Summer 2021 Travel to Europe

JohnPick

Well the noises are that its unlikely holidays will be allowed this year, but given things are booked need to know how we go about getting the money back, because I just cant see the tour operator or the insurance is going to pay out on this one and to be fair in the grand scheme of things I dont believe it will be safe to travel to holiday abroad. Its currently not allowed to go on holiday.
There are holidays in the UK which would mean distance can be kept from others, like camping pods, which are probably easily disinfected.
I don't see why anyone should lose money over a holiday they cant take, but where do you stand with getting ones money back and on what grounds and how last minute can you leave it or how early can you claim it back. the stress of not knowing what you can and cant do or when is pretty unbearable and wish that I had cancelled and lost my money last year than dragging it out.

Certainly dont think many folk can afford all the extras that maybe enforced, like the costs of tests and isolation, the isolation costs on there own could be more than the holiday and many wont be able to take an extra two weeks off to isolate in a hotel.
Don't forget that this could change whilst you are on holiday, then what happens you come home early to avoid, so whats the point.

JohnPick

air filters are not much good wrt to persons sitting next to and in front or behind you unless they are wearing masks to limit spread. air circulation and ventilation is a problem on planes and has been highlighted specifically on longer haul flights which this one would not be.

One can hope for as much notice and how to cancel for refunds, the anxiety for some including myself from time to time is scary.

photome

JohnPick said:

air filters are not much good wrt to persons sitting next to and in front or behind you unless they are wearing masks to limit spread. air circulation and ventilation is a problem on planes and has been highlighted specifically on longer haul flights which this one would not be.

One can hope for as much notice and how to cancel for refunds, the anxiety for some including myself from time to time is scary.

Why so anxious, thousands are in the same position as you.
what will be will be, is it the end of the world if you were to lose all the money you have paid (worse case scenario) after all its already been spent.
Have you contacted the travel company to see if you can move it again to 2022 maybe 

JohnPick

Not everyone is the same and the levels of stress and anxiety, I know people that are much worse and have had to receive treatment for their anxiety  during this pandemic and fear that I am getting close to the same point.
I fear most that its unsafe to travel, followed by it wont be the experience it would have been when initially booked.
Followed by forced quarantine in the country being visited and when returning home.
Money side is the least of the worries, its certainly highlighted a few things I have taken for granted
Having had to visit medical establishments on holiday for physical injuries caused by a third party more than once, I am not convinced that if one does fall ill with COVID that treatment would be possible either, it was hard enough getting treatment in reputable establishments when they are not under extreme pressures let alone during a pandemic which is a long way off from being sorted world wide. Not to mention hospital visits for asthma attacks in the UK, are bad enough and whilst you get prioritised over others because its serious and potentially life threatening although thankfully not a common event.

holiday moved at last minute last year to this because it was clearly unsafe to travel and yet the industry went ahead with the holidays (could have gone and glad at the time we rebooked as it was unsafe and the options were travel or lose your money or so we were advised, only after pushing did they offer to rebook even then not sure they were being straight), so unsafe it was allowed for a very short period of time before travel became restricted again, yet they were prepared to use me as a guinea pig to test how safe it was.

So I have no faith in commercial prioritise over safety to travel, because they would allow me to travel last year, literally the ban was lifted and  after returning it wouldn't have been long before it was restricted again. So my anixety is more over that my safety isnt being taken seriously, they couldnt even provide me with documentation to prove it was safe to travel including the measures taken to protect me against this known risk, which they say they have taken (sorry has to be in black and white not hearsay).
I am having my annual flu jab shortly and i will be asking whilst there about the covid jab, at risk enough to be down for the flu jab annually. Yes its later than I would normally have it but when originally due the queue outside wasnt socially distant and people weren't wearing face coverings and given flu is a risk of causing significant harm, seemed silly to risk covid.
If you could trust people to wear face masks properly or be socially distant (impossible on a plane and for it to be commercially viable I suspect) I would have less concerns at the risk.

I will have to wait and see how long I can hold out for, but given how far in advance things (weeks if that) and that this holiday provider will only refund if they cancel then I have to see if i can wait until the holiday is upon me before cancelling money lsot or not, because if the anxiety gets any worse it be safer to lose the money.

