Should I cancel my summer holiday? What the new travel ban means for your break
It is still possible that we may be able to travel overseas from May 17 and we will hear more details soon after the Government’s Travel Taskforce reports on April 12. But there is no doubt that the prospects for a restart are less rosy than they were even a week ago. Anxiety over the rise in coronavirus cases in Europe, a shortage of vaccines, and the spread of new variants means the mood music from the Government has become more negative.
So what should you do about booking your holidays this summer? And what if you have booked travel arrangements already – should you cancel, postpone or hold tight? Here’s our guide to the great holiday conundrum.
I have an overseas holiday coming up soon, should I cancel?
If you have a holiday booked and fear that government restrictions won’t allow you to travel after all, whatever you do, don’t cancel your arrangements unilaterally – otherwise you risk undermining your right to a refund. Instead, wait until your tour operator cancels the holiday itself (see below). Decisions will probably be made for departures in the second half of May and June, in late April. If, however, you are nervous and would prefer to delay your trip – and your airline or tour operator allows penalty free deferrals or rebooking – then there is no reason why you shouldn’t do so.
Will I get my money back?
Current government advice means that tour operators are obliged to cancel your holiday if you are booked before May 17 and in such cases they must offer a refund.
The situation with flight bookings is slightly different. If it is cancelled by the airline then you are entitled to a refund. If your flight still operates and you booked it with the airline or through an agent without any linked holiday arrangements such as a hotel booking, then you may not be legally entitled to a refund. However, in these cases airlines are generally allowing passengers to claim a voucher or rebook for a later date.
What about spring holidays? Will they be happening? Is it safe to book?
The earliest it might be possible to travel legally is May 17, but we won’t know until April 12 at the earliest whether this date will hold, nor – just as importantly – which destinations will be open to British travellers. So don’t book until the situation becomes clearer.
Should I hold off from booking a foreign holiday this summer?
I think we have good grounds for optimism that travel to some destinations will be possible by the school summer holidays. But you should hold on until at least the April 12 government update before booking. If you do decide to commit, make sure that you book with a bonded tour operator so that your money is protected if the company goes out of business and one which offers flexibility in terms of refunds or rebooking if you have to cancel after all. And I would recommend going with an Abta (abta.com) or Aito (aito.co.uk) member – the two organisations have a code of conduct and a dispute resolution service if things go wrong.
Should I book a UK break for the summer?
Yes. Subject to any last-minute changes from the Government, self-catering accommodation re-opens on April 12, and hotels and b&bs hopefully on May 17. Because of doubts over foreign travel there is already huge pressure on accommodation in Britain this summer. So, if you want to be sure of getting somewhere decent to stay – and you can find some availability – it’s probably worth reserving it now. Though do check the cancellation policy in case for some reason, such as new tier restrictions, self-isolation, illness etc, you can’t make it at the last minute.
What about skiing holidays?
All skiing holidays for this season have – or should have – been cancelled and you should have been offered a cash refund for any package holiday you have paid for, or if you prefer, a rebooking for next season. Some peak weeks for next winter are already now heavily booked, but even so, given continuing uncertainties, it’s probably better to wait until the summer before making a new booking.
