Chargeback from Barclays due to Thomas cook

Oli_0707

All of your replies have been so helpful and making me feel slightly better about this. I have seen on the money saving expert site some screenshots of twitter etc and barclays customers saying they have already got back chargebacks for flights they paid for and flight not scheduled until a future date. Someone said they got back money for USA flights saving their 2020 holiday. So I think I may have been told slightly wrongly maybe by the Barclays advisor I spoke with. But this was on the 1st day after all the trouble so I’m sure many staff were really unsure.

Terry_Towelling

The key question at the moment is was the flight with Thomas Cook Airlines or with another carrier but just booked through Thomas Cook?

Oli_0707

It was a flight only with Thomas cook airlines from London to Cyprus for 4 of us costing £1650 for August 2020.

Terry_Towelling

If there is no bond fund to pay out you should be able to have a Chargeback done more or less straight away. I would be fairly certain that most front-line staff in card issuing banks will have by now been briefed on the situation and be able to direct your claim to an internal team specially set up to handle Thomas Cook problems.

The fact that Thomas Cook has no money (now or next September) makes no difference, because you are simply asking your bank to reassign the transaction to Thomas Cook's processing bank in accordance with agreed transaction dispute processes. What they then do with the debt is up to them.

Oli_0707

Thanks terry. That does make sense even to someone with little banking knowledge . I’ll call them tomorrow to see if I get fobbed off again.

Terry_Towelling

Don't thank me yet. I'm just offering an opinion, as my Chargeback knowledge started to go out of date in 2004/5. If I get anything wrong, I'll get jumped on by the raft of current Chargeback practitioners on the forum - which is how it should be.

I threw my second paragraph in because there are some posters on this forum who refuse to believe you can have a Chargeback done when a retailer is insolvent.

born_again

Oli_0707 wrote: »

All of your replies have been so helpful and making me feel slightly better about this. I have seen on the money saving expert site some screenshots of twitter etc and barclays customers saying they have already got back chargebacks for flights they paid for and flight not scheduled until a future date. Someone said they got back money for USA flights saving their 2020 holiday. So I think I may have been told slightly wrongly maybe by the Barclays advisor I spoke with. But this was on the 1st day after all the trouble so I’m sure many staff were really unsure.

With situations like this. The information staff get can change very quickly.

As with a big collapse like this. Banks and card issuers will be working in the background to come up with the best solution to make life easy for customers.

I have had cases where we have been telling customers we need proof of no flight etc and a ATOL/ABTA letter saying will not payout. Then later in the day we are told we can do them straight away without the paperwork.
These are very fluid situations.
Frustrating for everyone concerned.

1st days are a nightmare. As while we know where we will end up dealing with this. Until the green light has been given you have to play it via the standard chargeback rules.

I'm just waiting for the customers to get the ABTA/ATOL letters saying no funds left.... Despite T/C reassuring comments on this. Happens every time.

Oli_0707

Thanks born again and terry. I hope everyone not just me can get some help. In the grand scheme of things it’s minor compared to the thousands who have lost jobs with no knowledge. And the people actually on holiday worrying about getting back.
But your advice and opinions have been great.

Do you think if I called Barclays and said I wish them to make a claim for me they would even if they say I can’t until the date the flight should have been. Can I ask them to claim on my behalf anyway even if it gets rejected. So I can then appeal and the. I have the documents for a financial ombudsman claim should I not have any luck. I only say this as in the news others appear to have had chargebacks even before schedules flight times. Seems strange.

jonesMUFCforever

Normally in a situation like this a company may go into administration first - perhaps because there might be a slight chance of someone coming in to rescue the profitable parts of the business. If this had happened then I can see Barclays' reasoning behind saying no claim before the actual departure date.

However liquidation is final - even if somebody does buy part of the business then it will be a new company with no obligation to existing TC customers so Barclays are wrong and should process a chargeback as soon as possible.

Oli_0707

Right. So I popped into the barclays today and they were actually helpful. Completed a chargeback claim. There was No talking about claiming from the date of flight next year. And I have a reference number and advisor said I will have a response in about 2-3 days. So I now feel whatever the outcome that at least I have been able to make an actual claim which is logged and not just sitting on my bum with nothing. Will see how it goes and update all you great people who have taken the time to add your thoughts.