Covid-19 - Consumer Protection

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For my credit card, it covers cancelled trips. However, it does not cover me choosing not to go to avoid a pandemic.

If the trip was cancelled, the credit card coverage should kick in, since I am forced to not go.

If the trip was not cancelled, the credit card coverage would not kick in, since I am choosing to not go.

Be sure to check your credit card for what is covered when a trip is canceled by you or by your supplier. It is very specific. Not all instances of a trip being canceled on you or by you are covered. It’s not that simple.
 
My native currency is the MYR and my dive invoices are usually in USD, but can also be in EUR and AUD. I don’t use credit cards because their forex rates are bad.

I avoid internet only travel agencies as I cannot figure out their domicile and applicable jurisdictions and laws when things go wrong. I use UK and Australian travel agencies as they seem to have some consumer protection. I have not used American travel agencies as I cannot figure out American consumer protection.
 
I have not used American travel agencies as I cannot figure out American consumer protection.

There isnt any by default.
A travel agent would not be refunding you anything as they are merely an agent. We have very few actual travel agencies run by people in this country at this point anyway. In any case, the liveaboard, hotel, airline would be responsible for any refunds all according to their individual cancellation policies. If you buy travel insurance then that contract will generally be the controlling factor.
 
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I'm wading through UK consumer protection for booked holidays. My UK travel agent advertises that it is ATOL bonded and is a member of the TTA.

ATOL from About ATOL | UK Civil Aviation Authority

The law says your holiday must be protected if it is a package holiday. ATOL (which stands for Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) is a UK financial protection scheme and it protects most air package holidays sold by travel businesses that are based in the UK.
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If a travel business with an ATOL ceases trading, the ATOL scheme protects consumers who had booked holidays with the firm. It will support consumers currently abroad and provide financial reimbursement for the cost of replacing parts of an ATOL protected package.


The scheme is designed to reassure consumers that their money is safe, and will provide assistance in the event of a travel business failure.


TTA from Consumer Protection | TheTravel Network Group
The Travel Protection Plan covers every service which you have booked from a travel company whether it be for transport, accommodation, entertainment or recreation. It involves two aspects, firstly the Trust account operated for your benefit. The money may only be released from the Trust to pay for the services which you have booked. Secondly, there is further protection from a guarantee, the TTA will guarantee the financial obligation of its members to repay such sum to you for up to a maximum anyone passenger of £11,000. So if you paid £2,000 we guarantee we will reimburse the loss of the £2,000, where it is not available for you from the Trust account.


Therefore, the Trust Account plus the guarantee will ensure that all the money which you have paid is safely protected and available to reimburse the money paid. When you make a booking, you will be supplied with a guarantee certificate – you can see the terms of our guarantee at www.Traveltrust.co.uk/guarantee


ATOL is for air travel holidays and would not apply if I only booked a LOB. If I book a stand alone LOB trip, TTA would offer protection against the insolvency of the travel agent or LOB. With respect to covid-19, there may only be protection if either the travel agent or LOB becomes insolvent.

There may be additional UK legal protections that I am currently not aware of.
 
About two weeks ago I cancelled a trip to Switzerland. No travel insurance. Full refund from Delta because they would have to cancel the flight due to travel bans. Had to speak with a supervisor but was pretty quick. Accommodations all cancelled without a fee. None prepaid and any cancellation polices that would have required a payment waived. Pre purchased Swiss train tickets that ordinarily would not be subject to a refund were fully refunded. Pre purchased GEOBlue oversees health coverage cancelled and fully refunded. I was pleasantly surprised how relatively easy it was to cancel and get refunds which I attribute to the pandemic declaration and travel bans.

Now just hoping we get back to "normal" sooner rather than later.
 

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