Holiday Abroad in May Booked: What to do?

We are due to go next week, only the Canaries, We both have Asthma And DH has a chest infection at the moment. He’s coughing and spluttering all day

And I wouldn’t want to sit next to him on the plane if he was a stranger!

What to do?

Well, I am going to France and Spain by rail in mid-April and I am not changing my plans. I’m always careful about handwashing and will just continue as normal, unless things change radically. I have well- controlled asthma. It seems a pity to cancel a holiday you have been looking forward to.

Stella14 I think you have to add to the equation any stress and worry that you will suffer if you go on holiday. If you can take reasonable precautions and provided things don't worsen dramatically then enjoy your holiday it will be fine. If however you will spend the time worrying and not visiting tourist spots then I would stay at home. Don't underestimate the effects of stress.

I'm in this dilemma about going back home to the UK for the upcoming school holiday in 3 weeks. I'll have to fly through Geneva which has been the WORST airport for crowding and being disorganised I've ever experienced.

My flights are booked and paid for I doubt any refund is possible. I'll be devastated if I can't spend the time with my family BUT equally don't want to take stupid risks.

Thanks girls. It’s frustrating that I need to decide on the lodge by the end of March when things could look different altogether in may.

Sodapop, I hear you, but nearly the entire trip will be spent at a small safari lodge with not many people and daily safaris, so fortunately, not a trip with traditional tourist spots as such.

Oopsadaisy3, I sympathise with your dilemma

Doramar, I understand where you are coming from too. We really want to go on our trip and (notwithstanding new information over the coming weeks), I think in the end we will go, albeit wearing a mask (the type with a ventilation valve so it does protect) around the airports.

Yes we are going to the USA for our first holiday abroad for four years at the beginning of May. Thankfully we booked our accommodation subject to our being able to cancel and as well as that we have paid for our flights and travel insurance. We will wait and see what the advice of our government and the USA is, there may well be travel restrictions which will make the decision for us. Being on a plane for 10 hours isn’t the ideal situation but like DoraMarr we are also looking forward to this holiday and all we can do is make sure we keep our hands clean and take a good supply of antibacterial wipes which we always use to give the drop down food trays a good clean.

In April we are due to visit my sister-in-law who lives near Pisa. We are really not sure now and have not booked flights yet. We will wait and see if the virus calms down. A virologist on TV said airports are one of the worst places to catch it. Husband has COPD and I've had pleurisy in the past.

As a family we have booked a holiday in France for the end of May. We will not be flying we are going by ferry from Dover to Calais as usual and will be staying in private rented accommodation so we plan to go. It is a really small town we are staying in and we will be doing our own catering except for some drinks when out and about. I feel it is safer because we are not using an airport/flying

We've got a holiday to a place near Rome booked for July and I have to confess I'm having a bit of a wobble.

DD's boyfriend is currently being tested for the virus after returning a fortnight ago from a ski trip at a place that's classed as high risk - I am hoping and praying it's negative as I spent the weekend with her!

We have just paid for our holiday in Portugal in May on a credit card so we might have some comeback. If the foreign office say you shouldn't travel to that area then we are insured - otherwise we will take our chances and practice our usual good personal hygiene.

Absolutely, if the Foreign Office advise against travel, we’re all covered by travel insurance if we cancel. In fact if we travel against Foreign Office advice, it makes travel insurance invalid! The problem is that Boris Johnson has said that the government won’t advise against travel abroad “since the virus is everywhere”. I think that is ridiculous as airports, aircrafts etc will be like plague pits. I have noticed that their focus is on protecting the economy. Working age, healthy adults are at little risk and those of us drawing a pension are expendable- or am I too cynical?

Stella I think that being business class on a plane means there are fewer people around you but surely the air con is for the whole plane and since the virus is airborne amongst other types of transmissions then everyone is at risk. We are booked in April to travel to Perth, Australia then Bali, back to Perth then Sydney, back to Perth then home via Doha. I was already worried about all the travel by air but now it is really worrying me. Unless all air travel is banned then what happens to flights? Do you get refunded or has that not been decided?

