Understanding our Options

SusanC10

So, we are booked to go to Italy for 3 weeks at the end of June. Realistically, I don't think that we will be going but what to understand our Options.

Flights are with Aer Lingus direct and fully paid. (€1,200)

Accommodation is with Eurocamp. €99 Deposit paid. Balance (€3k) due mid-May.

Car Hire - very small Deposit paid with Free Cancellation until 48 hours beforehand.

Travel Insurance is VHI Multi-trip for several years with continual cover.

So, originally our Balance was due to be paid to Eurocamp at the end of March (12 weeks from departure). But they then extended that to 6 weeks. At the time they sent an Email to me stating that if we cancelled any time up to 6 weeks then we would lose €99 which is fine. Also, stated that if the DFA travel advice was advising against non-essential travel 2 weeks ahead of our departure date that we would receive a full refund (having paid our balance 6 weeks out) which again was fine.

So, our plan following that Email was to pay the Balance at 6 weeks out and then if the situation had not improved at 2 weeks out, that we would be refunded.

Now, Eurocamp seem to have changed their policies and are saying that if we cancel after 12 weeks that we need to pay 50% of our holiday and will lose that. Although, it does seem anecdotally that they are not actively pursuing this and that in reality that €99 is lost (if you have only paid €99) up to 6 weeks out.
If we pay the balance and Eurocamp cancel, then we will only get a Voucher or Credit for next year.

I don't want to pay it and then get a Voucher as afraid that Eurocamp could go bust. In the UK, this situation seems to be covered by ABTA (who will refund if Eurocamp go bust) but not in Ireland.

So, does anyone know what happens with our Travel Insurance VHI Multi-trip if we pay the balance and Eurocamp refuse a refund ? Can we then claim from VHI ?
We are leaning towards not paying the balance and just losing the €99.

Also, Aer Lingus seem to be only offering change of Dates or Vouchers but we have no plans to fly with them as will be going back on the Ferry to France (all being well) in 2021. So again ideally we would like a refund or if they refuse to claim on Insurance.

Any words of wisdom?

TIA.

Error report

Hello,
I can only help with your last question. By law, aerlingus MUST offer you a refund but you are right, they are not. In fact, I was in the same situation and the only optins were to either reschedule, or get a voucher + 10%. While I clicked on the voucher option, thinking that otherwise I would lose out altogether, you have to select the checkbox to indicate that you are happy to receive a voucher in lieu of a refund - but there is no option not to, or to opt for a refund!
This made me absolutely mad at Aer Lingus because Ryanair offered me a straight refund two weeks ago, no quibble.
I spent 2 hours searching for the option to get a refund because getting a voucher doesn't suit me until I found it:

This app won't allow me to post a link - you can google "aer lingus disrupted flight refund form" to get to it.

We can only speculate why Aer Lingus don't offer a refund and make it so difficult to find the refund requst. My personal guess is a combination of the following:
1. Cash Flow - cash is better in the company's bank account than the customer's account. The company can reduce its third-party borrowing and its interest costs. I note that the company's accounts for 2018 show interest costs of €9,199,000.
2. It is generally believed that oil prices will remain low for the foreseeable future. So even though the company will give you a 10% extra, it may benefit from much decreased fuel price. I note that oil, fuel, landing and emission charges represent 18.9% of its income.
3. We can only speculate but if the company increased their prices by, say, 15% on average, then there would be a 5% windfall to the company, the converse of which is - you would be losing out.

You must consider what is best in your situation. I applied for a 100% refund.

sambucus nigra

In regards the flights, my understanding (am in the same boat myself as have flights booked for May to France that are still apparantly going ahead) if you want to hold out for a cash refund you will need to wait to closer the date to see Aer Lingus actually cancel the flights. Unless they are cancelled by the airline there is no right to a refund (and as I understand it, there are talks and motions in some EU countries to dispense with the refund right in place of vouchers).

Error report

Sambucus nigra:
I take that on board, your flight must have been cancelled first. That will very much depend on the government advice running up to the flight.If they give the go-ahead, the best you can hope for is probably a voucher or change the dates.