thank you XL

michjoe

nikki182204 wrote: »

We were booked to go in February with Travel City Direct and have lost our full balance of £5500 we managed to book another trip with Virgin Holidays and are hoping that the money we have been assured that we will get back is returned to us in time to pay the balance. First Choice were rude and arrogant about it in our branch yesterday with a you should have booked with us in the first place approach and basically told us that we were not there problem and they didn't know what to do next as it had never happened to them. As a frequent traveller with First Choice this has certainly put us off booking with them again!

I had some unexpected bad news in my family a couple of years ago and unfortunately I couldn't go on the holiday that I'd planned and paid for throughout the year, I rang First Choice to ask what my options were and the lady (if that's what you would call her) that I spoke to was so unsympathetic, I was in tears on the phone and she basically said it's tuff we can't help you. Never again will I book with them!!!!!

Also like to say I am really sorry about this situation, I have lost out due to a company going bust and it is absolutely gutting.

Cat695

The owners should be sent to jail for allowing this to happen.....surely they knew with some advance that their company was going down the pan....yet still continued to take peoples hard earned cash knowing that they could not fulfill their side of things.

i feel very sad for all those people who have been ripped off and left strandard

Strapped

My mum is on holiday in Greece and was due to fly back with XL today - fortunately, she booked with a credit card and seems very relaxed about the situation. She's retired so can afford to take her time getting back home and will fly back once she can get an alternative flight...but there's no rush

Nobjocki

It is unfortunate that many people have had their current and future holidays ruined by the collapse of XL and the anger and frustration that they are voicing on here is understandable.
However,let's be clear about this - XL have provided excellent flights and holidays for many many thousands of people very often at a much reduced price than many schedule airlines.
When you enter into a ferociously competitive market such as airlines and holidays you must be prepared to take a risk if you go for the cheapest option - in much the same way as you have to accept the level of service offered by Ryanair in return for their cheap fares.
In order to offer those prices XL had to work on slim margins - and when a massive and unexpected hike in oil prices comes along the consequences are inevitable.
The real lesson to be learned from this is that the age of bargain basement travel is over - for a while at least.

Engadine

It is a terrible thing that has happened to everyone who had booked with XL. I really do hope that as many people as possible get their money back or manage to arrange an alternative holiday. It's not the first time this has happened (ILG) and unfortunately I don't think it will be the last time this happens.

The company had tried everything to keep the company afloat, a rescue plan on Wednesday could not be finalised in time to keep the company going. No company will ever come out and say how bad things are especially when they are trying everything to rescue the company.

Around 1,700 people have lost their jobs and with the way things are at the moment in the travel industry there is not much chance of them all finding jobs doing the same for another company. They will likely get nothing from the company.

Currently most travel companies and airlines are working on very slim margins and cost cutting where they can as the cost of fuel is putting extra burden on their finances. XL Leisure Group were a good company and provided good service over a number of years to thousands of people.

Regarding the issue of people being able or not able to get their money back, for anyone that is not covered by ATOL or didn't use a credit or visa debit card to pay then the blame for you not getting anything back lies with the Government.

The travel industry has been lobbying the Government for a number of years to introduce a protection scheme, that would cover everyone regardless of how they pay etc. The Government have chosen to do nothing about this however I wouldn't be surprised if after the demise of XL they finally do something. A protection scheme that covers everyone is long overdue. It really is unbelievable that again it has been allowed to happen and for thousands to be stranded. Other countries have protection schemes so here's hoping the government learn this time and finally do something.

lauren123210

Deleerious wrote: »

Whoever this person is, if and WHEN they do fly please make sure I'm not on their plane. They don't sound the luckiest of people when it comes to flying

We have a holiday booked with Fleetway Travel using XL Flights. Fleetway e - mailed me saying they were looking into it by departure date order, we are / were due to fly in 3 weeks time to Kos. I don't know if they'll refund the holiday or just change the flights.

There's always something isn't there!?

Deleerious

You're lucky to have got a reply from fleetway - we are meant to be travelling next sunday and have been told to ring back on tuesday and theyll try and help us - we're in limbo until then!

Woby_Tide

Cat695 wrote: »

The owners should be sent to jail for allowing this to happen.....surely they knew with some advance that their company was going down the pan....yet still continued to take peoples hard earned cash knowing that they could not fulfill their side of things.

i feel very sad for all those people who have been ripped off and left strandard

Again not defending them but bear in mind that the minute that the company stops taking bookings as they think they may go under, the cash flow stops and thats it, no-one booking = no cash = stop people travelling. They could have done it earlier probably, but the outcome would have been the same, most people book months in advance. If they could have sold more holidays/flights they may have been able to fund the other parts but they couldn't ultimately it seems.

sodamnfunky

I feel for anyone who has lost their hard earned money because of this. We were thinking of taking my daughters to Florida next year, and TCD was one of the firms we looked at, very nearly booked it, so glad we didnt now.

JenC

Woby_Tide wrote: »

Again not defending them but bear in mind that the minute that the company stops taking bookings as they think they may go under, the cash flow stops and thats it, no-one booking = no cash = stop people travelling. They could have done it earlier probably, but the outcome would have been the same, most people book months in advance. If they could have sold more holidays/flights they may have been able to fund the other parts but they couldn't ultimately it seems.

What makes me cross is that the French and German divisions of XL are still trading. Are there legal issues which involve more penalties there? Typically it has to be the UK division to go pop. Friday was a horrible day trying to salvage my holiday which was booked for Weds. Thankfully our agent (Bookable Sun) sorted us out by lunchtime on next day flights.

Now I'm the other side of it and can see it with a little more perspective, I feel terrible for the crew and staff of XL who have been left with no job, no salary etc. As harsh as it may seem, my holiday although hard earned is just a week of my life, not my entire life

Nicky321

Stella66 wrote: »

I have been on the phone to Halifax, they sent me packing to ATOl.

Sorry Stella if i caused confusion. If the holiday was covered by ATOL, then that would be the first port of call, if not, then try "Chargeback scheme" with halifax.