From tips on claiming compensation for a cancelled British Airways flight to advice on walking tours in Menorca: The Holiday Guru tackles readers’ travel queries
The Holiday Guru is always on hand to answer your questions.
Here, he helps a reader whose BA flight to Brussels was cancelled at the last minute, advises another on the best place for fado music in Porto and recommends a travel firm that can build a tailor-made itinerary for a walking holiday in Menorca.
Q. Our flight to Brussels was cancelled on the way to the airport. BA rebooked us the next morning but cancelled that too. We had tickets for the Rolling Stones that evening, so we drove via Eurotunnel. It was a brilliant concert, but can we claim for our unused flight back and are we due compensation?
John Linsdell, Southampton.
A reader whose flight to Brussels was suddenly cancelled asks the Guru how to get his money back
A. BA says it will refund both flights, as it must by law. You may try a compensation claim under rule EU-261, but the airline is almost certainly within its rights to say your flight cancellation — caused by Heathrow’s last-minute restriction of take-off slots, it says — was an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and so does not have to pay.
Q. My husband and I are in our 70s and want to tackle the Menorca coastal path next year. We would prefer to stay centrally and be driven to the start point each day. Can you help?
Hilary Ludbrook, Birkenhead.
A. Try Cami de Cavalls 360 (camidecavalls360.com), specialists for arranging such Menorcan trips. It will tailor-make an itinerary. The journey should take about ten days covering 115 miles. Good luck!
Q. Our holiday to Koh Samui in Thailand was wrecked when our KLM flight was cancelled two days before departure. We booked through lastminute.com which is offering a refund, but are we also due compensation?
Julie Bulgin, via email.
The Holiday Guru recommends camidecavalls360.com for a tailor-made itinerary in Menorca (pictured)
A. Not in this instance. However, it was sensible of you to book a package trip. This is because if you had booked flights and accommodation separately, you might have lost what you paid on your hotel. These troubled travel times are highlighting the valuable protection package holidays offer.
Q. Can you recommend a fado venue in Porto in Portugal? We are about to go. Would we need to book in advance?
Daniel Kellman, London.
A. Porto has many excellent venues for fado, the melancholic, yet catchy, Portuguese music. One of the best is Casa da Marinquinhas (casadamariquinhas.pt), which serves dinner to some of the city’s top performers; £32 pp. Yes, book ahead.
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