On Saturday, December 19, Boris Johnson announced that a new strain of Covid-19 had been rapidly spreading in the South-east of England. As a result, London, Kent, and many other areas around the South-east have been placed under Tier 4 restrictions, meaning those living under the harsher restrictions are no longer able to travel out of their region, or abroad.
On the back of this, several countries have banned UK residents from entering their country over fears of spreading the new strain of the virus.
Both elements have caused mass cancellations across the UK, both for those with upcoming trips living in tier 4 areas and also for those living lower tiers, who can travel but have had their flights cancelled due to countries banning UK residents from entering.
Here we try to answer some of the most popular questions we have received:
I live in a tier 4 area and have an upcoming trip. What are my options?
Those in tier 4 have been told they must only travel where there is a legally permitted reason to do so, and should otherwise stay at home.
This means that those who have an upcoming holiday over the Christmas break and live in a tier 4 area, will not be able to go on holiday.
Some tour operators have announced that they are refunding passengers whose holidays have been affected by the new restrictions. However, others are suggesting that those with imminent departures rearrange their trip for a later date.
We would recommend that anyone affected by the change in government advice contacts their tour operator or airline in the first instance to discuss their options.
For more information on steps you can take if you are affected by the new advice, click here and see the question “My holiday has been cancelled due to the coronavirus, what should I do?”.
I live in a tier 4 area but I am currently on holiday. What should I do?
The government has advised anyone who is currently on holiday and lives in a tier 4 area, to return home as soon as possible.
Whether you can claim for curtailment or associated costs through your travel insurance provider will entirely depend on the cover you have. For those with their policy wording to hand, we would recommend checking under the curtailment section of the policy for more information around what scenarios can be claimed for.
Additionally, if you have any concerns or would like more information relevant to your exact policy, we would recommend that you contact your travel insurer directly for more advice.
I don’t live in a tier 4 area but the destination I am due to travel to has banned UK travellers. What can I do?
Passengers whose flights are cancelled by their airline are entitled to a full refund. If your airline has not yet contacted you to arrange this, we would recommend contacting them directly for more details on this matter.
Additionally, if your holiday has been cancelled and you have booked a package holiday then you should contact your tour operator for a refund, as they are responsible for providing you with a full cash refund under the Package Travel Regulations Act.
Again, for more information on steps you can take if you are affected by changes as a result of the coronavirus, click here and see the question “My holiday has been cancelled due to the coronavirus, what should I do?”.