NoodleDoodleMan

Just been listening to Simon Calder on a radio 'phone in feature about summer holidays this year.

Bottom line is quite clear - there won't be any foreign trips until possibly nearer the end of the year, even then it's questionable.

UK "staycations" also very doubtful until then.

ginger_chocolate

JohnPick said:

Okay so holiday booked last year was rearranged for Summer 2021
1.However are we going to be forced to go on holiday? (UK government saying its not essential)
2. It is likely that I wont be vaccinated before I am due to go on holiday, what happens then would we be allowed to fly?
3. Quarantine, would we have to quarantine at our destination and when we come back?
4. Because of the current situation being so fluid, i am concerned  about quarantine, ie if its necessary i dont have an a issue with the need to isolate, but at an hotel at your own expense, means for many of us it be more expensive than the holiday itself?
5. Took out travel insurance with covid cover, but will it cover extra expenses for quarantine and or cancellations/ refunds rearrangement costs etc etc?
6. The original holiday would have been in the EU whilst the UK was still a member, how does this affect things with insurance specifically health insurance?
7. seeing images of airports being overcrowded, just not sure its a safe place to be without having a jab as I know from experience you cant rely on other passengers being so considerate, so a  crowded plane for 1 hour after a crowded security check etc etc seems like its a very high risk place to be and there is little guidance on what getting ones money back or being forced into a known unsafe environment?

 How exactly would someone *force* you to go on holiday? Frogmarch you to the plane? Absolute worst case scenario you're put in a position where all or part of what you've booked is still available but you choose not to go out of concern for your own safety - in which case you might lose some or all of your money. You're not forced to go anywhere, and as the money is a write off either way, there's no point going on a holiday that you won't enjoy because you're either stuck in a hotel room or constantly anxious. Truth is, this is becoming an increasingly unlikely scenario anyway - most travel companies are now offering flexible deals, refunds, credit etc. Sure, you might have to jump through some hoops, have some annoying phone conversations and wait a while for the money to come through, but no-one's forcing anyone to do anything.

RE the quarantine and vaccination questions - that's most likely going to depend on the rules in the country you are going to, the rules in the UK, and the rules of individual airlines and hotels at the time of travel. Anyone got a crystal ball?

Honestly I don't think there's any point stressing about this or trying to make predictions right now. Summer 2021 is a long way away, things will almost definitely have changed by then - hopefully for the better, but maybe for worse. You can't predict and you can't do anything about it. Just deal with it closer to the time. If travelling is permitted at that time and your booked holiday is going ahead but you don't feel comfortable then simply don't go - call the provider/s and ask what they can offer if you postpone or cancel.

ginger_chocolate

don't see why anyone should lose money over a holiday they cant take, but where do you stand with getting ones money back and on what grounds and how last minute can you leave it or how early can you claim it back. the stress of not knowing what you can and cant do or when is pretty unbearable and wish that I had cancelled and lost my money last year than dragging it out.

I know a lot of people have posted on the forums about difficulties reclaiming money, but obviously you only hear the stories where there have been difficulties. I had no issues at all reclaiming from Logan Air. With Olympic Holidays I had to jump a few hoops and wait a couple of months, but I got my money back (and that was with a RyanAir flight!). The last holiday I got a refund on I cancelled about a week before I was due to fly. Don't assume it will necessarily be difficult - it may well not be and getting yourself wound up about something that may not even happen isn't useful.

zagfles

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Just been listening to Simon Calder on a radio 'phone in feature about summer holidays this year.

Bottom line is quite clear - there won't be any foreign trips until possibly nearer the end of the year, even then it's questionable.

UK "staycations" also very doubtful until then.

There are too many unknowns to make a statement like that. When we get more data on the effectiveness of the vaccine on transmission and against the various variants it might be that UK travel in the summer becomes OK and also travel corridors at least to some countries. 

But would be mad to book anything now - it'll be last minute like last year, managed to get 3 holidays (2 foreign) in 2020. Who knows what 2021 will bring...

NoodleDoodleMan

Can't see it happening this summer - the first round of universal vaccinations are not projected to have been administered until the autumn.

zagfles

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Can't see it happening this summer - the first round of universal vaccinations are not projected to have been administered until the autumn.

Some travel was allowed last summer with no vaccines! All unknown, I'm still hopeful.