Malev Hungary - airline ceases all flights

Carlusha

Some of you may know Malev ceased operations last on Friday 3rd February.

I wasn't unduly worried as I believed I was covered through my HSBC Premier Credit Card.

I had booked flights for my wife and I in November 2011 intending to fly this coming 24th February directly with the airline. It was only by chance, while checking to ensure baggage allowances hadn't changed that I saw the news.

Being rather hard of hearing and unable to have complex conversations on the telephone, I visited the local HSBC and asked one of the front office staff to call the Credit Card Operations and ask about reimbursement.

To keep it simple, I was refused and asked to telephone ATOL or ATA.

The Malev site explains:

You should proceed as follows in order to obtain a refund of the cost of the airfare:

- if you paid by bank card or through PayPal (online, travel agency, Malev ticketing office), we suggest that you contact your bank to ask about the refund options;
- if you purchased your air ticket in a Malev office, for cash or by bank transfer, please submit your refund claim to malev@malev.com or to the following address:1476 Budapest, Postafi!k 79. A decision on reimbursement of claims is expected to be handled within the impending bankruptcy procedure and in compliance with the provisions of effective laws;

A quick check of the ATOL site sees:

Passengers who booked directly with the airline using a credit or debit card should contact their card issuer.

What is upsetting is we were changing at Budapest, still with Malev, for Odessa in Ukraine, where my wife lived prior to moving to the UK. For this reason, the cost was a whopping £584 which, as pair of pensioners, is quite a knock to have to take.

Is HSBC correct to send me away?

Thanks for any suggestions

bengalknights

No HSBC are wrong they should do a chargeback and claim the amount back.

Insist on this being done.

Carlusha

Thanks. I will go back to the branch tomorrow armed with your reply and the ATOL/CAA statement and insist they explain the reasoning behind their decision.

agrinnall

Can you explain a bit more, was the refusal that the branch staff would not phone Credit Card Operations for you and sent you away, or did they phone and Credit Card Operations say that they were unable to help you?

I suspect it was the former, branch staff are unlikely to go out of their way to do this sort of thing as it's not as it's not really part of their day to day job, although they might be more willing to do it if you have arranged an appointment so that the time is already allocated.

However, you are more likely to get a sensible response if you can go directly to the people whose job this is at Credit Card Operations - would somebody else be able to have the conversation on your behalf, with you autorishing them to speak for you and being on hand to answer any specific questions?

Carlusha

Hi, thanks for that. Apologies for not making myself clearer. The HSBC chap did call the Credit Card Operations. It was they who suggested I call ATOL or ATA for a reimbursement.

He simply relayed this to me (I was sitting next to him in a side office) together with telephone numbers.

Of course, I cannot call these people so started checking the net for any information. All I found was ATOL / CAA that customers affected should contact their credit card companies!

agrinnall

In that case it sounds like the Credit Card Operations person was trying to get out of their responsibilities. If you can't speak to them on the phone then maybe you could put your case in writing.

chattychappy

Their actual obligation under s75 is to perform the contract or pay damages - ie the cost of putting you back into the position had there not been a breach.

Air ticket T+Cs are complicated - but HSBC might be getting off rather lightly if they simply have to refund you. If other airlines are flying those routes but only at a greater cost, I would start off by claiming that amount from them.

But I wonder if anyone knows of any pitfalls re. s75/airline tickets? I vaguely recall an issue about buying tickets for someone else. Not sure which way it went.

luci

HSBC are wrong. They are jointly liable if you have suffered a loss.

Here are all the details including a template letter to send them. They should send you a form to complete.

If you need to book alternative flights which are more expensive, you can also try to claim for "consequential losses", which is the difference between the original flights and the new ones, but they are not obliged to refund this.

I successfully claimed for both when Flyglobespan went bust.

Re buying tickets for someone else, I think you are getting confused when it is an additional card holder that has made the purchase. You then have to prove that the purchase was for the benefit of the main card holder.

Carlusha

Here are all the details including a template letter to send them. They should send you a form to complete.

I couldn't find a link to or attachment template.

I'll print this thread and take it round the bank tomorrow, show them and try to obtain a reason for refusal. I will post back here when I have it.

Thanks to all

luci

Sorry, I forgot to post it as I was so angry at the way you have been treated.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/section75-protect-your-purchases

It is really the credit card department of the bank you need to deal with, not the branch.

Carlusha

Thanks ever so much.