Emirates holidays

BurkieDaddyo

Just looking for some advice/guidance please,   I booked and paid in full for a family package holiday to Dubai (due to leave 2nd June) with emirates holiday.  

Due to the situation in the Middle East and the FCDO advice, I’m looking to cancel this holiday.  Ive been in contact with emirate holidays almost daily for weeks but each time i am told not to cancel myself, but to wait until they cancel the holiday to avoid any cancelation penalty.  

This advice seemed to change when I called them yesterday, they now  suggested that everything is fine, they are still going ahead with all  holiday bookings and not to worry (this immediately made me worry 😠 ), when I mentioned the FCDO advice they said they are also considering “world wide advice” not just FCDO advice.

I’m now in a situation where I have no intention of taking my family to Dubai against FCDO advice, and due to this dragging on for weeks, rather than simply losing my deposit for cancelling myself I’d lose 80-100% of the whole holiday cost if I cancelled.

Four weeks ago they also suggested I raise an official complaint and sent me a link to do this, I’ve had no response from this (non-response to complaints seems to be a feature of emirates holidays when you look at reviews).

I’m at a bit of a loss here, no one on the phone will help, the complaints process is just a form to complete, the customer service emails don’t respond, and I’m due to fly in less than 3 weeks now.

I’m worried by not traveling I’ll break the T&Cs and lose my money, and if I cancelled now I’ll lose the vast majority of my money.

I’ve never booked with emirates before but assumed they were a premium brand, but their handling of this situation is really poor.

I’ve also contacted my travel insurance but they’ve advised me that I’m not covered for issues related to war.

Is there anything anyone can suggest to help please.

CliveOfIndia

If they are still providing the holiday that you booked, then you can expect to pay a cancellation fee if you choose not to go. It would be different if the holiday you booked had been cancelled by them.

In this scenario, you would need to claim from your travel insurance provider.

Aylesbury_Duck

I don't see you have many options here. The FCDO advice is just that: advice. Like you, I would heed it, but you're not absolutely prevented from travelling so I don't see that the airline is at fault here.

If you've already told your insurer that you wish to cancel for reasons of war and that's not covered, I think that avenue is closed.

I'd try to re-book somewhere else with Emirates if they'll allow that, to at least get some use from the money.

Andy_L

I suspect that Emirates aren't going to cancel until the UAE government shuts down their airspace and/or bans foreigners from entering the country (ETA: or the hotel closes down). That could happen tomorrow or not at all.

As CliveOfIndia says this is an issue for you & your travel insurance

born_again

If you look in travel section, there are several posts covering Emirates.

eskbanker

If the FCDO advice remains the same at the time of travel then you absolutely do have the right to cancel for a full refund, under the Package Travel Regulations, and in particular regulation 12:

Notwithstanding paragraphs (2) to (6), in the event of 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,

the traveller may terminate the package travel contract before the start of the package without paying any termination fee.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/regulation/12

Adverse FCDO advice constitutes such unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, but it has to be established that it continues to apply at the point of departure, so you need to wait for now…

BurkieDaddyo

@eskbanker thanks for this reply, that was understanding but good to have someone confirm this.

my concern is they are refusing to even have a discussion. I travel in less than 3 weeks. I’ve been really surprised by their avoidance of this matter.

Phone line say the only option available right now if for me to cancel and suck up 80-100% fee for this. They simply say they “don’t know” if anything will change

Email customer support don’t reply

And the complaints process is to complete a form and wait for a reply. I did this 30 days ago and still not heard from them.

I don’t have a great deal of confidence that they will honor their obligations for a refund regardless of the travel advice. Each time I travel advice to them they away quoting that they are working on worldwide, travel, advice, rather than just UK travel advice.

Isthisforreal99

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81997299#Comment_81997299

To be fair there is nothing at present to be discussed and neither you nor they can say for certain what the position will be at the beginning of June and it is just a case of toughing it out. Only certainty is that if you cancel you lose.

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81997299#Comment_81997299

They'll no doubt be inundated with concerned travellers and will be dealing with them in departure date order - at some point in the fairly near future they'll presumably update their advisory page to cover June packages but until they do (or departure date approaches without them volunteering refund options) your only option other than waiting is to cancel without a refund, so there isn't really much to discuss?