Forgive the somewhat limited and colourful French, but France's new travel ban truly is a kick in Les Boules for the thousands of British families who had booked a Christmas break in the Alps and Pyrenees ski resorts or Disneyland Paris.
As we know all too well, Covid is the unwanted, chaotic gift that keeps on giving and this decision out of the blue also hammers the winter sports tour operators and the ferry, airline and train firms who would have taken holidaymakers there.
The UK travel industry is drowning not waving and desperately needs some comprehensive help - in the 647 days since the World Health Organisation declared a pandemic, it has been shamefully ignored by the Government.
This decision by the French authorities seems like a knee-jerk (over) reaction to a situation which can be perfectly well managed with a comprehensive testing regime (a reasonably priced one would help) and proof of full vaccination status.
What do you think of the French travel ban? Let us know in the comments below.
Consumer confidence is everything in travel and, just as it looked like there would be a French ski season of some sort this winter, this is an unwelcome, inconvenient and disappointing backwards step and the long-suffering public has to start seeking refunds or alternative getaways.
Hopefully it’s only a temporary move, hopefully the Omicron variant turns out to be a mild, manageable infection and hopefully British skiers can strap on the planks before the French season is written off completely.
As always in these uncertain times, I highly recommend buying a package holiday with the added security of UK Civil Aviation Authority ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing) protection, which helps you if your travel company, airline or hotel goes out of business.
If you are arranging your own travel, with separate flights and hotel, it's always savvy to pay on a credit card if you can – that way you are covered for up to £30,000 under section 75 of the UK Consumer Credit Act, though this may not apply to bookings made via a third party.
Never travel abroad without a suitable travel insurance policy and it's sensible to buy one with extra cover for coronavirus in these ongoing turbulent times. Get it as soon as you book your holiday.
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