain etc imminently but the situation is different as advice changed to not travel. Dubai says to not travel now so there must be a time limit when they pull the plug before each booked trip?

bagand96

If you’ve booked a hotel only then they will be under no obligation to cancel and refund you. FCO Travel Advisories are not their problem. As you say, you booked knowing it was risky, and at a time when the FCO advice was against travel. 

Unless your booking is flexible or the terms let you cancel it then you might be stuck. 

In terms of customer care, your booking is in December, you’re nowhere near a priority, they’ll be trying to sort thousands getting in touch over the current Spain situation. 

[Deleted User]

It is just far too early to even think about your holiday in December.   Things could change multiple times between now and then so give up trying to contact the agents, the person on the end of the phone will  know no more than you or I do now.   They will be working in strict order of travel as thousands of people to sort out in various ways.   People who don't need to phone them can help by not doing so.

For now, look at the terms and agreements you booked under.   I feel sure nobody would have booked a holiday last month unless there was some guarantee of a refund/voucher should things go pear shaped?    Then forget it until November at the earliest or you will drive yourself insane.