Travel agents closed down abta won't help

CT_uk

We booked a holiday with our local travel agent, who have been in business for 26 years. We have booked to go to the Masters in April. Un beknown to us they closed down, we only found out when the golf operator contacted direct for the balance of monies. We had paid in full. The golf operator will no honour our booking, they only have half the money, they only atol registered. They say we have to now pay again. We have been on to abta who say they can't do anything!!! Also we can't claim against the local agent because they have closed down but not gone into administration. We paid cash monthly to the agent. Hence we can't claim off credit card company. Advice please.

Mr_Wang

CT_uk wrote: »

We booked a holiday with our local travel agent, who have been in business for 26 years. We have booked to go to the Masters in April. Un beknown to us they closed down, we only found out when the golf operator contacted direct for the balance of monies. We had paid in full. The golf operator will no honour our booking, they only have half the money, they only atol registered. They say we have to now pay again. We have been on to abta who say they can't do anything!!! Also we can't claim against the local agent because they have closed down but not gone into administration. We paid cash monthly to the agent. Hence we can't claim off credit card company. Advice please.

Travel Insurance?

You might not think you have it, or have bought it specifically. But just check your bank etc. Mine has annual Travel Insurance as standard.

Westin

Was the travel agent an ABTA member? If so it seems strange that the association won't help - understandable however the travel agent wasn't an ABTA member.

If there anything on your travel documents/receipt to indicate which form of bonding the travel agency had? Typically the agent would have to have sometime of trust fund account which comes into play in instances like this. Once you know this, contact them, explain the situation and they should be able to help recover the monies paid or agree to pass on your paid balance to the tour operator.

CT_uk

The travel agent was local and abta bonded. We cannot get hold of any of the owners. We contacted abta who told us the golf company had to honour our booking. They have refused because they say they are only protected by atol. Abta have said nothing they can do. So we asked could are we protected by the local agent because they were the ones who dealt with booking and took all our monies. They are protected by abta. Again abta says no because the shop has just disappeared not gone into liquidation!! Again refusing to help. We have been on to our travel insurance, which is a minefield on its own, they say they can't help either. Driving me nuts been given the run around. We go 9th April or meant to be. I just feel abta are doing everything they can to be unhelpful. The golf company who took are booking via our agent won't continue with the booking unless we pay there outstanding balance. But we have already paid £8k in full for 2 flights which have been confirmed. The golf company say they have £3.6k but want another £3.6k which they never received from our agent.

rocking69

Who did you book your flights with? Did you book them with the agency or yourself?

CT_uk

Our flights are safe. They were booked we our local travel agent. We've received the tickets for those. It's golf element we have problems with our local travel agent has only paid them half of the money. Yet been paid in full by us.

Archergirl

I am a little confused, your flights are paid for and safe, so how much do you owe the golf company is it still £3.6K?
How many are going, what is the outstanding money for?

CT_uk

The flights were booked and paid for separately. The golf package was separate. We have received the flight tickets so that's not a problem. We have paid the travel agent ( who has now closed down ) in full for the golf element. They have only paid the golf package provider half the monies and that is where our problem lies !

Alan_Bowen

ABTA are correct in that the golf company should provide the holiday if they accepted a booking through an appointed agent, and the fact that they have received half the money show that they have. However this also shows the real truth about the (lack of) financial protection given by ABTA. If the golf company had been a member of ABTA, they would have forced them to honour the booking on proof that you had paid their agent, but because they are not, ABTA cannot do anything to force them to do so. In the past ABTA would have either refunded the money or guaranteed payment to the company but very quietly, and not wanting bad publicity they changed the rules in 2006 and will not refund customers anymore in these circumstances. They simply tell you that if necesssary you should sue the golf operator!

You booked in all innocence, thinking that ABTA would protect you, it pains me to say this but tell them if they do not help you, you will go to the press, ABTA has known this was a timebomb waiting to hit them. You may find they would rather keep you quiet

CT_uk

Thank you Alan I will certainly be taking this further, your comments have been very helpful. Many thanks.

rocking69

Is your holiday under an ATOL package?