O/T Holiday / Flight Cancellations With Tui

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

We were booked to fly out to Alicante airport from Doncaster in the morning 17 March 2020 for a 11 day stay in Altea, other side of Benidorm.
With the coronavirus at a peak in Spain, we knew that our holiday was most likely to be cancelled, but Tui kept us hanging on, with the information on their website, saying on Saturday 14 March that flights were to be cancelled for Sunday 15th, Monday 16th, but information for flights going out on Tuesday 17th the company would be in touch with customers on Monday 16th.
But on checking their website Sunday night 15th it said flights were to be cancelled from 14th to 29th March, & that full refunds would be given, with customers having no need to get in touch, where has before they were trying to get you to re-book a holiday or a refund by telephoning a customer.
So today I thought they will send be a e-mail confirming the cancellation of our holiday, after dinner I received a e-mail from Tui, saying the holiday was cancelled, but no refund & that I had to claim on our travel insurance, which i thought no way. but 2 minutes after receiving the e-mail, the e-mail message disappeared off my messages, no matter what I did, i could not get the e-mail message back up.
So I telephoned Tui, after 25 minutes hanging on the phone. I eventually got through to a Tui booking operator, I gave her my booking number etc, telling her that i had received a e-mail telling me to claim on my travel insurance, & yet on their website the day before they stated that a full refund would be given by them, be it I did not want to re-book a holiday, I wanted a full refund of my holiday booking.
The operator said the e-mail saying for me to claim on my travel insurance for the cancelled holiday, had come from Tui headquarters, & that I was to receive a full refund on my booking, naming my account & total amount of £1,109.60pence would go into. She said Tui should not have sent the disappearing e-mail out.
I have checked my account still not paid in, hopefully will be in my account in the next few days, but are Tui trying a fast one by sending e-mail telling people to claim on their travel insurance, which of course a excess will be charged, hoping people won't like me get in touch with them to claim a full refund from Tui the company.

[loyalmiller]

we booked 3 weeks in Australia with Emirates mid May to early June. Still hoping to go but looking very unlikely. Anyway got an email from Emirates saying that if the flights are cancelled we will get a full refund and even told us how to claim it back.

Eased my mind a bit in these worrying times.

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

I had booked airport parking at Doncaster, with booking firm Holiday Extras, all I had to do was get my booking up on my pc, press the cancel parking, select one of the reasons was cancelling, there should be a cancellation booking fee of £10.50 but Holiday Extras have waived the fee.
What they have then done is given me a voucher code to use the money on a future airport parking, which has to be used in a 18 month period.

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

We have also booked 3 weeks holiday in Turkey, May into June with Jet 2 which looks like it will be cancelled.

[Hazza Has A Gazza]

My mum and dad have booked 10 days in Lanzarote in April with TUI. They only booked a few weeks ago, just before the coronavirus started tearing through countries. They're both elderly but stubborn. Best case scenario would be TUI cancelling all holidays and giving them a refund. Worst case scenario, it doesn't get cancelled and they go, which they will, so not to lose out on what they've spent, despite Spain and I presume its islands being in lockdown.

I don't want them to lose their money, nearly £1500, but I don't want them travelling abroad in the worst health crisis of our time either.

Are TUI leaving it while the very last minute, hoping that customers will cancel so they don't have to pay out?

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

My mum and dad have booked 10 days in Lanzarote in April with TUI. They only booked a few weeks ago, just before the coronavirus started tearing through countries. They're both elderly but stubborn. Best case scenario would be TUI cancelling all holidays and giving them a refund. Worst case scenario, it doesn't get cancelled and they go, which they will, so not to lose out on what they've spent, despite Spain and I presume its islands being in lockdown.

I don't want them to lose their money, nearly £1500, but I don't want them travelling abroad in the worst health crisis of our time either.

Are TUI leaving it while the very last minute, hoping that customers will cancel so they don't have to pay out?

Tell them not to cancel themselves Hazza, wait for Tui telling them its cancelled, they might get a e-mail from Tui saying claim on insurance, do not claim on insurance, contact Tui tell you want a full refund. Tui a good company on the holidays, but terrible when they owe you money

[millertop]

Yes we have a June holiday which could be cancelled way things are going.

TUI give refunds out so make sure you get yours Eric

[WanChaiMiller]

Its going to be very expensive for travel companies and airlines. Id rather lose £2k than take the risk travelling to hotspots.

The problem is not of their making. I have a view we should all pay our bit to cover the financial shortfall.

Why should it all fall on travel companies?

[Ericsladkilnhurst]

Its going to be very expensive for travel companies and airlines. Id rather lose £2k than take the risk travelling to hotspots.

The problem is not of their making. I have a view we should all pay our bit to cover the financial shortfall.

Why should it all fall on travel companies?

Tell that to the hotels abroad wan chain, travel companies with Tui telling them they won't get paid for rooms ordered by them, so hotels go under.So you think I should not claim my money back from Tui, instead let insurance kop for the fall, Tui laughing all the way to the bank

[millertop]

Its going to be very expensive for travel companies and airlines. Id rather lose £2k than take the risk travelling to hotspots.

The problem is not of their making. I have a view we should all pay our bit to cover the financial shortfall.

Why should it all fall on travel companies?

Are they not insured like other businesses?