Simon Calder discusses how a hotel quarantine ‘might look’
Package holidays have been placed on hold by many companies into the early spring due to the ongoing travel restrictions in the UK. Currently, under national lockdown rules, Britons may not travel abroad unless it is for an “essential reason”.
However, yesterday these measures were further tightened with the addition of added police checks at the border, as well as the implementation of new quarantine hotels.
This has forced holiday firms Thomas Cook to axe even more of its package holidays.
What are the latest updates from other package holiday providers such as TUI, easyJet holidays and Jet2 holidays?
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
Thomas Cook
Following the announcement of quarantine hotels by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the House of Commons yesterday, Thomas Cook released a statement explaining it would be further cancelling holidays.
Alan French, Thomas Cook CEO, said: “We know that our customers want to feel confident they can travel or, if not, that they can get their money back. We want to reassure our customers that we will amend or cancel in full any holiday where the customer has to quarantine in a hotel on their return if they no longer wish to travel.
“While we understand the need to protect the UK from additional strains of the virus, we would encourage the government to be clear how long they expect these measures to be in place and to give the public some idea of how countries will be added or removed from the list.
“We’re all desperate for a break right now and having a holiday to look forward to will go a long way to helping us all get through the mental challenges of the pandemic and help the travel industry focus on rebuilding a future.”
DON’T MISS
Spain holidays: Spain could ban tourists ‘until August’ [COMMENT]
Google Maps Street View: Creepy ‘dead bodies’ spotted in Chile [VIRAL]
Package holidays: Latest updates for easyJet, Jet2 & TUI [UPDATES]
TUI
TUI already made the decision to place holidays on hold on January 5 after the announcement of a third national UK lockdown.
Holidays due to depart on or before February 28 are currently on hold.
However, the travel firm says no further travel plans will be impacted due to the latest travel rules.
A TUI spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “TUI stopped flying on January 5 when the national lockdown was introduced and therefore no customers will be impacted.”
Customers who are impacted by cancellations will be contacted by TUI “in departure date order” to discuss their options.
Holidays due to depart on or before April 30, 2021, to Goa, India; La Palma, Canary Islands; Phuket, Thailand, The Gambia and Florida are also cancelled.
Customers may be offered a refund credit, to be used towards another holiday, or a full cash refund.
In a message on its website, TUI added: “We’d like to extend a personal thank you for your patience and understanding as our customer service and social media teams work around the clock during such an unprecedented time.”
easyJet holidays
easyJet holidays has not yet announced whether or not further travel plans will be impacted as a result of the quarantine hotel rules.
Express.co.uk has contacted the holiday provider for comment.
However, the travel operator had previously axed holidays due to the current national lockdown in the UK.
All holidays are cancelled up to and including March 24.
The holiday firm says it is in the process of contacting all customers with impacted bookings to discuss their options.
The holiday firm is in the process of contacting all impacted customers to discuss their options.
Holidaymakers can change their holiday online to a new date and destination, or for those who are not ready to rebook, they can opt for an easyJet holidays credit.
This can be used towards a holiday in the future.
There is also the option to claim a full cash refund which the travel firms says could be processed “in an average of 12 days”.
Alternatively, for those who are not ready to rebook, they can opt to receive easyJet holidays credit to be used towards a future holiday.
Previously, Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays customer director, said: “We know this news will be disappointing. But we want to give our customers as much flexibility and choice as possible so they can decide what is best for them.
“We’re really proud that, where we’ve needed to cancel holidays, we’ve been able to process refunds in an average of 12 days. We’ll continue to do the right thing for customers.
“And for any customers wanting to change their holiday or make a new booking, we’ve got holidays on sale all the way through to March 2022.
“We know there is light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine. We can’t wait to take people on well-deserved holidays just as soon as it’s possible for us to do so.”
Jet2 holidays
Express.co.uk has contacted Jet2 to find out whether the hotel quarantine rule will impact further holidays.
So far, the holiday operator has already cancelled some holidays as a result of the national lockdown and subsequent “non-essential” travel ban.
All Jet2 holidays are cancelled up until mid-March.
Package holidays, as well as flights, are axed until March 25.
Travel to Iceland is further suspended until April 26.
A Jet2 spokesperson said: “We will be automatically cancelling affected bookings with a full refund.
“Since the onset of the pandemic, we have always respected that customers should receive their money back if we have not provided their flight or holiday.
“For customers due to travel from March 26 onwards, we will provide further updates closer to the time as appropriate.”
Source: Read Full Article