Prize via Thomas Cook.

andrew71

Early this year I won a holiday to Orlando for six people via Heart (Global) Radio.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=6008804
The prize was via Thomas Cook. Could the station now turn around and say the prize is null and void because of Thomas Cook? Or could they transfer it to another travel company, eg Virgin Holidays? Virgin have the flights on the same day we wanted to travel and also the hotel we were going to be staying in.
I understand that there's people who have spent money on holidays and flights and people who have lost jobs. My thoughts are with those staff.
However I am dreading telling the young family members including one who has autism that our holiday won't be happening.
As this ever happened to anybody else? For instance night street white goods store (Comet for example) going bust who your prize was from.

Browntoa

I'm assuming the prize was supplied by Thomas Cook , not the station.

Think sadly it's lost unless the station do a goodwill gesture

andrew71

Heart Radio rang me originally to inform me I had won. They then passed my details onto NBC/Universal to arrange dates I wished to book.
It was only then once Universal had confirmed the dates Thomas Cook contacted me.

Sylar82

Do you have a contact for NBC/Universal?

lukgs7

Try contacting the radio station for the updates. Hope they will compensate.

LizB62

Sadly nobody on here can help you - you need to contact the radio station plus NBC/Universal.

You might be lucky and they might pay for alternative flights but you probably need to prepare to be disappointed.

I'm pretty sure that travel insurance won't help as you didn't pay for this trip, it was a win

Bobble5366

oh my, really hope the radio station will sort an alternative out for you - I think they will - fingers crossed for you.

Snow_Igloo

Oh no. I hope they sort something out for you, please do keep us updated

mjm3346

andrew71 wrote: »

Heart Radio rang me originally to inform me I had won. They then passed my details onto NBC/Universal to arrange dates I wished to book.
It was only then once Universal had confirmed the dates Thomas Cook contacted me.

Doesn't really matter when Thomas Cook contacted you as they were the travel provider mentioned in the T&Cs and not simply chosen after the competition closed, if it had been the latter then it would almost certainly have been down to the promoters to make other arrangements.

As it is they may
Void the prize
Leave it to you to arrange and pay for your own flights with the rest of the prize standing as is
Hopefully they will cover the cost of arranging alternative flights themselves (the arrangement with Thomas Cook may well have been for TC to provide the flights free in exchange for promotional consideration)


This is from their general T&Cs

36. We (including the promotion partners) will, of course, try to provide the prize as described. Occasionally, circumstances beyond our reasonable control might make this difficult or impossible. For example, if a prize involves a meet and greet with a celebrity they may be unwell or their commitments may change, or if the prize involves travel or tickets to an event, weather conditions or other circumstances might mean that plans are disrupted, postponed or cancelled. When we can’t deliver a prize as described, we will always do our best to provide you with an alternative which we consider to be a reasonable replacement in all the circumstances. We will consult with you when we do so because we don’t want you to be disappointed, but you understand that the replacement may not be identical to the original prize.

andrew71

***Update***
Hopefully everything is still on. I've been emailing Universal Studios who the prize is with and it seems that the only part of the prize Thomas Cook was involved with was the flights. Universal Studios had done the hotel and park tickets directly and not via TC. So fingers crossed it's just a case of moving us to another flight (Virgin, KLM and Air France run a flight on the same day)
So fingers crossed tightly we're still going to Orlando. :j:j

Bobble5366

That's great news for you x