What are my rights if I want to cancel my holiday because of the heat?

How bad are things in southern Europe at present?

They are very bad. No sooner has Cerberus, the heatwave named after the dog that guards the entrance to the underworld, subsided, than another one called Charon has arrived. Southern Europe is trapped in a hellish combination of high pressure over the Mediterranean which is trapping hot Saharan air and dust. Seas are so warm that there is no substantial cooling effect.

Charon, named after the boatman who ferried souls to Hades, is expected to bring even more intense heat to Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey – all favoured holiday destination of Irish tourists – in coming days.

Doesn’t it always get hot in these countries during the summer?

Yes, but not this hot. In Rome, the average July high temperature is 31 degrees, which is hot by Irish standards but not unbearable. Rome is expected to hit a high temperature of 42 degrees on Tuesday. Similarly in Athens, the average high temperature in July is 32 degrees – this week it will be 41 to 42 degrees.

The Italian islands of Sardinia and Sicily could see the hottest ever temperature recorded in Europe. The record was set in Sicily in August 2021 when a 48.8 degrees was recorded.

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What are the medical dangers of such heat?

Extreme heat is dangerous for everybody who is exposed to it but it can be deadly for elderly people. Heatwaves have long been known to cause a spike in deaths, especially for older people, whose bodies are less able to regulate temperature. Heatstroke can affect anybody. Symptoms can include organ failure, convulsions and seizures.

What if I have a package holiday booked and I no longer want to go because of the heatwave?

According to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), the rights of package holiday makers are different from those who book their own flights and accommodation.

If a consumer has purchased a package holiday from an agent based in Ireland or elsewhere in the EU, they have strong rights, including the right to cancel – though they may have to pay a cancellation fee.

If the cancellation is due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at or near their destination which would affect their holiday or travel, the consumer is entitled to a full refund without any cancellation fee.

Extreme weather such as the current heatwave could be considered an unavoidable and extraordinary circumstance, though consumers may have to make this case to their travel agents, the CCPC says.

For those consumers who have booked a package holiday and are concerned about travelling, they are urged to contact their travel provider, inform them of their concerns and ask what the travel agent is prepared to do.

[ European heatwave in five graphics: Where are the hot spots? How high will temperatures go? ]

What about those who book their own flights and accommodation?

If a flight is cancelled by the airline, consumers have rights as set out under the EU 261 regulation. The Irish Aviation Authority is responsible for enforcing this law in Ireland.

If a flight isn’t cancelled or for other travel arrangements such as hotel bookings, however, consumers should first check the terms and conditions to see if cancellation is permitted under any circumstances. It may be more feasible to reschedule flights and accommodation rather than cancelling outright.

If the terms and conditions do not permit cancellation or rescheduling – or if the consumer’s own schedule or rebooking fees mean rescheduling is not an option – it is worth contacting the providers directly, asking for leniency in these exceptional circumstances.

Providers may be willing to accept cancellation in return for a credit note, for example.

Consumers with travel insurance should also check the terms and conditions of their policy or contact their provider, as cancellation under these circumstances may be fully or partially covered.