Will Package Holiday be cancelled if FCO advice does not change.

Butts

cwaite said:

eskbanker said:

cwaite said:

I have been in touch with the company and they are saying now that there advise is that even though the FCO's advice is still saying we should avoid all but essential travel to the Maldives, and even though any travel insurance we get is null and void, or will not cover us for Covid 19 we should still go on what was due to be a trip of a lifetime or lose the money that we have paid.

Can a travel company legally do this against FCO advice?

They can do it legally (unless there are "unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occurring at the place of destination or its immediate vicinity and which significantly affect (a) the performance of the package, or (b) the carriage of passengers to the destination") but if they're an ABTA member then they'd be going against ABTA's recently-issued guidance at https://www.abta.com/news/abta-board-confirms-refund-obligation if they fail to offer a refund:

ABTA Board confirms refund obligation

Following recent representations made to ABTA concerning package holiday customers’ refund entitlement in the event of Foreign Office advice against all but essential travel to a destination, the ABTA Board has met and confirmed that customers should be offered a full refund in such circumstances. In accordance with the Articles of the Association, the Board agreed unanimously that ABTA Members should offer refunds to their package holiday customers where the Foreign Office advises against travel at the time the customer is due to travel.

Thank you for your advice would a pandemic not be classed as extraordinary circumstances, and the fact that we cannot get travel insurance and have to isolate for 14 days after not be classed as affecting the performance of the package?

Precisely that is exactly why you should be entitled to a full refund in these circumstances.(The FCO bit)
Just look on this site under cancellation and Which? amongst others.

cwaite

Westin said:

cwaite said:

eskbanker said:

cwaite said:

I have been in touch with the company and they are saying now that there advise is that even though the FCO's advice is still saying we should avoid all but essential travel to the Maldives, and even though any travel insurance we get is null and void, or will not cover us for Covid 19 we should still go on what was due to be a trip of a lifetime or lose the money that we have paid.

Can a travel company legally do this against FCO advice?

They can do it legally (unless there are "unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occurring at the place of destination or its immediate vicinity and which significantly affect (a) the performance of the package, or (b) the carriage of passengers to the destination") but if they're an ABTA member then they'd be going against ABTA's recently-issued guidance at https://www.abta.com/news/abta-board-confirms-refund-obligation if they fail to offer a refund:

ABTA Board confirms refund obligation

Following recent representations made to ABTA concerning package holiday customers’ refund entitlement in the event of Foreign Office advice against all but essential travel to a destination, the ABTA Board has met and confirmed that customers should be offered a full refund in such circumstances. In accordance with the Articles of the Association, the Board agreed unanimously that ABTA Members should offer refunds to their package holiday customers where the Foreign Office advises against travel at the time the customer is due to travel.

Thank you for your advice would a pandemic not be classed as extraordinary circumstances, and the fact that we cannot get travel insurance and have to isolate for 14 days after not be classed as affecting the performance of the package?

Some insurers are now offering travel insurance to cover CV19 related illness whilst abroad.  Possibly not the cheaper ones but I believe options available.

The fact that you may have to isolate upon your return to the UK is not an issue or concern for the tour operator.  That said, a few of the major real tour operators are allowing flexibility and cancellations on destinations where quarantine is required upon returning to the UK.

Are you going soon?

Yes due to be going in just under 4 weeks, not having insurance and then having to then take a further 2 weeks off work would certainly spoil the enjoyment of this once in a lifetime trip to the Maldives.
I have tried to get insurance from insurance companies that say they will cover you for travel against FCO advice, Battleface but they only insure people up to the age of 59 , and also tried campbellirvine.com but they do not cover for Covid-19.