shirley as hubbie said and i agree , i was brought up with the troubles in belfast, so im used to it, i know thats not the way to look at it but if its not near our hotel i will be fine i hope any way, lynn we were told if thomas cook canncelled our holiday we were entitled to 40pound a day for 5 days . each plus the money we paid for the holiday which was £840.00 pound dont know if thats true tho. it was a girl in thomas cook office told us that .but sure they have lied to me before about somthing so takin it all with a pinch of salt to be honest

Our booking is with the Hilton direct so that won't be a problem to cancel but flights with Easy jet Tammie whom I believe wont offer us any alternative if they are cancelled .

The perils of flight only booking

yes thats true lynn. we all do it wont we

erm that was meant to say dont we

MP condemns operators for still selling Red Sea

As Egyptians prepare for a huge protest rally on the streets of Cairo today, a Tory MP has hit out at tour operators still sending customers to Red Sea resorts despite the fact that the Foreign Office describes the area as calm.

Patrick Mercer MP said the Foreign Office should change its advice to no travel at all to Egypt and condemned operators for offering cut price deals to resorts like Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada.

Mr Mercer told ITV's Daybreak: "If we pretend that things are going to improve in Egypt, we're wrong.

"We must get our people out. Other nations have done that already. If we don't then - excuse the pun - our nationals become a hostage to fortune, literally.

"Let's implement the contingency plan which I know exists. Let's get people out and let's stop further people going there.

"Why holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh are still being advertised in different tourist agency windows I don't know."

But a Thomas Cook spokesman said: "We have already said that the feedback we are getting from people out in the Red Sea resorts is that they are enjoying their holiday and are happy there."

Meanwhile Thomson issued a statement which said: "As the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice has not changed for Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Taba and Marsa Alam and as it is safe to do so, our operations will continue as scheduled.

"The majority of our customers are in Sharm el-Sheikh, which has not been affected by the demonstrations and is a considerable distance - indeed, an eight hour drive - from Cairo. To put this distance into context, it is the equivalent of driving from London to Dortmund, Germany or from Manchester to Bruges, Belgium via the channel tunnel.

"Thomson and First Choice can confirm that there have been no related incidents in Sharm el-Sheikh or any of the other popular Red Sea tourist areas. Our colleagues in resort have expressed that it is very much a ‘business as usual' operation.

"The atmosphere is quiet and calm, with Sharm el-Sheikh's main resort of Naama Bay bustling as people continue to enjoy their holidays as normal."

The statement added: "People should also take considerable reassurance from the fact that the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh operates like a country in itself. It is run separately from the rest of the Egypt, benefits from having just one secure road into the resort, and enjoys an exceptionally low crime rate. There is also no unemployment in Sharm el-Sheikh, since those living in the resort are only there because they are employed in tourism."

The FCO website warns against all but essential travel to Cairo, Luxor, Suez and Alexandria. Although it says the Red Sea area is calm, it does add that the situation is unpredictable and may change quickly.

While the US is working on evacuating all its nationals from the country along with Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Portugal and Turkey, the UK government revealed yesterday in parliament that it was working on a "contingency plan" to ensure the safety of the 20,000 Brits holidaying in Egypt but the FCO would not say if that plan included evacuation.

Foreign Office minister Alistair Burt said in a statement that the government "was planning for all eventualities". He added that many Brits were not in Egypt's trouble spots but instead in Sharm el-Sheikh.

With permission from Travelmole

thanks for that report david, we were told yesterday at booking office in belfast that people are not cancelling goin to sharm el sheik for the one reason its no were near the trouble spot . in fact ther is a plane load leaving belfast this morning at 7 oclock to sharm el sheik. i know it could very easy turn out that it could break out there any second fingers crossed it dont, will just have to keep watching the news updates,

hi going to sharm on the 24th from exeter anyone else ?any thoughts also anyone just come back please post to let us know whats what
thomson will not change holiday as they say it is safe??

The word we are getting via dive contacts is that whilst Sharm, Hurghada etc are untouched by the rioting on the scale of in Cairo and Luxor etc, they are starting to feel the pinch in that there are shortages of food, petrol and other stuff etc. Now once this happens, I would expect to see a complete breakdown of law and order nationwide.

You cannot possibly go on holiday and be in the lap of the gods to this extent. If there is a shortage of fuel..how do you expect to get from airport to hotel? How do you expect your hotel to run with no provisions?

I would hope it is sorted out within the next few days but I can only see it getting worse.

Hi Justval,

How right you are. This crisis cannot continue without shortages in fuel and food commodities becoming evident. So much for us booking AI.

Also I'm gobsmacked that other Countries have advised there nationals to leave yet our FCO considers it safe in the Red Sea resorts. I do wonder whether their decision is more linked to the fact that if they do advise against travel to the resorts there would have to be massive refunds to those that have already paid to go there?

Trev

I just hope that the FCO changes its advice in the very near future.

Surely if MP's are asking questions & the rest of Europe & the US are not sending folk to the Red Sea they will have to change their stance in the next few days. Their phones must be going ape at the moment.

I dont blame Thomson, Thomas cook or Cosmos, they must have paid millions out for flights and hotels & I am sure their insurance will not pay out until FCO advice changes.

Lyn it's probably too soon to worry, but I am sure for a small fee per person you can just re-book easyjet flights providing you can find somewhere else that you want to go with flights available.

Have a look on their web-site or ask on the Easyjet thread in case there is someone who has done this, probably best to be prepared.

Oh and guess who the numpty is who didnt book her travel insurance at the same time as she booked her holiday to Sharm

I have got travel insurance through our bank accounts but I'm not sure if it covers Egypt and I was just thinking I bet if i ring them up now they will say it doesn't.

