MSE News: Goldtrail Travel Limited collapse: your rights

Cortez_the_Killer

I had 4 flights booked for October through Goldtrail which I booked with my Barclaycard. When the story broke I phoned Barclaycard who sent me forms which took 10 days to arrive. I returned tham and another 8 or 9 days later thay have written back and told me they will not look at my claim unless the CAA wont pay out. I didnt think I needed to go to the CAA first as by claiming under sec 75 the credit card company had to deal with my claim? Was I wrong and If I wasnt then can anybody point me to anything definitive as there is a lot of different information going about

dollydimple38

bagand96 wrote: »

I do not think the article is entirely correct. It states that you are not protected if you had a flight only booking with Goldtrail.

I believe this is incorrect. Goldtrail were solely a tour operator, and even flight only bookings with them will come under the ATOL as they did not directly sell flights, they sold tickets on flights chartered by themselves (subtle difference but big difference at the same time).

The CAA state (my bold):

we booked our holiday with lowcostholidays and paid them for our hotel with goldtrail flight with easyjet and resorthoppa.when they went bust.we contacted lowcostholidays who said our holiday will be ok.this was over the phone.but we have had no word since. how do we stand.:(

Alan_Bowen

I should obvioulsy look here more often. To JustinClarke, it appears your agent did disclose the booking was with Goldtrail and you would have a valid claim against the CAA for the cost of your flights. If you haven't got a claim form yet, go to www.caa.co.uk and download it now. To Peat, they are correct that you should claim against the CAA, you only claim against the credit card company if you book direct with a failed company and your statement shows a debit by, in this case Goldtrail, the failed company

Hippychicknos1: R Travel appear to failed to do everything in your case, failed to disclose who they were booking you with and failed to provide the hotel you booked. As members of ABTA they have a duty to reply fully within 28 days of your complaint, if they don't, contact ABTA at 30 Park Street, London SE1 and also contact the HQ of Co Op Travel based in Manchester. Wiilworkforfood, again you seem to have had no idea that your booking was with Goldtrail so you need to take action against R Travel, in your case, I would probably make a claim against your credit card as then it will be R Travel's account that is debited and it looks as if they have been ignoring the legal situation and not telling customers who they have been making reservations with. In all such cases, the only contract appears to be with R Travel themselves, in breach of CAA and ABTA rules.

To everyone reading these comments a few warnings:

Whenever you ask to book a holiday, ask if it is an ATOL protected package or a series of separate contracts, before the booking is confirmed

If it is not a package, ask what will happen if one part disappears, many people booked with Goldtrail to be re booked and paid a second time to Kiss and now are being asked to pay a third time! Few of us can afford to do that. Moneysaving isn't real moneysaving if you end up broke!

If you book a package and the business goes pop, you get a complete refund , if you book components and you can't find another flight, you may be subject to cancellation charges for the hotel element which you may not be able to recover

No one can charge you a fee to complete an ATOL refund form, despite the fact that at least one large company appears to be trying to claim £40 each time

This is not the best year to book components, the charter tour operators have had a difficult year and most failures happen in September and there are a good number of full packages still available at very reasonable prices, this might be the way to save money this time. Whatever you do Book Safe!

whistler58

Has anybody had a refund yet from the CAA or credit card companies or who ever is paying out? As my Holiday was last August I am still waiting 8 months later.

Alan_Bowen

Whistler58, yes most people have had a refund, I believe over 90% have been paid out by now. Only those who booked through agents who either haven't actually submitted a claim yet, and some of them haven't, and those whose documentation did not disclose Goldtrail as the ATOL should be waiting now. Have you received an acknowledgment with a claim number from the CAA? If you have try calling and see what's happening, if you haven't then you need to find out why your agent hasn't begun the claim!