Holidays After Coronavirus
Our Complete Guide To Holidays After The Coronavirus Pandemic
Sadly, the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic has caused the world to pause for a little while. This means little in-person, social interaction and no travelling while we support the efforts to contain the virus and recover. What it hasn't stopped is our passion to support one another, and dream of the future. And for many of us, we are endlessly dreaming of going on holidays after coronavirus.
The FCO travel ban to certain destinations in Europe should always be checked. It is likely your travel insurance will not be valid if you travel to a destination which the FCO advises against. You should always check with your travel insurance company for the restrictions in place and what you are and are not covered for.
The world of travel and holidays will change due to the impact of Covid-19, so we wanted to create a guide to help you plan for the future and understand what might change when it comes to travelling again. And we also wanted to help inspire you to find new and exciting destinations to think about.
LATEST CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS: The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) continues to advise British nationals against all but essential international travel.
Flying After Coronavirus
While some airlines like British Airways and easyJet have continued to fly during the pandemic, albeit at a much reduced service, we should expect flights after coronavirus to change, particularly as the world ends its lockdown and more people start to travel. Airports may start to increase health screening at airports, and aircraft cleanliness will get a much needed upgrade too. Jet2 is due to restart flights from 15th July
Hotel Stays After Coronavirus
Some hotels have remained open during the Covid-19 pandemic, as there are still requirements for people stay away from their home due to work purposes (particularly in the health and services industries). Again, post-coronavirus, cleanliness and hygiene will be priority for all hotel chains, ensuring rooms are cleaned to an even higher standard and hotel common areas including handrails and work surfaces are cleaned regularly to prevent and control the spread of diseases.
IHG Hotels which includes brands like Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn, has already advised they have increased their cleaning schedules and continue to review its food and beverage standards.
Cruises After Coronavirus
Cruise companies have been one of the worst hit within the travel industry, as a result of multiple guests contracting the virus while on their cruise holiday and having to be quarantined. This will naturally cause holidaymakers to think twice about booking a future cruise, however, cruise companies like Carnival Cruises and Royal Caribbean will be stepping up their game to protect their customers.
Future changes on board ships could see buffet style dining change increasing health and safety restrictions, as well as increased cleaning efforts to ensure surfaces like handrails and door handles are cleaned regularly to prevent the spread of other viruses.
Travel Credits & Vouchers After Coronavirus
If you had a holiday or trip booked which was cancelled or postponed due to Covid-19, and were offered travel credit or vouchers instead of a refund, you should be able to use it to make a new booking. Brands such as lastminute.com, Expedia, loveholidays and On The Beach are all encouraging this. You should check the terms & conditions with the travel company you originally booked with, as to what is and isn't possible to rebook.
To help support the travel industry survive and thrive throughout the pandemic, you should take the credit note or voucher where possible to avoid companies going bankrupt, more people losing jobs and the cost of travel potentially increasing in future.
FAQs About Travelling And Covid-19
Why won't my holiday company or airline give me a refund?
Holiday companies and other travel brands like airlines rely on cash flow to help keep the company in operation. If they have to refund everyone who can't travel due to the coronavirus lockdown, they will run out of money and will go into administration (and subsequently bankrupt). In the event of a holiday cancellation and to protect themselves they are asking for customers to hold vouchers for future travel instead of holiday refunds. Even if travel companies were to go into administration, if your trip was booked with an ABTA or ATOL protected provider, your money is safe.
I can't get hold of my travel company, what should I do?
Due to the covid-19 situation, airlines, hotels and holiday companies have been inundated with calls from customers about their future holidays and travel plans. As the situation changes on a daily basis, you should follow guidance on the company's website. It may be the case you have to wait for them to call you, as they have other customers due to travel sooner than you. Do be patient.
There are some good holiday offers, should I book?
To help keep the cash flowing, many travel brands are creating discounts and offers like 99p check-in luggage (easyJet), to encourage customers to book a trip for future travel. While these offers look good, you should make sure the company has ATOL or ABTA protection to ensure your money is safe.
It's always nice to have a holiday to look forward to so if you plan to go on holiday, try and support your favourite holiday brands where you can by booking now and travelling later.
I can't get travel insurance, should I still book?
We advise you to always have travel insurance when booking a holiday, particularly with the current health situation. Many insurance companies have stopped issuing travel insurance policies, and you should check to see if things like coronavirus is covered.
How To Protect Yourself When Travelling
When we can start travelling again, we will all no doubt be taking extra precautions when we travel to prevent the spread of disease. Here are a couple of ways you can help protect yourself and your family when travelling on holiday after lockdown eases.
Keep anti-bacterial wet wipes or hand sanitiser with you. Not only to clean your hands, but also to clean surfaces such as aircraft tray tables and security x-ray trays.
Continue to wash your hands regularly. This is by far one of the best ways to help spread any germs, not just coronavirus.
Avoid touching your face. There are lots of surfaces you will touch on a plane, train or cruise ship, so the less you touch your face, the less likely you are to pick up germs within your respiratory system.
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