My DD & SIL are due to fly to Rome in 10 days and had tickets to see the Six Nations Rugby which it seems will now be played but 'behind closed doors' ie no spectators. We are looking after their 3 young children for the 4 days they are away. The big dilemma here is, if they should be unlucky enough find themselves in a quarantine situation, that 4 days will become 4 weeks. But unless the foreign office advises against travel, they will forfeit the whole cost of their holiday. Really, all they can do is wait and see and prioritise the children best interests.

I’m due to fly back from Sydney in 2 weeks. Concerned? Yes.

DD1 & family going to Paris while SiL runs the Marathon; unless advised otherwise they’ll still go even if the marathon is cancelled. Worried? Yes.

DD3 & family flying to Nepal in 3 weeks Going unless BA cancel flights. Worried? Yes. I already was (dgc’s 7&10) Now? extremely ...

Elaine1, agreed re business class. I was just grasping at straws. Regarding flights. It depends, some are non-refundable, some are refundable except for a relatively small admin fee. Fortunately, my flights to Johannesburg were booked with avios (airmiles) and are refundable (with a £70 each admin fee) up to 24 hours before departure.

I emailed the safari lodge this evening, explaining the situation (they apparently have no cases in South Africa), including age, pre-existing health issues etc. I said that I didn’t want a refund, just to push back the dates, asking if, in the circumstances, they would allow a deferment until the virus flattened out, without charging me a penalty. They might go for it, since all of the travel industry are suffering from cancellations and lack of bookings in the situation. I’ll lose money on the internal flights and other bits, but better to push it all back 5/6 months - max I’m guessing. The more I think about it, the more I (and my usually carefree husband) think negotiating airports and flights is a bad idea at this time.

I too would like some thoughts from others- my son and 2yr old daughter are booked to visit us from Australia in April . They’re changing planes in Dubai . DS is concerned that he might bring the virus with him and give it to us oldies ( late 60’s)
I haven’t seen them for a year and am very very much in a quandary as to what to advise him to do .Ultimately it’ll be his decision of course. What would You do if you were me ?

We are flying to the South of France in Mid May and have every intention of going, unless the flight is cancelled or the area is closed to tourists.
We have however, postponed trips to other places due to their outbreaks of the virus. Fortunately we were in the final stages of planning the trips, but hadn’t started the booking process.

curveygran I would not worry about your family visit and enjoy their visit.
Your just as likely to get the virus from someone here, by then if it spreads as predicted.

We are booked on a short cruise (4 days) in early May and are not sure what to do. However we are now in France and will continue to travel here regularly, as we usually do, but we travel by ferry.

Thank you J52 . That’s what I was thinking, far more likely to catch it from a supermarket trolley .

Re Geneva airport, Gagajo, it was also the most blatant rip-off for a small bottle of water I’ve ever encountered - and I’ve been through dozens of airports.

We live in a small Spanish village so don't really do crowds. However we travel a lot. UK then Cyprus in early May. It makes sense to plan for the worst and hope for the best. I'll pack as usual but make sure my kindle is full. I'll take loads of knitting. I'll take enough extra meds for 3 weeks. I'll wash my hands a lot , as usual, and wash my nose out with warm saline. If it's not one virus it's another, so I'll be careful but not much stops me.

Same as Teetime and all booked and paid for, a very special
Anniversary at that time and we really want to go.
DH has all the medical conditions that would be very much at risk, so we will just sit back and wait to see how things work out.
Paid by credit card, so if the government advise going to certain countries, should be able to recoup at least some of the money.

I'm booked to go to Tenerife in June, but suspect it will not now happen! I booked on a credit card so hopefully will be reimbursed, and it's with a big travel company (Tui).
Perhaps they will give us the option to re-book when the Corona crisis is over?