hi
we go from Bristol for 11 nights staying at holiday village red sea hopefully we will have a good time

So sad watching the formerly peaceful protests in Cairo taking the turn they have today. Think I am going to have to turn aljazeera off as its so upsetting. I know the whole of the middle east is volatile and yes I have been there before and know it's a repressive regime and was then as well, but I am not sure how comfortable I would be sitting in a hotel in Sharm with all this going on in Cairo, somehow it just doesn't seem right - although I know they need the tourist pound - it makes you feel so torn. I so hope for all the the Egyptian people it calms down soon.

I have followed it too..it seems to have suddenly got more sinister with the people allegedly fighting amongst themselves. I also suspect there is some Government incitement there to turn the people aganst each other.
I have this awful feeling that one of Mubaraks own bodyguards will turn against him. Don't know why, but that feeling hit me at about 3.45am.
I was watching a TV report about this started initially last year when a young Egyptian man cuaght police sharing the spoils of thier drug bust...he posted the video on You Tube about police corruption and they arrested him and beat him to death. His friends posted the picture of his body complete with injuries and the story on facebook and thus started the protests in Alexandria last June 10..originally about his murder by the corrupt police. This has continued to grow until it got to where they were last week and where we are now.

This sad situation is not going to go away and will only get worse whilever Mubarak is in power. I am not going to choose political side as I don't know enough about Egyptian politics...I do know that I love the country, I love the people and it is awful to see it being slowly destroyed. The people want him out end of and there has to be a reason for it. I fail to understand how the red sea resorts of sharm etc cannot be affected.

I would be very uncomfortable being there at the minute, esepcially as I would not be insured and would hope that TO's do the decent thing by thier customers.

TUI is warning that the unrest in Tunisia and Egypt could cost it up to £30 million:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12353012

David

Hi Val and thanks for the link David

Obvioulsy I dont want to turn this into a political debate, but I do think that the Gov are being led or pressured by the TO lobby etc into not changing the advice on the safety of holidays to the Red Sea Resorts, the economy is in a mess anyway so I suppose they are trying to keep one sector going.

It is kicking off big time in Cairo though and I think there were protests in Luxor last night as well. There are massive lobbys on social networking sites like face book to get the FCO to change their stance. I haven't even dared to look at stuff that is going on to You Tube, it's distressing enough watching Al Jazeera. I think I am in date to change our winter holiday destination, but am reluctant too for some reason. I suppose the selfish reason is that nowhere else really does it for me, at the moment, at that time of year and the less selfish one is that part of me feels a bit of solidarity for the Egyptian ordinary folks who want change and better life opportunities.

It's a bit spooky you having that thought at 3.45am Val suprised you were up and awake, you must have gone to bed thinking about it all.

Doe

what i cant understand is why have other countries stopped all travel to Egypt but its still ok for british holiday makers to go out to Sharm doesnt make sense to me ?

My husband me my son and daughter in law are flying to hurgarder on 5th march and if they say its ok we will be going i have been looking forward to this holiday for ages if the fco say not to go i will just go some where else and still have a great holiday

My parents have managed to change their booking for Sharm tomorrow, and are now heading for the canaries on 23rd Feb.
I couldn't make their date, so unless I take my flight tomorrow and get left in Sharm by First Choice, with no accomodation now as I was sharing with my folks, my holiday fund is gone!

First Choice are happy to leave a mum of 3 on her own at Sharm airport with no accommodation for a week. They are very happy to have taken my money- and although my room has been sold to someone else, are not giving us even £1 refund.

Pleasant, I bet they would not let their family go. I hope they spend their earnings well from me.

Jules

British gov are amazing! first they wont rescue brits when other countries are evacuating theres, now they DO send a plane but are then surprised when only 200 people take seats. maybe its got something to do with the £300 ticket price!!!! my god what is wrong with the UK government. "we'll rescue you but we need to make a few quid on the side" story is here http://e-edition.metro.co.uk/2011/02/03/ bottom of page 7. check the quote by downing street spokesman "we dont want to be providing flights at no cost because that would undercut commercial airlines" blimey charlie! this is an emergency man, rescue those people.

Jules
If you've booked a package holiday, and 2 people have transferred off the booking, there must be accommodation left for the remaining passengers. It might involve a change from the room originally booked though.

Jules, I'm a bit confused by your post too. Was your booking a diy. Just wondering because if you still have a flight that means you still have a room. They can't cancel the accomodation and not the flight, they would have both been cancelled together. Unless of course you booked them separately.

Jules,

Let's face it the holiday you booked would not be the holiday you are going to get in terms of what has changed. For example there are no excursions available (that was one of the main reasons we were going - The Valley of the Kings), restrictions on where you go meaning your holiday would literally be being stuck in the hotel complex and what about any shortages like availability of food and drink, after all, this trouble must impact on supplies. I think there's a good case within our laws to ask for a refund or at least another holiday when you can take it!

Trev

I would love to be able to get something.

My parents and brother have changed theirs to 23rd- Canaries, First Choice say my room has been given back to the hotel, as it was for 4 and 3 have gone, so I can't have it.
I tried to escalate it, and spoke to Nick Harris, from Simpson Millar, and took his advice, and also got the independent T/a (Now Travel) to have a look and help- but they will not let the T/a cancel the flight- and there is no accommodation for me apparently says First Choice.
I also can't get any money back- my part cost £565, and am at my wits end.

If it was safe and I could, I would fly tomorrow (I am packed, snorkel and all) and stay, (but where- I was at RSHV), but how can I- I don't even feel it's safe with accommodation.

I am very upset.
This was my only chance to go away with my folks in 20 years, and I don't think there will be another one.

Jules

Did you book a package Jules? If so they cannot cancel a room and not a flight. If there isn't a suitable room available in the hotel you booked, they could offer a room in a different hotel. At the end of the day, they have to provide accommodation if you've booked a package. If they can't they have to refund your flight.
Presumably your £565 included accommodation so if they can't deliver what you've booked (flight and accommodation) they have to refund.

I did book a package- all inclusive.

They say because it was 4 in a room and the other 3 cancelled the room is cancelled.
If I was to take it- I would have to leave here at 6am, and be on the flight before I would even know if there will be accommodation at the other end.

(Flight takes off at 10.15am,)

Jules

They also said I had only today to cancel/change as the flight is tomorrow, but they did not have anywhere left the T/a could find that was available when I can fly- as I can't be away uk half term.
We booked this as a family holiday- it is beyond belief anyway that a suitable alternative could be have a holiday completely by myself instead of what we thought we would have.

Jules

If the tour operator can't provide accommodation they will have to refund your flight. The two are linked. They can't turn a package into a flight only.

Is there something legal I can quote?
The T/A seems bound by First choice (and I am sure he is sick of me now- even I have got a messed up had from this), but First Choice say the T/A has to amend everything.

I want to wake up tomorrow and find this was a dream, and Egypt is at peace and it is time to go to the airport for plan A.
I do usually dream I have overslept before a holiday, so maybe this is just a deeper rams.

Jules

First Choice are right in as much as the agent has to amend/cancel etc.
Not sure on the legalities of it but I would have thought First Choice were in breach of contract. You booked and paid for a package and they cannot provide that any longer. I would have thought they only thing they could do is offer a refund under the circumstances. They cannot charge you the same for a flight as they were for flight and accommodation.