Coronavirus: Legal experts tackle the most pressing FAQs

We put agents’ most frequent questions facing both customers and staff to a range of legal experts in the industry.

What agents need to know to assist clients

Can customers cancel or change their holiday free of charge?

Only if the Foreign Office advice changes to advise against all travel or all but essential travel to a destination.

If the FCO advice says it’s fine to travel, but a customer doesn’t wish to any more, then tour operators can impose their standard cancellation charges.

Some tour operators, though, are allowing customers to defer departures for free, so it’s worth checking with the tour operator to see what the position is.

Can customers get their deposit back if they choose not to travel?

If the FCO advice allows for travel to a destination, tour operators do not legally have to refund the customer’s deposit if they no longer want to travel.