As businesses postpone trips to a Greek island affected by a wildfire, Which? calls it "unconscionable" to penalize tourists.
As Rhodes, a Greek island, is being decimated by wildfires, travel agencies and airlines are being encouraged to pay customers who choose not to fly there. A leading consumer group claims it would be "unconscionable" to withhold refunds.
Which? In light of the emergency evacuations of more than 19,000 people from Rhodes, travel editor Rory Boland urged airlines to be "flexible" if passengers decide they do not want to travel there.
People who were scheduled to travel to Rhodes undoubtedly won't want to do so at this time, and given the island's ongoing emergency activities, the local government could certainly do without additional tourists.
Numerous travel agencies have canceled upcoming departures for package vacations to the Greek island. All guests scheduled to fly to Rhodes up to and including Tuesday will receive full refunds, according to a statement from Tui on Sunday evening. guests scheduled to fly out of Rhodes on Wednesday will have the option of a full refund or a free swap to a different vacation.
According to EasyJet, passengers who had reservations for travel to or from the island up until Tuesday could change their plans or ask for a trip voucher.
Jet2 has announced that it will not fly passengers to the location for at least a week, and Thomas Cook will not take tourists to areas of the island that are thought to be most at risk until the end of the month.
Customers on Rhodes who wanted to leave early could reschedule their flights at free, according to British Airways, albeit it was anticipated that there would be a limited number of seats available.
Visitors planning trips to Rhodes are advised on the Foreign Office's website to check with their hotel or travel agency before leaving to ensure that the flames won't have an impact on their trip.
According to experts, it might be more difficult for vacationers to obtain compensation if the Foreign Office hasn't issued a warning against visiting the destination due to health or safety concerns.
Despite this, Boland urged travel businesses to act honorably: "While there is no official Foreign Office advice against travel to Rhodes, it would be unconscionable for holiday companies to cash in on travellers' sensible decision not to travel by not refunding or rebooking them."
According to the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta), travelers who have booked package vacations typically have greater rights than those who have selected their flights and accommodations separately.
According to an Abta spokeswoman, "We are aware of some cancellations - your rights will vary depending on whether you have booked a package holiday or the different elements of your holiday separately."
It's possible that those who decide not to travel instead of having their vacation canceled or delayed won't always be covered by their travel insurance coverage.
Such insurance often only permit cancellation claims in the case that one of the travelers is seriously ill, the insured or a very close family member pass away, or there is an unusually extended delay prior to departure.
The main objective of travel insurance, according to Louise Clark, a policy adviser at the Association of British Insurers, is to safeguard tourists in the event that they need emergency medical care abroad.
Travel insurance "is unlikely to provide cover if you're unable to go outside on your vacation because of a wildfire," she continued. However, some insurers do offer consumers add-ons that cover against natural disasters at the time of purchase.
Additionally, tourists are advised that many tour operators would charge them the full amount or at least 90% of the total cost if they cancel at the last minute.
0 Comments