Holiday Complaints

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If you knew the unrest started in December why did you choose to then book a holiday in January?
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surely they should have been morally obligated to inform people of the unrest particulary since it began a month earlier in december


And it was reproted in the news here, especially by the 6th January. I'm very clear about this because I had been planning to book myself immediately after the Christmas New Year holidays were out of the way but by then it was pretty clear that the country was having problems and so I didn't. Booking when you did, I don't think that it will be possible to claim that you didn't know anything about what was going on.

However, the FCO only issued the advice to avoid all but essential travel to Tunisia on the 14th January and at the time you booked, all the TOs were still legitimately accepting booking s for alter in the year. Prior to that date they were only advising travellers to avoid the big cities. Had you been travelling out whilst they were advsing against travel, then you would have been able to cancel and get a refund which suggests that your booking is for later in the year. Is this the case? If it is, then now that the FCO has changed its advice back to close to what from memory was standard before the troubles erupted and is now only advising travellers to avoid street demonstrations, not that they shouldn't go, then I don't think that there's much that you can do about this unless the situation deteriorates again.

If you look on the Tunisian Forum you'll see posts from regulars who are either out there now or have recently returned - I think that you'll find their posts re-assuring. However, for the moment, any cancellation will be treated in the standard way and the usual cancellation charges will apply I'm afraid. As I see it you have 3 options:

1) Wait and see until nearer the time and if the FCO advice changes you will be entitled to a refund. If it doesn't go and enjoy your holiday.

2) Cancel and pay any cancellation charges that apply - the amount will depend on soon you were due to travel.

3) Approach TC and see if they are prepared to transfer your booking to another destination and pay the admin fee that is usually charged for doing so - this could be significantly cheaper than cancelling depending on when your balance is due etc.

Perhaps not what you wanted to hear but this is my reading of your situation.

SM
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The problems in Tunisia were well publicised before you booked.

It would help if you had said when you are due to travel. TC have cancelled all flights up to the end of the month, first flight is due out 2 March as it stands. This may change.
They are not obliged to let you change your holiday free of charge if it is outside of the dates they are stating, and why should they?

Thomsons are recommencing operations on 13 March.

No-one is going to send you if it isn't safe.
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when we booked the holiday we knew nothing about the unrest it was a couplde of days later that it was announced on the news, lo
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You've still not said when you are supposed to be going.
I really don't think there's anything you can do apart from pay to change, but if it's ok to go why do you want to change?
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Civil unrest in Tunisia started on 17 December 2010 and quickly escalated over the Christmas period. By the end of 2010 it was widely reported on TV, web and newspapers.
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There is a big problem with peoples perceptions of what classes as a news source. Things may have been reported in the Times or on BBC News 24/Channel 4 news with some background in December but only popped up in the Sun or on BBC3 "news in 30 seconds" when things really kicked off. The ultimate example of this was the Yugoslav break up and Serbia v. Croatia then Bosnia wars which were correctly predicted about a year in advance in the old European (remember that?). But most of this country couldn't find Croatia on a map until the tanks were moving and holidays were being cancelled.

I think at the moment you're stuck and will have to wait until closer to time and follow FCO advice. The problem there is that this is the same FCO which is now subject to enquiry over their handling of the Libyan evacuation! I suggest you also study the BBC news website everyday.
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