Australia July 2021

rjmachin

Last month we were due to go to Australia and managed to get a refund from the airline without issue.
We are planning to go next year instead, July 2021.
Some airlines like Singapore Airlines have started to put their prices up, and usually we book as soon as possible before the prices go up.
I'm not sure, however, whether the book, or wait closer to the time and risk having to pay higher prices, especially with travel insurance not likely to cover for coronavirus issues.
Have you booked a holiday for next year?

lady1964

We were due to go to Australia next month but have obviously cancelled and have got most of our refunds.
We were looking to go in March 2021 probably using SIA but in view of no information on what the situation might be then, and rightly so due to the situation changing almost daily, we’ve decided to hold off booking Australia until things are much clearer. I realise we risk paying higher prices but we usually book our flights as ‘departing’ from somewhere like Stockholm using a flight from the UK as a positioning flight as prices are much cheaper than flying direct from the UK, worth a thought?

Thrugelmir

Are we going to have the all clear by next July? 

lady1964

Thrugelmir said:

Are we going to have the all clear by next July? 

Who knows? Our DD lives in Australia, hence our visit so she’s keeping an eye on changes as are we. I’m wondering if it’s worth starting to look at flights for when we’d like to try to go to see if re-booking will be allowed in the event of not being able to travel again.

Thrugelmir

lady1964 said:

Thrugelmir said:

Are we going to have the all clear by next July? 

Who knows? Our DD lives in Australia, hence our visit so she’s keeping an eye on changes as are we. I’m wondering if it’s worth starting to look at flights for when we’d like to try to go to see if re-booking will be allowed in the event of not being able to travel again.

Never was going to be a quick solution. 

blindman

rjmachin said:

 especially with travel insurance not likely to cover for coronavirus issues.
Have you booked a holiday for next year?

Check around for travel insurance as many now do cover for Covid19 cancelations.

My Nationwide packaged account changed last month to cover Covid19 events 

BUT PLEASE
Book DIRECT with the airline to avoid what 1000's on here have found out, that "Travel Agents" have no scruples.

I have a weekend in Spain booked in 3 weeks and a week in Greece shortly after.
Insurance covers both and we are retired so no problem self isolation when we get back if needed.


Life is about risk and your ability to manage it.

Nebulous2

Our usual holiday is France / Spain. Generally touring with a caravan and using ferries. This year we went to New Zealand to see our son. Our flight back was cancelled, it looked possible I would have to go on to unpaid leave, and it cost us £4000 to get home. Despite being covered by insurance I’ve spent the last 5 months fighting with lastminute.com and my credit card company to get my money back. 

So I may have been affected by that, but I’m unlikely to plan early to go anywhere next year. Ferry prices go up as the date approaches and I usually book mine before Christmas for the following August / September. If I do go next year I’ll book at short notice and pay any premium that takes. 

harz99

rjmachin said:

Last month we were due to go to Australia and managed to get a refund from the airline without issue.
We are planning to go next year instead, July 2021.
Some airlines like Singapore Airlines have started to put their prices up, and usually we book as soon as possible before the prices go up.
I'm not sure, however, whether the book, or wait closer to the time and risk having to pay higher prices, especially with travel insurance not likely to cover for coronavirus issues.
Have you booked a holiday for next year?

Before you book anything I'd suggest you look very carefully at what the various airlines are currently requiring of you to fly with them long haul, also at the current quarantine requirements and arrangements in various parts of Australia for incoming passengers. My family live in WA, which is currently closed to incoming visitors except for residents returning home, on arrival they have to quarantine in a designated hotel for 14 days at their own expense. That level of entry requirements could easily spread, just as easy could be for Australia to go into lockdown whilst you are there trapping you in the country for the duration. Sadly we cannot consider travelling to WA next year, possibly we'll feel able to in 2022, who knows?

lady1964

blindman said:

rjmachin said:

 especially with travel insurance not likely to cover for coronavirus issues.
Have you booked a holiday for next year?

Check around for travel insurance as many now do cover for Covid19 cancelations.

My Nationwide packaged account changed last month to cover Covid19 events 

BUT PLEASE
Book DIRECT with the airline to avoid what 1000's on here have found out, that "Travel Agents" have no scruples.

I have a weekend in Spain booked in 3 weeks and a week in Greece shortly after.
Insurance covers both and we are retired so no problem self isolation when we get back if needed.


Life is about risk and your ability to manage it.

Agreed; we always book direct with the airlines we fly on, our Greece holiday is a BA holiday for full coverage & our travel insurance is good.