I know no policy will cover me for civil unrest/acts of God and wouldn't expect it to, but would like the normal medical cover and lost belongings cover, if we go.

Travel giant repatriates Luxor clients but stands firm on Sharm

TUI UK has taken the decision to fly home all its customers in Luxor tomorrow.

The operator, which has already pulled its flights out to Luxor until at least Wednesday night, said its resort teams out in Egypt are currently in the process of letting holidaymakers know of the plan.

The move comes on the day that the German foreign ministry decided to warn against all travel to any part of Egypt.

At the same time TUI Deutschland and Thomas Cook AG, the German unit of Thomas Cook Group, said they have cancelled all tours to Egypt up to February 14.

But TUI UK is standing firm in its decision to keep sending clients to Red Sea destinations, reiterating that Sharm el-Sheikh is an eight hour drive from troubled Cairo.

A statement from TUI UK said: "As a precautionary measure and in light of the unchanged FCO advice, we have taken the decision to repatriate all customers currently holidaying in Luxor back to the UK tomorrow."

"Thomson and First Choice have been working with the FCO very closely throughout this issue and are confident that their policy of advising against non-essential travel to specific cities, rather than to the whole of Egypt is correct. The FCO advice has not changed for Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Taba and Marsa Alam."

With permission from Travelmole

It's an 8 hour drive, but the same country- so what difference how far it is.
There is obviously some problem as so many companies have stopped flights, and reports now of shortages of food and petrol are worrying.
I am booked on AI flying on Friday and don't know what they can be thinking saying we can't change our holiday.
We are going to be allowed to go to a country of civil unrest- really unbelievable, the Egyptians need time to work out their future, not holiday-makers arriving.

Jules

We are constantly told not to travel abroad without decent travel insurance. However, as far as I know, no one will insure for civil unrest or riots, so we are basically being sent to somewhere volatile, where our insurance does not cover us. It's a ridiculous situation to be in. Doepsmc - I too had insurance with my bank - Lloydstsb. I read their booklet and Egypt is not covered, by their European policy - it is classed as Africa. However, from what I understand, some Banks do cover it under the European policy. I don't see how they can just change it because of the present troubles, although you won't be covered for civil unrest or riots. Give them a ring and find out

As far as I know Helen your travel insurance wont cover you whilst there if the foreign office advices against travel. As yet they havnt advised against the Red sea so that part should be OK .

Civil unrest doesnt appear to be covered if you were to loose your holiday or flights.

Hopefully Chris EJ would let us change our flights but I'm trying not to think about it at the moment . Im burying my head in a big bucket of sand at the moment .

lyn

am thinking about changing and going some where else will be gutted if i end up with no holiday

I would be gutted if they told me I couldn't go!

We love Egypt and are hoping we will get back there later this year to celebrate my other half's 50th birthday and fancy another Nile cruise.

I think a Nile cruise is probably a fairly safe bet just now and they seem to indicate the Red sea resorts aren't currently affected so I would be inclined to continue if it's offered.

Tunisia and Egypt have always been favourite holiday destinations for us and these recent events wouldn't stop us travelling there in the future.

Shell
Limassol, Cyprus

Lyn - if Ididn't have to pay until April then I would have no qualms about riding the storm. As we have to pay in 3 weeks time, we have to start considering what to do for the best. At least we'd only be losing our deposit, plus hotel and parking in Cardiff the night before travel, not the total cost of the holiday. As we are AI, we weren't intending straying too far from the hotel, having done the main trips before. It's the idea of the knock on effect on petrol, food e.t.c that's worrying. We still have a few weeks, so we'll wait and see how things pan out.

Hi Helen and Lyn

I am doing a big head in the sand thing as well at the moment. It sounds trivial to worry about food shortages etc with all that is going on, but its hard to help yourself, also I would imagine it will be very empty there what with a lot of the Russians cancelling due to the Sharks and now this -Maybe not much food will be needed as no one will be there.

Like you Helen I have to pay my balance in about 4 weeks.

I do know that last year when I travelled with the same company (Cosmos) they were very good at changing and amending the booking. At one point I added an extra adult and they didn't charge an amendment fee, but then I was adding a cost to the booking. Later on I added airport parking and a weeks insurance for 5 people as well, plus I had paid part of it with Tesco Vouchers so it was complicated.

I feel sorry for those going in the next couple of weeks. I think Companys are more likely to amend bookings (at cost) that are 2 or 3 months away as flight tickets/details haven't been issued and final arrangements put in place.

Doe

Lyn,I have read that Easyjet are refunding money for people who are travelling in the next couple of weeks.
I have read a text from someone who has been many times to Sharm and landed yesterday.
She states on landing the airport was very quiet and on the transfer to the Royal Albatros Moderna they only saw 1 person in the Jasmine shopping centre.Obviously some text messages are getting through.
Its certainly a dilemma for anyone travelling soon and I dont know who is monitoring the situation as when we were in Hurghada we attended the Thomas Cook quiz downtown and there was only 2 reps there.
I asked our rep,a lovely Egyptian lad where all the reps were and he said there was only him and the young English girl in the resort.
I dont think Thomas Cook lie about the situation but 2 days before we went to Gumbet last May they phoned to say everything was fine regarding the building works.
I had emailed photos to them from a friend who has a house there and still they didnt believe me.
It was like Beirut and a disgrace that they sent guests there.
When I complained they told me I should have just stayed in my hotel.
I think this is the advise they will be giving holiday makers to Sharm and Red Sea resorts.
I hope everyone who is going soon has a safe holiday.