Thailand this month...

orlandoamber · 2 Feb 20, 12:09 AM

Does anyone know (approximately, I know nothing can be confirmed) what would happen if the government advise against travel to Thailand due to coronavirus when we have a TUI package booked? Would we be likely to be offered a refund or change of destination?

Not sure what’s happened in this type of situation before (I think travel to Sri Lanka was advised against a couple of years ago so I wonder what happened then?).

SnowWhite · 2 Feb 20, 12:17 AM

gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand

Here's the advisory for Thailand from the Foreign Office. Sorry I don't have answers to your questions.

orlandoamber · 2 Feb 20, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by SnowWhite

gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand

Here's the advisory for Thailand from the Foreign Office.

Thanks, I have been following that page and understand it will be updated whenever advice changes, but I just wonder where we stand with our package if the situation worsens and the foreign office advise against all travel... presumably TUI will then stop their flights (to Phuket) so it would be good to know the possible options we might be given.

Floridadreams · 2 Feb 20, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by orlandoamber

Thanks, I have been following that page and understand it will be updated whenever advice changes, but I just wonder where we stand with our package if the situation worsens and the foreign office advise against all travel... presumably TUI will then stop their flights (to Phuket) so it would be good to know the possible options we might be given.

If the Foreign Office advise against travel your travel insurance would be invalid if you did travel. I would suggest this would mean you would have to be refunded...maybe check your travel insurance just in case though. You should be able to claim off one or the other in this situation I would have thought! If you do get to travel have an amazing time! I love Thailand and have visited a lot, having previously worked for a charity there. Absolutely amazing country

tracy99 · 2 Feb 20, 02:52 AM

We had a tui package to Kenya booked in 2014,when it was then considered unsafe to travel.
They offered us a change of destination or a refund.
We chose the change of destination & travelled to khao lak in Thailand.
We are also going this month & will monitor the situation closely.
You will definitely be offered both options,if they advise against travelling.
Tracy x

PoohBears#1fan · 2 Feb 20, 09:51 AM

We were due to go to Sri Lanka last summer, the FCO advice came out just before we went so we were able to change to The Maldives fairly easily. Ours was a complicated booking also as we were meeting my DD there who'd been doing volunteer work in Thailand, so her flights were all singles but married up with ours.

**parkgirl** · 2 Feb 20, 09:56 AM

If the FCO advise against travel, you will be able to amend/cancel free of charge. You can amend now if you want but it would be subject to charges unless it’s a higher cost holiday and then the fees are not charged.

orlandoamber · 2 Feb 20, 11:36 AM

Thanks everyone for your advice. That’s what I had hoped.

The worst option I suppose is if they decide it’s unsafe whilst we are there and want us to leave... not sure how we’d be covered then?

I think part of me would rather we just be able to change now and go to Thailand another year to avoid any stress about it. I didn’t think we’d be able to change to a higher value holiday for no additional fees (other than the extra cost) at this point though as we’re less than a month out? I thought we would need to wait for the FCO decision.