Summer is here, and Swiss as well as most EU borders are open for tourists. Are you ‘itching’ for a holiday abroad?

Before you leave, here are some tips from the Swiss consumer agency FRC.

Your flight is canceled by the airline.

In this case, should receive a full refund. Currently airlines make this refund more difficult to obtain because they want you to opt for a postponement or a voucher. You can accept this alternative, but you don't have to. However, you will not be able to claim additional compensation, as this is an extraordinary circumstance.

But if you have to extend your stay abroad due to the cancellation, and it is subject to European regulations, you may be reimbursed for accommodation and additional meals for a period of two to three days.

You no longer want to fly because your destination country has increasing rates of Covid-19 infections.

If your flight is maintained but you no longer want to travel for fear of being contaminated, the refund of your flight is not guaranteed, with the exception of airport taxes. However, given the exceptional circumstances, some airlines may (but are not obligated to) modify the reservation or give you a credit for a new flight.

READ MORE: International night train services from Switzerland to resume this week

Your package trip is canceled by your travel agency or the tour operator

In this case, the agency will have to reimburse your money or offer you either an equivalent replacement trip or a postponement of the canceled trip.

Will your unused hotel nights be refunded?

Refunds for hotel reservations are made in accordance with the establishment's policy, so you should read the fine print before booking. It depends, too, on whether the hotel closed its doors, in which case it should refund your money, or whether you canceled the reservation yourself. If latter is the case, you will probably not get your payment back; if you have a travel cancellation insurance, see what the conditions are for such a refund.

However, Airbnb has implemented a policy of ‘force majeure’ related to the coronavirus epidemic for a certain period of time, which offers reimbursement to travelers who have booked accommodation in one of the areas seriously affected by Covid-19. 

Now let’s talk about cancellation insurance

In April, the Local had an article about getting money back for cancelled trips 

While it was written during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, some of the content is still relevant today.

While some insurers exclude any coverage for trip cancelations in the event of epidemics and pandemics, others offer refunds in case of an epidemic, quarantine, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks, but not pandemics.

This may be good to know if you are going to an area that is still impacted by the outbreak, or if an outbreak happens while you are there.

However, if you have to cancel your trip before the departure, or if you have to come back urgently because of an illness, family emergency, or any other exceptional circumstance, then your travel cancellation insurance will likely refund the costs — provided, of course, that you have one.