Can we put off a family trip without paying the price?
Q We have booked a week’s package holiday to Tenerife through a travel agent, due to depart on 12 March 2023. Unfortunately, we cannot go and want to move it to later this year or next. The holiday company is saying that we will lose half the total holiday cost. It is for two adults and two children and therefore quite a lot of money is at stake. There doesn’t appear to be any flexibility from the holiday company. Would you have any advice for us?
Ronan B
A I imagine you have paid around £1,500 and therefore stand to lose about £750. It is standard practice for holiday companies to apply rising cancellation fees close to departure on the basis that the nearer the trip gets, the more difficult it will be to sell.
The reason you cannot travel may be relevant. If it is something to do with illness, medical treatment or unexpected family circumstances, the holiday company may choose to offer fee-free postponement (subject to any increase in cost for the new departure). This would be a voluntary move, not a legal obligation for the holiday company. Ask your travel agent to pursue it with the “exceptions” team. Should the firm decline, and the reason you cannot go is covered by travel insurance (for example, an unforeseen health issue), you can claim on your policy.
Perhaps, though, you need to postpone for something noninsurable such as a change of job. In that case, the easiest way to avoid high cancellation costs is to transfer the holiday to someone else. This is a legal entitlement. Your travel agent should have mentioned it. Family or friends could take over the booking for a fee of about £50 per person. If you pass on the trip for, say, £1,000, with the buyer paying the charge, they have got a bargain while you have limited your loss.
Should none of the above work, there is one final, slim possibility: challenge the holiday company to prove that it could not sell the trip. If you (or more likely your agent) discovers the package has been resold, you can ask for the proceeds. For future reference: for trips outside school holidays I recommend booking package holidays only a week or two before departure to minimise the chance of unexpected changes.
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