SUMMER holidays look like they could be back on the cards as the government looks to form “travel corridors” with other nations.
But the UK has 14-day quarantine rule in place for all travellers coming into the country from abroad.
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The rules, introduced on June 8, apply to tourists and UK residents regardless of whether they arrive by plane, train or boat.
Other nations have also adopted similar measures for travellers from another country, including France, Spain and Australia.
It means that Brit families could be forced to take five weeks of annual leave for a one week holiday, with two weeks of quarantine in the foreign country, and then another two weeks when returning to the UK.
For many, this simply won’t be possible considering that’s almost all of a full-time worker’s statutory paid holiday entitlement, which is 5.6 weeks in a year.
So what happens if the quarantining rules mean you have to cancel your trip? Are you entitled to get your money back?
We spoke to the experts to find out what your rights are if your holiday can’t go ahead because of isolating rules.
Unfortunately, if you cancel a trip then you aren’t automatically entitled to get your money back.
“Your legal right to a refund for flights or a holiday only covers you if the trip is cancelled by the provider,” explains consumer expert Martyn James from complaints group Resolver.
Transport Minister Grant Shapps told the House of Commons that air bridges “enable people from other areas and countries who have themselves achieved lower levels of growth virus infection to come into the country.”
Currently, countries in Europe are requiring visitors to quarantine for 14 days on arrival, something which the UK is also set to enforce on June 8.
However, agreements between countries, particularly those with low cases of coronavirus, could agree to waive the two-week period to allow tourists to travel without restrictions.
The government is currently debating so-called “air bridges” with countries experiencing low numbers of COVID-19 infections – which would mean travellers both ways would be exempt from quarantine.
It could see Brits travelling freely across Europe from July without having to quarantine on their return.
These are the countries that are considering air bridges.
“In theory, if your flight or holiday hasn’t been cancelled then your right to a refund comes down to the terms and conditions of your booking.”
Some organisations offer a partial refund if you want to cancel your trip but you’ll also be charged a fee.
This covers admin costs and to compensate the travel firm for the risk of not being able to sell your holiday to someone else.
These vary depending on the company and how close to the start of your trip that you cancel.
For example, TUI charges a cancellation fee of 30 per cent if you change your mind between 69 and 63 days before your due to travel, or 100 per cent if you cancel within 14 days of your holiday starting.
The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) guidelines say that travel companies have the right to charge you for a trip if you cancel the booking.
This includes if the reason you can’t go any more is because of the two-week quarantine rules, even if they weren’t in place when you made the booking.
“You can see if you can transfer your holiday to another person, as you have the right to do that,” ABTA said.
“If you unfortunately can’t go, the holiday company will have the right to charge you the normal cancellation charges.”
You’ll find the cancellation fees charged by your holiday provider in the terms and conditions of your booking.
Airlines also have the right to charge you the appropriate cancellation fees that are outlined in your booking if you decide you can no longer make the trip.
These also vary depending on who you booked with but the fees will be outline in the terms and conditions.
“Let’s face it, for millions of us, it’s not feasible to go on holiday with all the risk, delays and queues and quarantine rules,” said Martyn.
“Travel insurance is probably your first stop if you can’t travel or medically your doctor doesn’t think it’s wise to travel.”
You should also look out for clauses that specify that you won’t be covered for cancellations caused by a pandemic.
There are three keys areas you need to look when buying travel insurance, according to consumer group Which?:
The number of travel insurance taken out in March ballooned by a shocking 277 per cent in the wake of the outbreak, according to GoCompare.com.
But since then, several major insurers have stopped the sale of new policies altogether or removed cover for trouble caused by COVID-19.
You will need to check with your travel insurance provider to see if it will cover you for cancellations caused by the 14 day quarantine rules.
But remember government still has a ban on all non-essential travel, which includes holidays.
Travel insurers typically pay out for trips cancelled due to FCO advice as long as it covers the current pandemic.
If you simply want to cancel your trip you’re unlikely to be able to claim on your insurance unless you have a pre-existing medical condition that could make travelling risky given the coronavirus climate.
If you do claim on your travel insurance, also bear in mind you’ll likely have to pay a fee known as an “excess” on any claim.
You will only be able to claim a refund through your credit card if the holiday provider has cancelled your trip, not if you choose to terminate it.
Credit card payments of between £100 and £30,000 are covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act.
This means where you don’t get the service you paid for, eg, your trip is called, your credit card provider is jointly liable and you can reclaim costs from them.
To start a claim, you need to contact your credit card provider directly.
For flights and hotels booked by debit card you may be able to claim a refund via the Chargeback scheme if your provider has cancelled your booking.
This also applies to credit card bookings of under £100.
As with Section 75, chargeback can be used to reclaim cash for goods and services you didn’t receive.
But unlike Section 75, it’s not a legal requirement so there’s no guarantee you’ll get your money back.
To start a chargeback claim, you need to contact your card provider within 120 days of the transaction.
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