Title: Navigating Travel Insurance and Cancellations Amidst Greek Wildfires
Introduction:
As wildfires ravage the Greek island of Rhodes, thousands of holidaymakers are left worried about the fate of their travel plans. With buildings destroyed and tourists being evacuated, there are concerns about cancellations, refunds, and the role of travel insurance. In this article, we will explore the impact of the wildfires on travel, the rights of affected individuals, and the role of travel insurance in such situations.
1. The Current Situation on Rhodes:
– Wildfires are spreading across the southeast of Rhodes, causing destruction and displacing tourists.
– TV news bulletins highlight dramatic scenes of evacuations, but resorts in the north of the island remain unaffected.
– Travel companies and airlines continue to monitor the situation and work with Greek authorities to assess damage.
2. Cancellations and Refunds:
– Package holiday operators like Tui and Jet2 have canceled outbound flights and holidays to Rhodes, offering customers refunds or alternative bookings.
– For those traveling on or after July 31, the situation is less clear, with travel firms monitoring developments.
– Individual bookings may vary in terms of cancelation policies, and the choice of a refund will depend on the terms and conditions.
3. Canceling Travel Plans:
– Travelers with upcoming bookings in unaffected parts of Rhodes or other Greek islands may struggle to cancel for free without government travel warnings.
– Package tour operators may offer alternative holiday destinations, but individual bookings may require assessing terms and conditions.
– Accommodation within an evacuation zone may strengthen the case for refunds or Section 75 claims if paid with a credit card.
4. Airline Policies:
– Airlines like Ryanair, easyJet, and British Airways continue to operate flights to Rhodes and other Greek islands as normal.
– Refunds or rebooking may not be available for passengers simply disinclined to travel, as airlines are not obligated to accommodate them.
– Airlines may offer options to rebook for free or provide vouchers based on their respective policies.
5. Travel Insurance Coverage:
– The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office recommends travelers have appropriate insurance before traveling to Greece.
– The Association of British Insurers suggests seeking refunds from airlines or tour operators in case of cancellations.
– Policies with trip disruption or natural disaster cover may reimburse expenses for cutting short or canceling a holiday due to wildfires.
– Injuries or illnesses caused by wildfires are typically covered by travel insurance.
Additional Insights:
– Individuals should monitor updates from local authorities and their travel companies to make informed decisions.
– While Rhodes has been significantly affected, other Greek islands, such as Corfu and Crete, are also on alert due to wildfires and high temperatures.
– Travelers should read their insurance policy details and reach out to their insurer for clarification on coverage.
– Engaging with credit card companies for Section 75 claims could strengthen refund claims for those within evacuation zones.
– Many airlines are offering flexible rebooking options to accommodate passengers affected by the wildfire situation.
In conclusion, the wildfires in Rhodes have disrupted travel plans and raised concerns about cancellations, refunds, and travel insurance coverage. Individuals should stay informed, consult travel companies, understand their rights, and review insurance policies to make the best decisions.
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Wildfires have torn across the Greek island of Rhodes, destroying buildings and displacing thousands of holidaymakers. But many tourists who have yet to travel this summer fear their plans could also go up in smoke.
Travel companies and airlines continue to monitor the situation as the Greek authorities battle to contain the fires, which are located in the south east of the island. Dramatic scenes of tourists being evacuated have dominated TV news bulletins, although travel businesses stressed that resorts in the north of the island are unaffected.
With no official UK government advice not to travel, it will be harder to obtain refunds from airlines, accommodation providers or claim for cancelled trips on travel insurance.
What are my rights if my holiday has been cancelled?
Some package holiday operators including Tui and Jet2 have cancelled all outbound UK flights and holidays in Rhodes this week as they repatriate returning customers, or relocate them to hotels in other parts of the island.
Package tour passengers who were due to travel between now and the end of July have been offered the choice of a refund, or alternative bookings.
The situation is less clear for those set to depart the UK on or after July 31. Travel firms say they continue to monitor the situation and will update customers in due course.
Areas of Rhodes worst affected by wildfires are Kiotari, Lindos and Lardos and travel companies are working with the Greek authorities to assess damage to hotels and resorts. However, northern resorts including Rhodes Town and Faliraki have not been affected.
“Large parts of Rhodes remain unaffected by the wildfires so holidaymakers in these areas should be able to continue their holidays, but should monitor the information from the local authorities and their holiday company,” said Abta, the travel association.
“We understand that some of the resorts have had their evacuation order removed by the Greek authorities and people have been advised that they can return to the resorts of Lindos and Pefkos.”
Wildfires in parts of Corfu — a much bigger island — have also caused disruption, and other islands including Crete remain on alert as high temperatures continue.
I’m getting cold feet about travelling to Greece. Can I cancel?
Travellers with upcoming holiday bookings in unaffected parts of Rhodes or other Greek islands may struggle to cancel for free.
“Without a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) warning against travel to the affected regions, travellers who don’t want to go but are refused flexibility to rebook are likely to be left holding the bill for acting sensibly, and may be unable to claim on their travel insurance,” warned Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel.
Some package tour operators including Thomas Cook have offered a choice of alternative holiday destinations to customers who are unwilling to travel to resorts in the north of Rhodes, but this is very much at the travel companies’ discretion.
It’s trickier for those who have booked flights and accommodation separately — much will come down to the individual terms and conditions of bookings you have made, plus what is covered by your travel insurance.
If the accommodation you had booked is situated within an evacuation zone, travel experts say this would be a strong argument for a refund or so-called Section 75 claim if you have paid using a credit card.
Many airlines, including Ryanair, easyJet and British Airways, continue to operate flights to Rhodes and other Greek islands as normal, so are under no obligation to refund or rebook passengers who are simply “disinclined to travel”, in industry parlance.
This week, BA has been offering passengers booked on flights to Rhodes and Corfu the option of rebooking for free until the end of November.
EasyJet has cancelled package trips until July 29, but said that flight-only customers booked to travel to or from Rhodes until July 29 can switch for free to another date, or can request a flight voucher for the value of their unused flights.
What could be covered by my travel insurance?
The FCDO has advised travellers to make sure they have appropriate insurance before travelling to Greece. “Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency,” it said.
If flights or accommodation are cancelled, the Association of British Insurers recommends that refunds should be sought from the airline, accommodation provider or tour operator in the first instance.
“If your policy includes trip disruption or natural disaster cover you should be covered if you have to cut short or cancel your holiday due to the ongoing wildfires,” the ABI said.
“Check your policy details and speak to your insurer if you’re not sure what is included. If you’re injured or fall ill due to a wildfire, your travel insurance will of course cover you in the usual way.”
Abta said that package tour customers in Rhodes who have been flown back to the UK would be entitled to a “partial refund” of their holiday, but the precise amount would depend on how many days of their holiday were lost.
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