Amber country cancellations

trobo29

I have a trip to Ibiza that was originally booked for September 2020 (we booked our trip before the pandemic) flights and hotel booked separately. Last year we moved everything to September 2021. 

Now I’m doubting if we can travel this year but don’t want to pay even more flight changes. Surely if we’re only allowed to travel for emergency reasons (which isn’t holidays!) the airline should refund or allow free flight changes. 

Any thoughts? 

Browntoa

There's a good chance that your holiday will go ahead.

Cancellation, refund or free changes depending on the terms and conditions of the booking

A lot can change between now and then

Westin

I agree with Browntoa. Much can and will change between now and September.  The so called traffic light system is under constant review. 
If however you want to bail in the meantime you are bound by the terms and conditions laid down by your airline/travel provider.  No one will force you to fly to Ibiza but if course you may lose money if you cancel now.

soolin

I’ve got a holiday booked for September to Majorca, I am ‘fairly’ confident that it will go ahead. Like the OP mine was booked separately (the resort was booked in 2019 and was postponed for a year) but the resort won’t survive another year without UK visitors and if we have to cancel then I fully expect my deposit to be lost (our balance is not due until arrival). I’m not sure about our flights as we booked very cheaply in January this year but if needs be we took a gamble and if we can’t reclaim anything then so be it. If we do get to go we have lovely cheap flights! 

gettingtheresometime

Has the govt defined what an 'emergency' is? 

lisyloo

gettingtheresometime said:

Has the govt defined what an 'emergency' is? 

No sure whether you are trying to make a point here, but yes there is a well defined list of "reasonable excuses" like attending a funeral.

CKhalvashi

lisyloo said:

gettingtheresometime said:

Has the govt defined what an 'emergency' is? 

No sure whether you are trying to make a point here, but yes there is a well defined list of "reasonable excuses" like attending a funeral.

However this is completely irrelevant to an extent now the law has been changed to advice.

A legal opinion I've been given is that agencies are only obliged to follow the FCO advice, not the green/amber list advice. The conflicting advice between two departments within our own government is not helpful to the overall situation here, and there are many calls from several governments for the British government to clarify how it is dealing with this, especially from Greece and Spain.

There is no legal definition that has been through the courts as far as I'm aware of what an 'emergency' is, however I think that it will be considered reasonable to be on the basis of FCO advice, as this is used as a benchmark for many other circumstances.

Of course, we have seen some countries go from green to red with no amber between under the previous rules, which means there is no guarantee even that a green list holiday is safe right now.

lisyloo

Agree that it's very confusing. I presumed the OP was referring to the list of reasonable excuses when they said "emergency" (although the "Stanley Johnson clause" is hardly an emergency).
I'm surprised there hasn't been more discussion on here about the risk of countries going amber or red. A colleague recently went to India (unavoidably) and now has to go through hotel quarantine (he is self-employed). Some people were isolating in Turkey which was cheaper that UK quarantine, but now that's gone red too.

I don't know what happens if someone can't afford the £1750 + £230. I guess it gets passed to the debt collectors.

I do wonder if people are aware that this could happen and they might not be able to find a flight or whether they are simply choosing to be in denial.

BTW - I'm booked for the UK with free cancellation and nothing paid up front.

gettingtheresometime

lisyloo said:

gettingtheresometime said:

Has the govt defined what an 'emergency' is? 

No sure whether you are trying to make a point here, but yes there is a well defined list of "reasonable excuses" like attending a funeral.

I guess what I was trying say is that one person's emergency is another person's pleasure trip.

I've got a trip booked to currently Amber listed country for August. If things stand as they are, then I will go - being lucky enough to be able to isolate for 10 days at home as so long as we've got an internet signal we can work anywhere in the world.

kaMelo

gettingtheresometime said:

lisyloo said:

gettingtheresometime said:

Has the govt defined what an 'emergency' is? 

No sure whether you are trying to make a point here, but yes there is a well defined list of "reasonable excuses" like attending a funeral.

I guess what I was trying say is that one person's emergency is another person's pleasure trip.

I've got a trip booked to currently Amber listed country for August. If things stand as they are, then I will go - being lucky enough to be able to isolate for 10 days at home as so long as we've got an internet signal we can work anywhere in the world.

I think a more important factor is the FCO advice rather than the traffic light colour of a country. FCO advice against travel invalidates most travel insurance policies whereas the traffic light colour does not. Logically you would think the traffic light system and FCO advice would align but they don't always do so.
Spain including islands is amber whereas the Canary Islands are excluded from the advice against all but essential travel, similar with Greece which is entirely amber but the islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete are excluded from the FCO advice not to travel. As such travel to those Greek islands or Canary Islands would be covered by most travel insurance policies even though they are amber.
Unlike the traffic light system, the FCO advice doesn't seem to get trumpeted in the media when it changes so maybe worth keeping an eye on changes if you've got a trip booked.