Q&A: My holiday might be cancelled due to the Coronavirus, can I get a refund?

As the Covid-19 continues to spread across Europe, restrictions on national and international travel have led to increasing concerns among Irish consumers that they may be left out of pocket if their holiday plans are impacted by the virus, writes Conall Ó'Fátharta.

The Department is currently only advising people to avoid non-essential travel to China, despite the virus having spread to some 47 countries. So just what are your rights if your travel plans to an area impacted by Covid-19?

1. Can I get a refund on my flight?

If your flight is cancelled, whether you were notified well in advance of your scheduled travel date or just before departure – you should be given a choice between:

- Rerouting to your final destination

or

- Refund for the part, or parts, of the journey cancelled or not completed due to the cancellation.

If you decide to cancel your flight voluntarily, you are entitled to a full refund of airport taxes as the cancellation takes place before the flight check-in operation.

Although you are entitled to a refund of the cost of your flights should it be cancelled, you are unlikely to receive any compensation as a result.

According to the European Consumer Centre, as a general rule, a natural occurrence like Covid-19 is considered "extraordinary circumstances" and is outside the control of a transport provider. As a result, compensation would not normally be applied.

2. Can I cancel my package holiday to an area impacted by travel restrictions as a result of Covid-19?

In this case, the European Consumer Centre advises that consumers may have the right to terminate the booking contract without paying a termination fee. This applies only to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances that may pose a significant risk to human health and prevent consumers from making use of or reaching the destination of their booked holiday, as agreed in the travel contract.

However, if consumers cancel their holiday to an area where no emergency measures were declared of their own accord, the holiday cancellation is, of course, strictly within the limits of the booking contract.

The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) is not advising against travel and said Irish holidaymakers should follow the advice of the Department of Foreign Affairs when travelling overseas.

The Department is currently only advising people to avoid non-essential travel to China

3. Can I get a refund on a hotel cancellation?

With many online hotel bookings there is an option to choose "free cancellation" when securing the booking. This allows the consumer to cancel the room free of charge up to a certain date before travel.

However, if the customer has already paid for the room when they booked it, there is no guarantee they will receive a refund. In this case, you should call the hotel and explain that the cancellation was forced as a result of Covid-19. The hotel may offer you a refund or some credit towards a future stay.