MSE News: Holidays 4 U collapses - your travel rights

bagand96

There are five of us - we were booked to fly out on Monday 15th Aug and back two weeks later, but can be a bit flexible on dates as we're staying with my dad who lives out there - we just need to be back before the kids go back to school on 5th September

Sadly, as predicted, supply and demand has now dictated that prices to Turkey have rocketed. You are looking at about £400 each before baggage and credit card charges.

www.skyscanner.net is a very good search and comparison site allowing you to view the whole month.

Otherise I'd suggest Thomson, flythomascook, easyjet and Monarch.

scruffbag1

Thank you! Just as I thought then... finally got through to A1 earlier, they found flights with easyjet for the bargain price of £1300 for the two of us :eek:. It is safe to say we will not be going on holiday and will lose the cost of accomodation and transfers. So gutted...in the seven years we've been together my OH and I have never had a holiday, this year we were finally fortunate to be in a situation where we could afford a cheap holiday and now this happens!

Does anyone know anything about Visa chargeback? Only I spoke to someone who claimed this way last year when their holiday company went bust. Seems you can make a claim if you paid with Visa debit.

wingobins

luci wrote: »

Some people have still not been paid out for Goldtrail going bust in July last year, others are just receiving their cheques this month.

My brother and his family have only just been paid from goldtrail going bust last yr only for it to happen again to them with holidays 4u. They were due to go on monday but they are not offering any alternative.

bagand96

Thank you! Just as I thought then... finally got through to A1 earlier, they found flights with easyjet for the bargain price of £1300 for the two of us :eek:. It is safe to say we will not be going on holiday and will lose the cost of accomodation and transfers.

Did you ask them this? Are the Hotel and Transfers definitely 100% non-refundable? What dates do you travel and where from, might be able to get cheaper than that, can't promise though! (you don't have to book replcement flights through A1).

Does anyone know anything about Visa chargeback? Only I spoke to someone who claimed this way last year when their holiday company went bust. Seems you can make a claim if you paid with Visa debit.

Visa Chargeback won't cover you i'm afraid. This protection is for supplier failure. A1 travel, the accomodation provider and transfer provider have not failed, they can, and will still provide the services you have booked and paid for.

Unfortunately this is the case when you don't book a package holiday and is a scenario that has been played out many times in the past few years (XL, Kiss Flights, Goldtrail etc). The government are looking at a massive overhaul of the ATOL regulations which would extend the protection, but it hasn't been decided yet.

peat

I booked flights only with Aegean flights. My invoice states "Your Financial Protection: Where there is a £2.50 ATOL charge shown on this confirmation, this is paid to the Civil Aviation Authority to provide ATOL protection for you. This means the money paid for these arangements is fully protected. For more information see our booking terms and conditions."
My invoice shows the ATOL charge. Am I indeed protected or is this just waffle? I paid by mastercard credit card, could I simply claim the money back from them?

scruffbag1

bagand96 wrote: »

Did you ask them this? Are the Hotel and Transfers definitely 100% non-refundable? What dates do you travel and where from, might be able to get cheaper than that, can't promise though! (you don't have to book replcement flights through A1).QUOTE]

They offered to find alternative flights and the cheapest they could find on the dates we'd booked were with easyjet for £1300 (15 - 25 aug). They said if I didn't choose alternative flights I would lose the hotel and transfers. They told me I could claim back the cost of the flights so it looks like that is the only realistic option. I had a look for flights myself but there is no way we will be able to afford them unless we go with zero spending money.

sullyde1

I booked flights direct with Aegean Flights for next August. I paid with a credit card (Virgin) I called them yesterday and they told me that I can not get a refund until after the date of my flights or if I can get a 'Negative Response' letter. So I guess I have a very long wait to get my money back.

Anyone else having problems with credit card companies.

Sullyde

Mike.Stones_Co-op_Travel

I can't stop long, as I am busy trying to help victims book a replacement holiday, BUT

1) Don't expect the CAA to refund your package in less than 3 to 6 months (and then only if you submit perfect paperwork first time)

2) credit card chargeback would only work if you paid Holidays4U or Aegean Flights direct. If you paid through an ABTA Travel Agent, then you have to follow the CAA claims procedure.

3) I know it is tempting to save money by booking your flight, accommodation separately - and millions do it. I always advice against this, just as I advise against going to Europe without medical cover.

Some online and Teletext companies cut corners by issuing you a separate invoice for your flights and hotel. That means you have a problem if you flight fails. Quite reasonably, the hotel will take the attitude that it is not THEIR fault you did not turn up.

When reputable agents put a package together, ALL the parts are protected under the ATOL bond. This costs more, because it contains an element for the risk.

For example, we have 17 bookings where the flights come from Onur Air through Holidays4U but the accommodation comes from another company. WE are obliged to give 100% refund to our 17 clients (NOW not in 3 months) and we will lose £10,000+ that we have already paid for hotels.

I know it is almost the gospel around here, but cheapest price is not always everything!

richardw

Will the remaining Onur Air flights for the season be put on sale to others?

bagand96

My invoice shows the ATOL charge. Am I indeed protected or is this just waffle? I paid by mastercard credit card, could I simply claim the money back from them?

I booked flights direct with Aegean Flights for next August. I paid with a credit card (Virgin) I called them yesterday and they told me that I can not get a refund until after the date of my flights or if I can get a 'Negative Response' letter. So I guess I have a very long wait to get my money back.

Anyone else having problems with credit card companies.

You need to read the letter from the CAA/ATOL I posted above. http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1052/20110803Holidays4UClaimForm.pdf

If you paid Aegeanflights/Holidays4U directly with a credit card, then you must claim it back from your credit card under section 75. You may need to send them a copy if that letter as proof that ATOL will not be refunding you. Don't see why you should need to wait until after the flight date.

Will the remaining Onur Air flights for the season be put on sale to others?

Strongly doubt it. The Onur Air flights were chartered exclusively for H4U. Imagine there'll be a few more inbound flights covered by ATOL to get people home, but after that they'll stop. Other operators probably don't need the extra capacity at short notice in the middle of the season.