COVID-19 package holiday cancellation options

S

Sarn

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Just looking for some views. I know this is far down the list of priorities given what people are going through.

We are due to pay the balance on a package holiday to Portugal for the last week of May this weekend. We've already put €150 down and have another €1800 to pay this weekend. Given the current COVID-19 pandemic we think it unlikely that we will be able to take the holiday. The travel agent will not allow us to defer paying the balance and have advised that in the event that the trip is cancelled they will offer a voucher. We do not anticipate that we will be taking a holiday in the next year, so do not want a credit note/voucher. The travel agent is encouraging us to cancel before the money is taken.

As I'm sure you can imagine, we are reluctant to pay up to €2000 for something that we are unlikely to get. Given the effect that the current crisis is having on everything travel related, it is hard to know if the safety mechanisms (travel agent bonds, insurance) will be robust enough to cope with the flood of claims/refunds.

My understanding is that there is specific package holiday legislation that could be used if our holiday is cancelled or there is a significant health risk at our intended destination. In such cases the travel agent should offer a full refund. If the agent doesn't play ball then we would have to go to the small claims court. Failing all of that our travel insurance will cover DFA advice to 'Avoid non-essential travel.'

I think the travel agent wants us to cancel as it will make their life easier and they will keep the deposit. What do people think? Let the deposit go and cancel the holiday avoiding the risk of potentially losing up to €2000 or stick it out and hope to get it all back?
 
Don't do anything.

Don't cancel.

Don't pay the balance.

If that causes you to forfeit the €150, it's not a big price to pay.

Brendan
 
Thanks Brendan, ideally that is what I’d like to do, however, they automatically take the balance on the due date from my card.
 
Not that I can see on my account, as it is not set up as a direct debit or standing order. I’ll give my bank a call and see if they can do that for me.
 
Call your credit card company and tell them your card was stolen.they will block your card and send you out a new card with new card number.the agent won't be able too take payment.you might stand too loose €150 rather than €2000.block your card so they can't grab your money
 
This is a really easy one. Cancel your card. Reporting it stolen is your best bet. And forget about your €150, that’s nothing. Plus the travel agent is going to go bust and that’s very little for them. So don’t sweat it. I’ve €500 deposit on a holiday home in Turkey which I’ll probably never see as I await Turkish Airlines cancelling our June flights which cost about 1K.

I wish all I had to worry about was a lost holiday.
 
Bigbangr1 said:
Call your credit card company and tell them your card was stolen.
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Bronte said:
This is a really easy one. Cancel your card. Reporting it stolen is your best bet.
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Or, here's a novel idea. Just cancel the holiday?

Why cancel the card? It's not guaranteed to work depending on how the transaction was authorised.

Most holiday booking have a condition that if you don't pay in time that the booking is cancelled and you lose the deposit. So just cancel it and lose the deposit. And avoid the other changes you'll have to make by changing a card.

Or, move it to a different date - most operators are allowing free changes. So the balance won't be due until X weeks before the new booking date at which point you can make a decision.
 
Let's not fool ourselves - the situation we have will last for months and perhaps longer in the rest of europe. We rent out our place in Spain and I have already refunded any deposits taken. It's never the wrong time to do the right thing. I hope holiday companies step up to the plate too.
 
Is the travel agent using Aer Lingus, Ryanair or a charter flight to take the OP on holidays?

Ryanair have stated that they will not be flying in April or May.
Portugal is closed for tourist business.
The hotel is probably closed as well.

Why would the travel agent look for the balance of this holiday if they cannot provide the holiday?

Why would the travel agent take the balance of a holiday that they know they can't provide and then offer a voucher in it's place that may have further conditions attached.

Who is the say that the price of the same holiday may not double in price for next year and the OP will have to stump up the difference.

I would cancel the holiday and demand a refund of my deposit. Even going to the small claims court. I don't think they would lose. It would also show the travel company for what they are.

Have a look at the travel agent's Facebook page and see what is being said about them.
 
This is what Melia Hotels have said. (Where we have booked).

"For individual bookings made before March 2, 2020 for arrivals until April 30, 2020, we offer 100% flexibility to postpone your reservation up to 24 hours before arrival, choosing a later date until March 26, 2021, in which the reserved hotel offers the same terms and conditions or agreeing to pay a possible difference in rate without any management fee."

They are not responding to emails other than to send a standard reply with reference number. A week later they have still not responded to our original request for a refund. Their Facebook page is full of complaints. Their Facebook page has not been updated sine March 17th.
 
Sarn said:
We've already put €150 down and have another €1800 to pay this weekend.
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Where is the €150 at this point in time? Is it still with the travel agent? Has it been sent to Portugal to pay for a service that will not be provided.

If I went in to DID and paid a deposit for a fridge only to be told a week later that there were none available....I cannot imagine DID saying......Well thanks very much for your donation and keep my deposit.
 
Thanks everybody for the comments. We’re strongly considering cutting our losses at this point and cancelling. We just need to make sure that they won’t try and automatically enforce the 50% cancellation fee as per the T&Cs!

Of course, if we let it ride, the same T&Cs state that in the event that they cancel, they will have to pay compensation or at the very least refund everything. Trying to actually get the money back might be another issue!
 
IsleOfMan said:
If I went in to DID and paid a deposit for a fridge only to be told a week later that there were none available....I cannot imagine DID saying......Well thanks very much for your donation and keep my deposit.
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Did I miss confirmation in the thread that the operator will not be able to honour the contract here?
 
Leo said:
Did I miss confirmation in the thread that the operator will not be able to honour the contract here?
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No wonder very few people are posting on the AAM threads, except the regulars, with comments like this. Do you think you could stop the smart Alec comments Leo?

Watch this comment being deleted.
 
TrundleAlong said:
No wonder very few people are posting on the AAM threads, except the regulars, with comments like this. Do you think you could stop the smart Alec comments Leo?
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It's not intended to be smart alec. The OP is looking for advice on a specific case regarding their rights in relation to cancelling a holiday. Your contribution of DID being out of stock of a particular fridge is of no relevance whatsoever and only serves to confuse the matter.
 
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