Post lockdown holidays

[Mottie]

Just had an email from EasyJet telling me that our October flights to Malaga for our motorcycle fly/ride trip have been cancelled. Oh joy. No, really, Oh joy. Hopefully we can change them to next year.

I can’t believe the stupidity of my mates! Despite the quarantine in place at the moment and the rapidly rising infection rate in Spain, of the four that I was going with, one of them had to drop out a week ago because he had a hernia operation cancelled in March and it’s been rescheduled to just 5 days before the trip so he couldn’t go anyway but the other three have now booked flights with Ryanair. They asked me if I was still interested in booking another flight and I told them.....nope! Apparently I can get my deposit back for the trip but it might not be for some time as they have zero cash flow at the moment. They said they will leave my booking open in case the situation changes and I can make a definite decision as late as two or three days before the trip but I doubt if I will change my mind. Meanwhile, as I paid for the flights, I’ve applied for yet another refund from EasyJet.

 

[crystal ball]

Just moved our Portugal trip to next April so thats from May to November to April 2021

 

[motorbiking]

still out in Greece - its lovely here. Brits very welcome. Noisy bars closed, night clubs closed, nice food hot weather and the right kind of wind. Genuinely thought it would be game over for Greece by the end of the month. I've visited places that are normally so busy you can't get in unless you arrive by 10am

I'm intrigued with the easyjet thing, I have a friend who was travelling to Spain, they cancelled her return leg but not her outbound. I think they are pulling a scam so they can bill the outbound route. Under the air travel rules she can claim the outbound leg no longer serves any point.

 

[Mottie]

They said they will leave my booking open in case the situation changes and I can make a definite decision as late as two or three days before the trip but I doubt if I will change my mind.

On the very slight chance that it will be safe to travel to Spain in mid October, I’ve booked seats on the same flights as my mates. Cost me less than a tenner each way. I can add extras like priority boarding, luggage, reserved seats etc if I decide to go. Still don’t expect to go though.

 

[ellal]

I'm intrigued with the easyjet thing, I have a friend who was travelling to Spain, they cancelled her return leg but not her outbound. I think they are pulling a scam so they can bill the outbound route. Under the air travel rules she can claim the outbound leg no longer serves any point.

Another scam that appears to be sometimes happening is that the inbound and outbound flights are being billed separately...

And also that even if the booking was for more than one person, individual passenger's flights are also being billed separately.

Probably because in many cases it avoids the credit card company being able to be involved in any claim under the credit card act due to each flight being under the £100 limit...

Separate purchases!

 

[Mottie]

Probably because in many cases it avoids the credit card company being able to be involved in any claim under the credit card act due to each flight being under the £100 limit...

More than likely. I bought a bath, shower screen, bath and basin taps, bath panel, basin and wall hung vanity unit to freshen up our bathroom a few years ago from Better Bathrooms. Cost just under £800. Had a problem with the shower seal, bath panel and one of the taps. Went back there a few weeks after delivery to complain and they had gone into liquidation. Got onto my credit card company and although the total invoice was over £100, each individual item wasn’t so they basically told me to whistle for it.

 

[Mottie]

a two family holiday to celebrate DIL's 30th birthday at Center Parcs in November

Question for @conny. We’ve got two adjacent villas booked, one with four people and the other with eight and we we’re planning to have a party on the day in the bigger villa. Obviously that’s out but what’s happening with bookings for villas with more than 6 people from different households? Are they being automatically cancelled? Don’t really want to go now anyway as we won’t even be able to be together in any of the restaurants.

 

[securespark]

Better Bathrooms....they had gone into liquidation.

Seem to be up and running now?

 

[Mottie]

Ba stards!

 

[conny]

Question for @conny. We’ve got two adjacent villas booked, one with four people and the other with eight and we we’re planning to have a party on the day in the bigger villa. Obviously that’s out but what’s happening with bookings for villas with more than 6 people from different households? Are they being automatically cancelled? Don’t really want to go now anyway as we won’t even be able to be together in any of the restaurants.

Well the honest answer is I don't exactly know.

By rights I think the holiday companies are supposed to be advising guests of the rules and asking if they will amend their booking. e.g. cancel and book a later date, cancel and take a refund or limit the number of any groups of more than 6, unless they are all from the same household or bubble. By bubble this can mean if there is a family of 5 or 6, (possibly even more), and someone like grandparents have regular contact to 'babysit' or care for someone that is classed as vulnerable, then they will be allowed to continue with their break. If you are booked for CP then the best advice I can give is to contact them and ask for their advice. I have heard that there have been groups of more than 6 at various parcs during this last week. I don't know what other holiday places are doing but word is, is that some are leaving it to guests to do their own 'policing' of the situation. What parc are you going to out of interest?
Sorry I can't be of more help.

 

[Mottie]

What parc are you going to out of interest?

Ok thanks, I’ll have to get someone to check. As far as I know it’s Thetford - I think! I didn’t make the booking.

 

[securespark]

Ba stards!

Well, you've got nowt to lose by making a call and asking...

 

[conny]

Question for @conny. We’ve got two adjacent villas booked, one with four people and the other with eight and we we’re planning to have a party on the day in the bigger villa. Obviously that’s out but what’s happening with bookings for villas with more than 6 people from different households? Are they being automatically cancelled? Don’t really want to go now anyway as we won’t even be able to be together in any of the restaurants.

Going back to this, we get a weekly team bulletin and one of the sections tonight is as follows;

Rule of 6: This is now law and if a guest’s break is impacted by this, or any other kind of COVID-19 guidance, they are covered under our Book with Confidence guarantee, which means they can rearrange or cancel their break up to 14 days before their arrival date. Restaurant tables will also be limited to a maximum of 6 guests.

Hope this helps. Also, things like restaurant bookings, multi player activities such as bowling etc will also be limited to a maximum of 6. They have also introduced QR(?) codes at the entrance to all guest ares such as activity centres, restaurants, swimming etc, etc. They are adhering to the letter of the law.

 

[Mottie]

On the very slight chance that it will be safe to travel to Spain in mid October, I’ve booked seats on the same flights as my mates. Cost me less than a tenner each way. I can add extras like priority boarding, luggage, reserved seats etc if I decide to go. Still don’t expect to go though.

Well, the trip is planned for Oct 12th and I’ve just told them that due to the quarantine still being in place, I’m not going on this fly-ride trip. One other has pulled out because he has work commitments when he returns so cant afford to quarantine and another pulled out because he has a rescheduled hernia operation planned 5 days before we go. Of the two that’s left, one has lots of holiday leave to use so will try to book three weeks off work - one week for the holiday and two weeks for the quarantine (as long as his firm will allow it) and the other one is adamant that he's going and won’t be quarantining on his return. I think his wife with an elderly mother to care for may have other ideas when she finds out!

 

[Mottie]

Well, the one with lots of holiday decided against going so the other one was set to go on his own but his wife stopped him. He's still having a proper sulk about it and hardly talking to his wife and that’s from two weeks ago.

Spoke to the person I booked our new year holiday with - looking highly unlikely as only six are allowed at the moment, if they go to high level, it’ll be just one household allowed. Been offered a full refund but we will wait and see.

Same for the centre Parcs family holiday - the DIL's parents have cancelled it and will rebook for next year.

So on the holiday front it’s Covid 5, Mottie Utd 0

We're all still living and Covid free though so could be worse.