What should I do if I am due to travel to one of the affected areas in the next few weeks?
If you have booked a packagethrough a tour operator, phone them for advice. Most are offering alternative holidays or full refunds for those due to travel to the affected coastlines of Thailand and Sri Lanka and certain parts of the Maldives before 31 January. This date may be extended. Most holidays to Malaysia, India, the Seychelles and Mauritius are operating normally.
I have booked a flight directly with the airline and I want to cancel. Am I entitled to a refund?
International flights to South-east Asia are now operating normally. However, most airlines are offering passengers due to fly to the affected areas before the end of January the opportunity to postpone their trip or switch to an alternative destination. British Airways and Air France offer this option until 31 January. Some airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Sri Lankan Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, are offering full refunds to passengers. Check with your airline for details of their policy and deadlines.
Will I be entitled to a refund on hotel accommodation I booked independently?
Not automatically if your hotel has been destroyed or damaged. 'If your hotelier's livelihood has been wiped out, there's no way you will get your money back,' said a spokeswoman for the Association of Independent Tour Operators. Booking on your credit card will not necessarily guarantee a refund either.
What protection does my travel insurance give me if I want to cancel my trip?
It depends on your policy. The industry standard is that you are covered if an immediate relative or the person you are planning to stay with has been killed or injured by the tsunami. In other words, if you are going to stay with friends or family then you will be elegible for an insurance claim if any of them have been harmed. Some policies state that you are covered for cancellations and curtailments in 'cases of circumstances beyond your control'. If your policy is worded like this you may be covered.
What if I am uneasy about travelling to a place where so many people are in mourning?
It is very unlikely that your insurance policy will cover you for this. Check with your tour operator or airline to see whether it is possible to postpone your trip or switch to another destination.
What can I expect from my tour operator in the event of a similar disaster?
Tour operators have a duty of care to customers and foot the bill for emergency arrangements. When the wave struck, operators were immediately in touch with local agents finding clients alternative accommodation, flying them home and contacting relatives in the UK. Kuoni, for example, sent out three dedicated flights to bring travellers home.
What if I was travelling independently when disaster struck?
It is largely up to you to make alternative emergency arrangements, and cover the costs. Some costs may be covered by your travel insurance, but not all. 'This would have been a sharp shock to some people who chose to travel independently,' said Keith Betton, head of corporate affairs for ABTA. 'We've even heard horror stories of airlines who have made people buy new tickets to fly back home because theirs were washed away.'
Am I better off booking with a bonded company?
Yes. An event of this kind can spell the financial collapse of a tour operator. Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) bonding refunds and repatriates those left stranded or out of pocket when a tour operator collapses. Companies selling package holidays are legally obliged to be ATOL bonded, but companies selling hotels and flights separately are not.
