Booked Flights to Thailand in April.

Voyager2002

Puddings said:

How long are you going for? Thai quarantine is strict not like ours (!), you'll be picked up from the airport and taken to the hotel where you will not be allowed to leave your room, meals are left outside your door. After 4 days and a further negative test you'll be allowed some fresh air for a short period each day. And you get to pay for  the pleasure, around £2-3k from ex-pat reports. I'm following everything closely, my family are there and I'm desperate to see them. 

Don't be alarmist: the cheapest all-inclusive quarantine package is USD836, so around 50 pounds per night. Worth it for someone who can then spend a couple of months in Thailand.

[Deleted User]

MiserlyMartin said:

I feel for you OP. You would hope and think that in these times you cannot be sure if a country will let you in or not due to the covid thing, that the airlines would show goodwill and allow cancellations and refunds if covid has disrupted travel plans. In fact, it ought to be made law.

I think there is such a thing as paying for flexible tickets though and I can’t understand why someone would book inflexible tickets in the midst of a pandemic to save money and then complain because the airline aren’t being flexible.  

Voyager2002

jamesflood said:

We are staying for 10 nights. There's no way I can see us going. Things aren't going to get better in 4 months to the point where all restrictions are lifted. Id just really like a refund for the flights at this point. I spoke to Flightcatchers and they cant refund me without Qatars approval. Gonna try and ring them now.

Most airlines are allowing people to change the date of travel without charge. Be polite with the airline and see if they agree to this.

Puddings

Voyager2002 said:

Puddings said:

How long are you going for? Thai quarantine is strict not like ours (!), you'll be picked up from the airport and taken to the hotel where you will not be allowed to leave your room, meals are left outside your door. After 4 days and a further negative test you'll be allowed some fresh air for a short period each day. And you get to pay for  the pleasure, around £2-3k from ex-pat reports. I'm following everything closely, my family are there and I'm desperate to see them. 

Don't be alarmist: the cheapest all-inclusive quarantine package is USD836, so around 50 pounds per night. Worth it for someone who can then spend a couple of months in Thailand.

Sorry not trying to be alarmist, that's the average that has been paid by people I know in the last couple of months. Maybe it was high demand at the time, maybe it's getting cheaper as time goes by or maybe they just chose a more expensive hotel but that's what they paid. 
Edit: Just noticed I put £2-3k instead of £1-2k, updated that now.   

jamesflood

Thrugelmir said:

MiserlyMartin said:

I feel for you OP. You would hope and think that in these times you cannot be sure if a country will let you in or not due to the covid thing, that the airlines would show goodwill and allow cancellations and refunds if covid has disrupted travel plans. In fact, it ought to be made law.

In the middle of a global pandemic people have to accept responsibilty for their own decisions. Not expect someone else to bail them out. Nor bother to read the terms and conditions of the contract before booking. 

I don't see how this lays in my decision, the flights were available to book? The restrictions weren't in place when I booked, hence the airline allowing the sale of the tickets. And I'm not expecting anyone to bail me out, I just think someone as big as Qatar Airways wouldn't miss refunding the British passengers on that flight who are unfortunately not allowed to enter the destination country. Terms and conditions state I'll not able to get a refund if the flight goes ahead, which I'll have to accept. But they do not state anything about the destination country closing their borders before arrival either. Big grey area, so I'm hoping when I manage to get hold of Qatar tomorrow, the customer service operator will have a bit of sympathy.

jamesflood

But in all, id rather be on that flight for 10 days away from this miserable nation, than have my money back!

