Family Experiences Disappointment on £3,482 Lapland Holiday Due to Absence of Snow

A family reported feeling “stressed and disappointed” following the cancellation of planned activities, including a husky ride, snowmobile trip, and reindeer encounter, during their Lapland holiday, which they had funded with their life savings. The cancellations were attributed to insufficient snow. Lisa O’Neil, her husband Wayne, and their son Finn had reserved a four-day trip to the Finnish resort, costing £3,482, via the tour operator Tui. Prior to their departure, the family expressed worries regarding the weather forecast and anticipated that Tui would either cancel or rebook their journey, in line with its “no snow you don’t have to go” policy. Tui issued an apology to customers impacted by the “unseasonal weather conditions,” stating that despite snow being forecast, it “did not happen.” The travel company’s website outlines its policy: “If we think there’s not enough snow to run the itinerary… you’ll have the opportunity to amend to something else or choose not to travel.” Mrs O’Neill stated that when her family, from Gosforth in Cumbria, arrived, the resort “looked lovely,” and they spent their initial afternoon sledging, engaging in snowball fights, and creating snow angels. However, the weather forecast “was always in the back of our minds,” and as anticipated, temperatures climbed above freezing, leading to rainfall and the melting of snow. All activities planned for Monday were cancelled. Mrs O’Neil reported that the holiday representative informed them that any pursuits undertaken beyond the pre-paid activities would be at their “leisure and expense.” Mrs O’Neil, 39, commented, “It was just very disappointing that the whole thing was foreseen by so many people.” The family managed to recover €15 to cover meal expenses, which were originally included with the activities, and were advised that the snow experiences would be rescheduled for the subsequent day. Nevertheless, the activities were cancelled again, this occurrence happening while they were en route to the husky experience. Mrs O’Neil recounted, “We got on [the bus] with all these hopes and crossing our fingers, and then half way there the rep said unfortunately there was going to be no husky rides today because there is no snow.” While the dogs were available for petting and cuddling, and their handlers were described as “very knowledgeable,” the experience fell short of what Finn and his parents had envisioned, with no alternative activities provided. Mrs O’Neil observed, “[Finn] picked up on it a lot. He’s seven and he’s quite sensitive, so he knew that something wasn’t right. But we just spent a lot of energy trying to keep him happy and not upset.” Mrs O’Neil indicated that other families at the resort who had purchased comparable packages also experienced similar issues. She added, “Everybody was obviously very upset, very angry that this situation had been foreseen by so many of us who had already phoned and raised concerns ahead of time.” Mrs O’Neil stated that she had contacted Tui regarding the forecast prior to their departure on 1 December, but was assured that “staff on the ground were confident the holiday could go ahead.” She was also informed that cancelling the holiday herself would not entitle her to any refunds. Mrs O’Neil confirmed that she has since lodged a formal complaint with the travel firm. She remarked, “Tui took all of our money and had that policy in place that gives you the peace of mind that Tui’s got your back, that they’ve got you covered and your life savings are in safe hands and your children can have the holiday that they deserve.” The family received an offer of a 50% refund for their holiday; however, they have requested a full refund, asserting that Tui should have rescheduled their trip. Mrs O’Neil stated, “I want them to do the right thing. I’m not asking for anything unreasonable, I’m asking for them to follow their own self-imposed policy.” A company spokesperson commented, “Our teams have been in direct contact with all impacted guests to offer a resolution.”