TUI has announced they will pay for medical tests, flights and extended hotel stays for Brits if they catch coronavirus while on holiday.
The UK's biggest tour operator has launched their Covid-19 Cover which will be provided to every TUI traveller until 31st December 2020 and be used alongside usual travel insurance.
It will cover holidaymakers' overseas Covid-19 testing costs or repatriation if medically required and if customers are asked to self-isolate, it will cover the extended stay and a new return flight home.
TUI say that the cover should be used alongside normal travel insurance and will be included for all customers travelling on any TUI holiday between 11th July and 31st December 2020 and applies to all new and existing bookings.
Some of the items covered include:
* Overseas COVID-19 testing for suspected cases
* Overseas medical assistance if a customer contracts COVID-19 while on holiday
* Costs associated with an extended stay and a new return flight home if customers are asked to self-isolate while on holiday.
* Dedicated 24/7 emergency hotline and app
The Covid Cover launch comes as the holiday firm announces they will be resume holidays to seven new destinations from July 25.
TUI will be flying to Menorca, Malaga, Alicante, Reus, Zakynthos, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.
They will also resume flights from Bristol and from August 1, it will begin operating from nine more UK airports including Glasgow, Newcastle, East Midlands, Doncaster, Cardiff, Stansted, Bournemouth and Exeter.
The tour operator will take to the skies once again from tomorrow resuming holidays to destinations in the Balearics and the Canaries from TUI’s three biggest UK airports, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham.
TUI are offering up to 44 flights a week to Ibiza, Palma, Corfu, Crete, Kos, Rhodes, Lanzarote and Tenerife.
The company has launched a new 'holiday promise' that has five guarantees to take travellers on holiday safely including only flying customers to quarantine-free destinations and offering in-resort support around the clock seven days a week.
The promise also includes new health and safety measures so travellers can check in digitally, increased disinfecting of all aircraft and social distancing at hotels.
Face mask will also be mandatory on all flights.
Other new measures on flights includes the introduction of state-of-the art hospital standard air filtering systems which will keep the fresh air flowing through the cabin every few minutes.
Aircrafts will also undergo extra cleaning and sachets of hand sanitisers will be available on all flights for travellers.
Customers will be advised to remain seated as much as possible and cabin crew will be on hand to manage any queues for the bathroom.
Once guests arrive at their hotels there will be hand sanitising stations set up throughout the building with social distancing markers on the floor.
Restaurants may have fewer tables but will stay open for longer to avoid overcrowding and in some self-service will be replaced with a table service.
Facilities such as sports courts may stay open for longer than normal to allow for social distancing and sun loungers at pools and beaches will be disinfected between each new guest.
The TUI Holiday Promise also pledges to offer a full cash refund or credit note if the company has to cancel a trip due to a coronavirus outbreak.