Caz3121

It would have been more sensible to have booked directly with the airline
You can see Qatar's options here https://www.qatarairways.com/en/travel-with-confidence.html
You will need to work with your chosen agent to ask them to work with Qatar on this "Cancellations / Refunds are subject to the guidelines / restrictions imposed by the airline company less our administration charge."
I would expect attempting to get a refund at this point will be treated as per the fare rules of the ticket. I cannot see Qatar's definition of "involuntarily impacted" but I doubt current restrictions will be relevant for getting a refund for a flight in 4 months time.
Another vote for waiting...summer timetable comes in end March, you may find a schedule change or cancellation that would allow you a refund (less Flightcatchers admin charge) 

HereToday

Voyager2002 said:

Puddings said:

How long are you going for? Thai quarantine is strict not like ours (!), you'll be picked up from the airport and taken to the hotel where you will not be allowed to leave your room, meals are left outside your door. After 4 days and a further negative test you'll be allowed some fresh air for a short period each day. And you get to pay for  the pleasure, around £2-3k from ex-pat reports. I'm following everything closely, my family are there and I'm desperate to see them. 

Don't be alarmist: the cheapest all-inclusive quarantine package is USD836, so around 50 pounds per night. Worth it for someone who can then spend a couple of months in Thailand.

Thailand's currency is Thai Baht, not US$. This is a UK website; so cannot see where US$ enters the equation.

There also has to be availability of the cheapest options; 29,000 baht(£719) the last time I looked. 
If you want to be local to where you live, as opposed to Bangkok, then expect to pay from around £1000.
That's why it is mostly people with connections to Thailand; retirees, family etc that go through it all to get here.

You don't actually need a visa as far as I know. They have extended the visa exempt stamp to 45 days from the usual 30 to take the quarantine period into account. But of course you cannot get into the country unless you are on a repatriation flight.

Though one should take my words only as a general guide, as I'm not really following the proceedings in any great detail.

The_Fat_Controller

@jamesflood
At the time you booked, only certain categories of people were permitted to enter Thailand and tourists were not one of them.
There was no notice given at that time by the Thai authorities as to when tourists would be allowed in from the UK, either on any sort of visa or a 30 day visa-exempt entry.
@HereToday, you DO NOT need to get a repatriation flight, you can enter on an approved airline, QATAR and EMIRATES can be booked as normal.
However, all foreigners arriving must currently quarantine on arrival for 16 days/15 nights in an approved hotel.
You also need a Certificate of Entry, which is obtained from the embassy in London, for this you must provide details of Covid insurance (specific cover and minimum amount) for the whole trip, flight booking and the confirmed quarantine hotel booking and a few other forms.
Then you need a negative RT-PCR test within 72 hours of departure and a Fit to Fly certificate from a medical professional.
With an outbreak now in Bangkok and the surrounding area, don't expect any easing of requirements any time soon.
PS. You should have booked direct with the airline !

MattMattMattUK

jamesflood said:

I don't see how this lays in my decision, the flights were available to book? 

Just because you can do something does not mean you should, nor does it mean doing so is a good idea.

jamesflood said:
The restrictions weren't in place when I booked, hence the airline allowing the sale of the tickets. 

In the middle of a global pandemic it is fairly obvious that until the global pandemic is over restrictions may come and go, may get stronger or weaker. For example, yesterday morning I was allowed to have Christmas with my Mum, today I am not, they even created a new tier of restrictions to put my area in.

jamesflood said:

And I'm not expecting anyone to bail me out, I just think someone as big as Qatar Airways wouldn't miss refunding the British passengers on that flight who are unfortunately not allowed to enter the destination country. 

These two statements are contradictory.

jamesflood said:
Terms and conditions state I'll not able to get a refund if the flight goes ahead, which I'll have to accept. 

But they do not state anything about the destination country closing their borders before arrival either. 

They do not need to state anything about you not being allowed into the country. If they flight operates you do not get a refund, if the flight does not operate then you do get a refund. You being ineligible to enter Thailand is your issue, not the issue of the airline, just as visas and entry permits and conditions of entry are your issue, not those of the airline.

jamesflood said:
Big grey area,

It is not a grey area at all, it is settled in legislation and case law and has been for many years.

jamesflood said:
I'm hoping when I manage to get hold of Qatar tomorrow, the customer service operator will have a bit of sympathy.

The operator might have sympathy, they might not, neither of those emotional states will mean that they refund you, they will follow the airline's policy. What they will likely let you do, although possibly not yet, is to amend the flight dates, so you could rebook for later in 2021 or possibly even in 2022, this is likely your best option.