HOLIDAY HOPES DASHED
Tour firms cancel trips amid fears for summer breaks too
GETAWAY plans have been dashed for Britons due to go abroad during lockdown after trips were cancelled by holiday firms – now there are fears millions may not get a foreign summer break either.
TUI, Thomas Cook are among companies contacting customers and offering a choice of a cash refund or the chance to rebook.
However, even a summer holiday is likely to be a lottery, given doubts about how many people will get both vaccine doses by the warmer months.
However, many pensioners will
‘Demand for a beach escape’
have had the vaccine and companies may skew their holiday options to suit this age group from Easter onwards.
It is possible destinations including the US and EU countries will be prepared to accept British visitors on the basis of a negative virus test no more than 72 hours before departure.
But even if they do, the need for tests on departure and, potentially, on arrival back in the UK could add more than £500 to the cost of a trip for a typical family.
Alan French, chief executive of Thomas Cook, said the firm will be calling customers to cancel holidays planned over the next seven weeks. However, he predicted a surge in bookings for later this year for those who have been vaccinated.
He said: ‘I am sure that after many more weeks spent at home – and with the progress of the vaccine rollout – we will see an even bigger demand for people to escape to the beach this summer.’ The biggest operator, TUI UK, said: ‘Customers due to travel from an English airport before midFebruary will be contacted in departure date order to discuss their options.
All holidays from Scotland and Wales have been cancelled until January 31.’ It said customers currently overseas are unaffected.
During the first lockdown thousands of holidaymakers lost their break and thousands of pounds. The consumer champion Which? stresses that package holidays, rather than booking flights and accommodation separately, offer more protection and refunds rights. Travel industry expert Paul Charles, of the PC Agency, is hopeful that some Britons will be able to holiday in Europe from the beginning of May ’ if the UK vaccination programme goes to plan’.
But he warned trips to countries further afield may be off the cards: ‘Long-haul trips may be less certain as they may wish to keep their borders closed until their own winters have passed and their own vaccine programmes are well underway.’