TRavel to Eygpt in March

[medhead]

A wanted to tap the superior knowledge of all members. My mum is booked to travel to Eygpt in March, around about 15 March, flying in to go straight onto a 9 day tour (or something like that). Due to the recent situation the tour company is offering full refunds for tours up to about mid February. Mum can cancel tomorrow and only pay a $200 cancellation fee. On wednesday the cancellation fee goes upto $600. There are also EygptAir bookings with a $100 cancellation fee.

Mum has asked my opinion. Cancel now or hold on. She did say she might feel a bit less secure now. They are going to hold out on the EygptAir bookings in case they cancel the flight and then she should be able to get a full refund. (in theory according to the TA). It seems to me that there are 3 main outcomes:

• Things stay the same or get worse = full refund, or
• Things improve, the tour isn't cancelled, but mum doesn't want to go = heaps of cancellation costs. Clearly this would be the worst case, or
• Things improve mum wants to go, tour is still on = all good

I guess she really needs to decide if she wants to pull out or not. It woudl be bad to get to 3 and have cancelled the booking but then rebooking might cost less than the fees if option 2 happens.

I was just wondering if anyone had any strategies for this type of situation? or even if you would suggest cancelling anyway and not risking a flare up.

What would you do, if it was you? :?: (yes massive question I know)

 

[Nigelinoz]

Hi medhead,
If it was my mum (this is just my personal opinion of course)I would take the loss of $200.00 and cancel straightaway,the government is advising against travel to Egypt and I am naive enough to assume that they have a fairly good idea of what they are talking about,hopefully things will calm down over the next few months and your mum will be able to rebook.
But at the moment I just think it's too risky.
I hope your mum is able to sort it out.
Best Wishes
N'oz

 

[medhead]

Thanks. good advice. I was working on the assumption that things might improve in the next month or so. Thinking about it more, that was probably a dodgy assumption by me.

Luckily this is only one part of a trip to europe, with Eygpt being at the start, so she'll just delay departure from Australia by a week or so. No big deal.

 

[Nigelinoz]

Here's the current advice from Smart Traveller.
Travel Advice for Egypt - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Cheers
N'oz

 

[medhead]

Thanks. she has been following smart traveller (unlike me ). The travel restriction is good as it gives more chance of getting the travel insurance to cover the cancellation fees. It seems that the tour group has offered refunds based on smart traveller up until Mid-Feb. If things don't improve then I guess that would be extended to march - a wait and see sitation.

Leading more towards cancel now. good to talk through the situation. Thanks again.

 

[kpc]

Mum can cancel tomorrow and only pay a $200 cancellation fee.

Do this. If things settle down in March (unlikely), I suspect you could rebook the trip at a much less cost.

 

[Fantic125]

It depends.

What's her life insurance package, and what do you stand to inherit? :shock:

 

[dot]

I am also booked to be in Egypt (Cairo) for work from 7Mar11 (for 11 days) and I am taking a wait and see approach. If DFAT maintains the warning level at "Do not Travel", then I wont be going. If the state is "reconsider your need to travel", I will do that and may still go, but may shorten the trip (not sure). If it drops all the way to "High Degree of Caution" I will be going.

I guess this doesn't help your mum at all, but as kpc recommends, I think a refund now is a good option - if things settle down (and I personally don't expect it to be back as business as usual for March, but you never know - events in Thailand settled down very quickly after their elevated security state)

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I don't think this will blow over in few days.

Looks like the "people" are of a mind that the despot should go...and he is resolved not to.

I suspect he will be dragged out screaming...and till he is Egypt will be unstable.

I would wear the $200......and go there once it has quietened down. No doubt tourism will be decimated and as a result you will more than likely save a lot more than $200.

I travelled through Egypt the Xmas after 9/11 and it was cheap as chips............and very friendly.

 

[NYCguy]

I'd be re-ticketing to take Egypt out of my itinerary. There is no way this will blow over anytime soon.

Check the fine-print of the travel insurance - some specifically won't cover you in DFAT "Do Not Travel" countries.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I'd be re-ticketing to take Egypt out of my itinerary. There is no way this will blow over anytime soon.

Check the fine-print of the travel insurance - some specifically won't cover you in DFAT "Do Not Travel" countries.

Yes too true.

Pay the $200, this will be protracted. The army are sniffing the wind, there is nothing timely about purely Middle east peace..............

 

[serfty]

...

Check the fine-print of the travel insurance - some specifically won't cover you in DFAT "Do Not Travel" countries.

Really do check the Insurance PDS. Some will provide cover if the county wasn't "Do not travel" at the times of booking and buying insurance, but subsequently changed, as seems to be the case here.

 

[medhead]

So the news is that mum has decided to visit Greece instead of Egypt. It seems to work out ok. The tour company has extended refunds from mid Feb until the end of Feb. However, that is not that important as it sounds like she'll do a tour in Greece with the same company and they are happy to transfer the booking and refund any difference. Apparently, the flights can also be change without penalty. All this from a 2 minute phone call earlier today.

On the insurance it was very much a case of the travel advisory changing after the booking was made, at least a month ago. Mum seemed think that would allow the insurance to kick in. I haven't seen the pds so I can't speak with any authority. Of course, it sounds like insurance will not be needed anyway.

I'll let you know if I hear anymore.