What to do if you've been affected by the XL collapse

winniemocker

Hi Stewartyboy,

Have they given you a reason as to why they will only pay you a third? Did you book flights only through the travel agent or holiday accomodation as well. I ask as I booked through an agent and although I have received a claim number I have heard nothing since.

Thanks

littlemissmalibu

Hi all,
I booked flights and hotel through travel republic, and have just received a letter from CEGA today confirming they are transferring full flight refund into my bank account. I have been calling them on a fortnightly basis to keep up to date with what was going on with my claim, and would advise anyone waiting to do the same. During my last call to them they confirmed they are now authorised to refund Travel Republic customers, and they sent out an assignment form for me to sign, which I returned to them less than a week ago. Don't let them forget about you - I suspect they are sending out a few of these assignment forms at a time to spread the repayments out and it would seem a call (or 5!) is all it takes to speed up the process a bit. Good luck to you all in getting your money back - maybe we'll all get a holiday this year after all!

adtheblue

Anyone who paid by credit card for XL flights/holidays may find this link to the Financial Ombudsman Service helpful.

It confirms the law and your rights when you are looking to make a claim against the CC provider rather than the supplier of the goods/service.

http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/publications/ombudsman-news/31/creditcards-31.htm

Stewartyboy

Hi Winniemocker,
No reason given by CEGA regarding the amount they are willing to pay out other than they will not meet any claims paid by credit card. The amount claimed was just under £600 for one claim for flights only and have been contacted to say they will pay out £235. No idea where they get their figures from. Will try adtheblue's approach contacting C/C company and look into getting advice from F.O.S. CEGA don't answer phones or emails.

lizzie9171

Hi all,

Update on my CAA claim.

I am absoloutley flabbergasted, on Thursday I received a letter, from CEGA requesting me to complete my claim form as it appears they have not got all the information, included was a section hightlighted to fill in my bank details. the letter requested that original documents must be sent, copies not accepted. I sent to them in September last year the fully completed claim form along will all the original documents. After not hearing anthing by December and unable to get through on the phone I wrote tothem, and they advised me that my paperwork had been lost and to re-send it and that copies would be accpeted, as they had lost the originals. I then got a letter thanking me and to expect a settlement within 40 days. In January I received a letter from them stating they were not liable as I had paid the deposit on my credit card and to contact the credit card company. Who incidentenly have refused to make a refund.

What are they playing at. Just another delay tactic in my mind. I have written to them again, advising them to check the previous correspondance.

I just think now, that they have no intention of making me a refund.

I am still waiting to hear from Watchdog.

Dreamingalound

lizzie9171 wrote: »

Hi all,

Update on my CAA claim.

I am absoloutley flabbergasted, on Thursday I received a letter, from CEGA requesting me to complete my claim form as it appears they have not got all the information, included was a section hightlighted to fill in my bank details. the letter requested that original documents must be sent, copies not accepted. I sent to them in September last year the fully completed claim form along will all the original documents. After not hearing anthing by December and unable to get through on the phone I wrote tothem, and they advised me that my paperwork had been lost and to re-send it and that copies would be accpeted, as they had lost the originals. I then got a letter thanking me and to expect a settlement within 40 days. In January I received a letter from them stating they were not liable as I had paid the deposit on my credit card and to contact the credit card company. Who incidentenly have refused to make a refund.

What are they playing at. Just another delay tactic in my mind. I have written to them again, advising them to check the previous correspondance.

I just think now, that they have no intention of making me a refund.

I am still waiting to hear from Watchdog.

Lizzie, just keep calling until you speak to someone with a brain! thats what i did and there are people there who want to help/give you fax numbers to send them documents etc to speed up the process. Good luck

lesleyhem

Today I have received payment from CEGA for my flight :j BUT they will not pay for my accomodation:eek: When I have looked into this it is because my hotel was covered by ABTA and apparently this was not covered because the holiday was not booked as a package. I lost my holiday because XL went under so would have thought that ABTA would cover this as I thought they both sang from the same hymn book.

Next time I go on holiday I am going to go on standby at the airport and find somewhere to stay when I get there.

At least that way I will get a holiday:easter:

Alan_Bowen

Did you book the accommodation through XL or entirely separately? If it was a separate contract with a company that did not stop trading, then there is no claim from anyone, the accommodation was available but you simply couldn't get there. If you booked the two parts at the same time with a travel agent who didn't explain what they were doing, then demand the money for the accommdoation back from them! However this is a real warning to anyone booking flights and accommodation separately, if one part goes, you end up with half a holiday, which you may not be able to use at all, as in this case

lesleyhem

We saw the holiday advertised on teletext. It was company called 2bookaholiday.com, they are still trading and are part of Hays Travel. As far as I was aware we were booking a package as we booked flights accomodation and transfers with them and they were paid for on one invoice. I have rung them but got no joy all they would say was they offered us another flight at a cost of £1000 but it was for 2 days later than the original booking and the hotel could not accomodate those dates but we could pay for another hotel - in effect pay for another holiday!. I am going to write a strong letter to 2bookaholiday.com, Hays Travel and hotels4u (who are part of Thomas Cook) whom our hotel was booked through, but we did no know this until we received paperwork some weeks after booking

kAos_3

Just for the record, I'm happy to report that today I received my final refund payment from CEGA. It happened because I kept phoning them every week. Two weeks ago they looked up my record and admitted, in the phone, that all paperwork was in order (and have been for weeks, so thet were ready to authorise the payment. Then a couple of weeks went by, during which I sent me yet another form to sign, but then notified me yesterday that the money is released. I'm sure if I hadn't bug them every week on the phone my case would still be somewhere in the bottom of their stack. But for now: result.