Cancelling a holiday

[Humpy D]

Needed to cancel a holiday we were due to go on this Saturday due to ill health. As it's within 14 days of departure we get nothing back and need to claim on our insurance. Before I cancelled I checked availability but there was none but after cancelling there was a holiday available. Clearly the tour company has resold the holiday and have been successful as there is no availability now. This just doesn't seem right to me as they have earned double for this. Granted I can't prove it was 'my' holiday they have resold.

I know this is the reason you have insurance but it just seems wrong to me!

[Hoofy]

Well, it's entirely possible that the holiday never gets sold and they refund and lose their money. I take bookings/payment in advance for workshops and every other workshop, I'll get a cancellation and nobody takes the spare slot. As I am not bothered about money, I don't mind refunding but I can see that other businesses would be affected by it.

[Humpy D]

I get that and I appreciate that they are business but I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult for them to say that they would market the holiday and if it's sold they would refund a percentage of it. You would then claim any additional from your insurer

And think of the good publicity the tour companies would get!

[Hoofy]

Humpy D said:

I get that and I appreciate that they are business but I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult for them to say that they would market the holiday and if it's sold they would refund a percentage of it. You would then claim any additional from your insurer

And think of the good publicity the tour companies would get!

Yes, that would be a good idea. Probably easier and more profitable for them as it is.

[WyrleyD]

I did some work at Horizon Holidays on their booking system in the mid 1980's and it was known then that they made a nice profit on cancellations, there were always a few for every package/date which surprised me at the time.

[Chucklehead]

that's not really how cancellations work - just because you cancel the booking doesn't mean the tour company would automatically get availability back from the hotel again, so it likely also doesn't mean they've already sold it on.

Or it might.

Either way, it makes no difference to your situation. Hope you get well soon.