Over the past year, there has been one thing that many of us have been missing: holidays. Despite the rise of the staycation, with restrictions on foreign travel across the UK easing, many of us are packing our bags and booking a getaway.
However, with an estimated £1bn being held in refunds for holidays that didn’t go ahead last year, there’s a chance you could also be a victim of a cancelled holiday.
To help you plan your summer getaway, we’ve put together some top tips on what to do if your holiday gets cancelled.
Check what type of holiday you’ve booked
If your holiday has been cancelled before you had a chance to board the plane, the first course of action is to check what type of holiday you have booked. According to ABTA, package holidays offer the best form of protection and are entitled to a full refund or to be brought home should the organisers go out of business.
To be classed as a package holiday, you will need to have booked two or more types of travel services from the same organizer or agent.
Bear in mind that the trip will also have had to last more than 24 hours or include an overnight stay.
What rights do I have?
In light of Covid-19, you are within your rights to cancel your holiday if the UK Foreign Office has warned against travel to your chosen destination. This may be the case if a country is put on the red or amber list. If this occurs, you should receive a full refund.
This is following the Competition and Markets Authority taking action on several holiday providers for refusing refunds due to lockdowns.
If you have to cancel for personal reasons, or if you decide the risk of travelling to that country is too great, you may need to pay a termination fee. That is unless your travel insurance policy covers you.
In the case of a death of a relative, many insurance policies will cover the cost of this, but it’s best to check the small print at the time of booking.
How to book future holidays
Although not a lot can be done for holidays you have already paid for, there are some ways you can look to protect yourself for future holidays.
Firstly, look into getting comprehensive travel insurance. Whilst it can be tempting to see insurance as an afterthought, in uncertain times it could save you and your holiday.
Another way to protect yourself is by booking on a credit card. Booking on a credit card provides protection under the Consumer Credit Act for extra peace of mind.
In summary
Although we are living in uncertain times, there’s no need to ditch your holiday plans altogether.
Whilst there are risks associated with booking a holiday during a pandemic, there are some precautions you can take to ensure you are protected. By taking out a comprehensive insurance policy and booking on credit card, you can begin to plan your next holiday in confidence.
