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You may be tired of hearing chimes of “Brexit” ring out from your televisions or radios, but when it comes to booking a holiday it is something that needs to be taken into consideration. As it stands, there is little information on how – if at all – Brexit will impact foreign travel for UK nationals, but we wanted to round up the latest reports to at least reassure you that taking a trip will still be very possible in the near future.
So, here are the main questions that we’re being asked about travelling to countries within the European Union after March 29th, along with answers the government has given on its advice pages.
What should I do about my passport?
As long as you have a valid passport with at least 6 months left on it from your date of arrival into your holiday destination, you should be fine. This applies to adult and child passports. If you’re unsure, please use the UK government’s passport checker, which can be accessed by clicking here. Applying for a new passport takes time, so ensure you have sorted this out well ahead of your departure date.
What should I do about travel insurance?
Regardless of what happens with Brexit, you should always take out the appropriate level of travel insurance ahead of your trip so that you are fully covered. If you’re travelling to EU countries, Norway, Liechtenstein or Iceland either on or after March 30th, you should ensure that your travel insurance policy would cover any possible disruption, should there be any. If you already have a policy, your insurer should contact you if there are any changes that will affect you after the UK leaves the European Union. For specific questions, we would advise you to contact your insurer directly.
Will data roaming charges apply?
It’s possible that free data roaming will be revoked and that using your mobile phone in the EU will become more expensive. Be sure you know how to turn off data roaming on your mobile and check with your mobile phone operator ahead of travel to avoid receiving an unpleasant bill upon your return.
Can I still use my UK bank card in the EU?
If we have to face a no-deal Brexit, it’s very likely you’ll still be able to use your card abroad to pay merchants or pay in Euros electronically, but there may be a higher charge. You’ll need to contact your bank for specific information on this ahead of travel. For further UK government-supplied information on banking after Brexit, click here.
Will my European Health Insurance Card still be valid after Brexit?
The government is currently advising that EHIC cards may not be valid after Brexit, should a no-deal situation occur. As a result of this, we would advise you to take out a strong travel insurance policy. Where health is concerned, it is always better to be safe than sorry.
Will my holiday continue to be protected?
When you book a holiday with a UK travel company or tour operator like Authentic Adventures, belonging to ABTA or ABTOT, it is fully protected under Package Travel Regulations, which ensure that you will be entitled to a full refund if your holiday can no longer run for any reason. There is nothing to suggest, though, that travel plans would be changed or revoked post-Brexit.
Will my flights be impacted by Brexit?
In the event of a deal, nothing will change during the transition period that takes us to December 2020. Even in the no-deal scenario, the European Commission has advised that UK airlines will still continue to operate flights between the UK and EU. With flights included in your Authentic Adventures holiday, your seat is booked and we guarantee not to increase your price even if we end up incurring any extra costs.