The summer holidays are seen by many people as “the most beautiful weeks of the year” – this year, but they could be. In view of the global corona crisis is currently open, whether traveling in the summer can take place at all. The there were never. Germany, therefore, 2020 holiday, closed on the balcony?
What is announced by the Federal government and the States now, is not less than the temporary at the end of the freedom to travel. The Federal Foreign office (AA) has issued a global travel warning for tourist travel. Many tour operators have ceased operations for the time being, cruise lines as well. Borders have been closed for tourists, with countless flights cancelled. Travel as one of the favorite leisure activities came to a Standstill. The Easter holiday in April are likely to be as the travel period.
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As long as this Situation persists, is not to predict. “The development around the Coronavirus is very dynamic. Currently, simply no one can say how the Situation changed or how long they will last,” says Kerstin Heinen, spokeswoman for the German travel Association (DRV). The industry is still hoping for the summer.
in Spite of Coronavirus pandemic: Not hasty,
vacationers cancel should not now be in a panic. “When the respective Entry bans and local quarantine measures in the country are permanently lifted, is currently uncertain,” says the travel law expert Sabine Fischer-people of the firm Karimi in Berlin. “Therefore, it is not advisable, to cancel already-booked travel, you want to be in a few weeks or months lined up already. Otherwise, cancellation charges will be made.”
The travel law expert warns also to reason and solidarity. The corona crisis not only meet the travel industry, but everyone. Travel providers working currently in full swing, in order to inform their customers adequately. “Hasty cancellations more help since hardly. Careful Watch and Act is now the currency.”
free cancellation of summer vacations is currently not possible
What is now, for example, from a holiday in Majorca in June? “We simply have no reliable information. A long-term forecast is very difficult,” says the Director of the security and crisis management at the provider of THE tourist, Melanie Gerhardt. The travel professionals can only wait and see. “We are preparing intensively for the time in which the people can travel and want to.”
a Lot of tour operators have cancelled their trips until the end of March. In the case of THE tourist is with a view to the big holiday: “with existing bookings for the summer nothing changes only once,” says Gerhardt. And with the industry leader Tui free cancellation of summer bookings are currently not possible . We assume that the operation in a few weeks start again.
tour operators offer free transfers for now upcoming trips
looks Different, it is for travel , actually be in the following weeks started. The operators offer free transfers or refunds.
Fischer-people advises here can go more on the safe side: “There’s currently not with safety be estimated, such as the Corona of a pandemic developed in the future difficult of a decision for a rebooking to a later travel date or for a other resort, of course.” The Travel industry calls, however, to accept travel credits and is hoping for political support.
- More of the latest developments of the pandemic, you read in the News Ticker.
The worst case The tour operator goes bust
“Many vacationers don’t fear quite unfounded, that some providers could come by the Corona-crisis, payment difficulties, and you must fear for your paid travel prices”, is the evaluation of Fisher-folk. “The Thomas-Cook-Broke, has shaken the hitherto good reputation of the package but arg.”
In the case of insolvency, European tour operators are assured of the lawyer, while bankruptcy. Whether the entire price of the trip by the insolvency insurer can be reimbursed, from the slopes but also of the number of insolvencies in a given year. The next few weeks are crucial: Several tourism companies want to take state aid and could get through the crisis.
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What you need to in the case of package holidays and individual holidays
package: For pre-booked must comply with the package travel means the decision of the Federal foreign office thus: travelers can now cancel, in principle, on the grounds of exceptional circumstances free of charge. Is not enough the tour operator, the travel warning as a justification nevertheless, there is plenty of further arguments. Because if, for example, significant points of interest or routes are closed or the holiday trip is otherwise affected, should not have been, in most cases, prior to booking foreseeable and relevant can for free withdraw.
Many travel providers were in the course of the Corona pandemic, but already accommodating. An organizer cancels the trip due to the circumstances of yourself, get clients anyway, of course, the full price refunded.
private tour: individuals need to look at your booked individual services in the country of Travel, in spite of a General travel warning carefully in the contracts. Hotels or means of transport cannot be used, because they are, for example, in a restricted area, a refund is possible. However, only according to German law, warn consumer advocates.
Were booked directly in the destination country, helps in case of doubt, only the demand at the respective contract partner. “If you don’t want to travel, although a free of charge cancellation is possible, one should seek a friendly gesture of goodwill, solution,” says the ADAC. Also, consumer advocates rely on direct contact with the contract partner and for such mutually agreed solutions have good chances. dpa/Silas stone/dpa, Empty Check-in counter of the airline Lufthansa.
What in the event of cancellations of flights
In case of flight disruptions, the legal situation is clear: customers Affected get back to the EU air passenger rights regulation, in each case, your money- regardless of whether or not the Airline has to take responsibility for the failure of itself or not. Only a General claim for additional compensation, if airlines rely on exceptional circumstances because of the Virus. Most consumers are likely to currently or in the coming weeks of the growing flight cancellations by the Airlines affected.
Repaint the companies flights, but by itself, it is for the passengers more difficult: consumers are not able to, in turn, refer the case of individually purchased airline tickets to European law on exceptional circumstances and for free cancel, as travel law expert Robert Bartel from the consumer explained Central Brandenburg.
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