Virgin cancelled my holiday

[t1grm]

I just got an email from Virgin saying my package holiday to Antigua in October is cancelled. The flights are still available so I assume it's an issue with the hotel.

 

I've been offered a refund or rebooking with potential price difference. I checked on their website and the cheapest holiday to Antigua on the same dates (same flights different hotel no car rental) is £800 more than what I paid for the original booking with car rental in January. Surely if the hotel pulls out then they are obliged to place me in a similar hotel for the same price rather than just cancelling?

 

If I rebook with another travel agency now I will never get the prices that were on offer in January so will probably just have to scrap the holiday and go somewhere in Europe. Have I got any rights here or am I on a hiding to nothing?

[Kyosanto]

I'm not a lawyer, but since they offered you a full refund already, I don't believe there is much else you can do. For flights all you would be due is a full refund if given over 2 weeks notice. For package holidays I believe the rules are even less stringent, but maybe someone can confirm.

 

 

Let's face it, you're probably not going to be able to travel to antigua in August anyway, and unless you have caught Covid19 already and recovered I seriously recommend you don't travel. Compared to my experience with LastMinute where they won't either bother refunding you, Virgin seem to be nice folks. You could try and ask them to move your holiday back 6 months and see what they can do?

Edited July 2, 2020 by Kyosanto

[t1grm]

Yeah I think you're probably right. I cancelled it anyway because the balance was due on the 10th July and I thought if I held out for an alternative and rejected it I might loose my deposit. Virgin are not answering calls from anyone not flying within 14 days by which time  the balance due date will be well past. I didn't want to pay the balance just to keep my deposit and get it all back in 4 months. Better to cancel the whole thing and get my deposit back now.

 

The holiday is in October so I think it will be fine to travel by then. I still plan to take a holiday on the same dates but I doubt I will get 10 days in the Caribbean (or anywhere long haul) for the same price so will probably go somewhere in Europe. It's just frustrating when I see basically the same holiday advertised on the same dates but for 50% more than the one they just cancelled.

 

I'm not too worried about Covid 19 and plan to travel as soon as the quarantine rules are lifted.