Resolution to not refund Rhodes vacationers could be ‘unconscionable’, charity says
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onsumer charity Which? has stated it it will be “unconscionable” for airways to not refund vacationers who resolve towards flying to fire-ravaged Rhodes.
The feedback by Which? Travel editor Rory Boland got here after easyJet confirmed it was working flights to the Greek island as regular, whereas fellow journey companies Jet2 and Tui suspended their journeys and refunded their clients.
He inspired extra airways to be “flexible” ought to clients resolve to not journey as a result of six-day blaze.
Mr Boland stated: “It’s likely that those who are due to go to Rhodes now won’t want to go, and given the emergency operations that are taking place on the island, local authorities could probably do without more tourists arriving.
“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.”
Meanwhile, an knowledgeable warned that vacationers whose holidays are disrupted by the blaze or those that select to not journey are “unlikely” to be coated by their journey insurance coverage.
Louise Clark, coverage advisor on the Association of British Insurers, stated: “Travel insurance is primarily to protect you against what can be incredibly high costs of needing emergency medical treatment overseas, but is unlikely to provide cover if you’re unable to go outside on your holiday because of a wildfire.
“The primary purpose of travel insurance is to cover the costs of emergency medical treatments or repatriation should the worst happen, which can run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“It can cover you if you need to cancel or cut short your holiday but it’s likely this will only be under limited circumstances, for example if you or a close family member fall ill, not because of a disinclination to travel.”
Ms Clark added that some insurers present “add-ons” accessible to clients on the time they purchase their coverage which do shield towards pure disasters.