Thomas Cook tricky situation

JackMitchell

Hello!

I really need some urgent advice.

I am a Thomas Cook customer who is currently abroad in Split, Croatia need to travel back to Manchester. I found out they went bust within 2 hours of their 2am announcement. At 4:30am (Croatian time) I started panicking and booked flights back with British Airways for the same day with lastminute.com. This cost £371.63

However our repatriation flight has now been announced for the same time and day by the CAA.

I have rang them and they stated that we should take the repatriated flight and try to cancel the British Airways flight. When I rang British Airways they said they can’t cancel or refund me as I booked with lastminute.com. When I rang lastminute.com they said I had booked insurance for that flight with them but the money would only be given as £288 in vouchers to use on their website which is not when I want at all.

What should I do to get my money back? I will be taking the repatriated flight back home at it leaves earlier then the British Airways one (which also has a 4 hour wait in London).

I have travel insurance with Sainsburys which includes Scheduled Airline Failure Cover.

Thanks,

Jack

bradders1983

I think you will be lucky, why on earth did you book alternatives. All Monarch customers got home on replacement flights put on free of charge only 2 years ago. Think you need to chalk this one down to experience. The fact you have insurance is irrelevent, a free replacement has been put on for you and you have chosen off your own back to book extra ones.

photome

what are the terms on lastminute.com re your ticket purchase. you will be bound by those.


not sure why you bought them though


your sains insurance wont help as you have been provided with a flight home

bradders1983

Take the Lastminute.com vouchers and run, and thank yourself lucky.

JackMitchell

Because I woke up to the news and panicked. Also there was no guarantee of replacement flights at the time so wanted to book before anyone else did as well as before other airlines put their prices up, I was trying to be proactive.

Anyway, mistake or not I have 3 options -

- Last minute vouchers of £288

- Last minute and British Airways agree on a refund amount, most likely will not be full amount as stated previously

- Sainsburys have said to take go through CSA and put the British Airways flights down as a Cancellation claim

Obviously will try and get the Thomas Cook money back via CAA or my bank

bradders1983

JackMitchell wrote: »

Obviously will try and get the Thomas Cook money back via CAA or my bank

Erm, good luck with that. You are already abroad, a return flight is being provided, you are entitled to the sum total of £0 from the CAA/Thomas Cook. All services/goods have been provided, the CAA or your bank wont entertain such a claim.

JackMitchell wrote: »

Also there was no guarantee of replacement flights at the time

You actually believed this? Just accept you made a mistake and take the vouchers and move on !!!!!!.

Pollycat

JackMitchell wrote: »

Because I woke up to the news and panicked. Also there was no guarantee of replacement flights at the time so wanted to book before anyone else did as well as before other airlines put their prices up, I was trying to be proactive.

Anyway, mistake or not I have 3 options -

- Last minute vouchers of £288

- Last minute and British Airways agree on a refund amount, most likely will not be full amount as stated previously

- Sainsburys have said to take go through CSA and put the British Airways flights down as a Cancellation claim

Obviously will try and get the Thomas Cook money back via CAA or my bank

It wouldn't surprise me if lastminute.com booked you a non-changeable, non-refundable ticket with BA - in which case your refund will be minimal (just fees).

photome

I did ask before, what do lastminute.coms terms say


you mention insurance with them what was that to cover?


Is the £288 voucher refund , the cost minus admin/taxes?



you dont IMO have any claim with BA or on your sains travel insurance

Pollycat

photome wrote: »

I did ask before, what do lastminute.coms terms say


you mention insurance with them what was that to cover?


Is the £288 voucher refund , the cost minus admin/taxes?



you dont IMO have any claim with BA or on your sains travel insurance

I found this on lastminute.com website:

Can I get a refund if I cancel my flight?
Yes, but the amount you'd be refunded would depend on your airline's cancellation and refund policy. As soon as your refunded amount is confirmed, it will be sent to you via the same method of payment you used to make your booking. However, please note that it may take several days for your reimbursement to appear in your account.
If you did not buy one of our Assistance Packages, you will be charged a Handling fee for the refund.

https://www.lastminute.com/en/help/assistance.html?relatedProduct=Flights&question=Can+I+get+a+refund+if+I+cancel+my+flight%3F

Westin

IMO:

1. No claim against CAA/ATOL.
2. Neither BA or Lastminute.com are obligated to give you a refund on a non-refundable ticket.
3. Call Sainsbury's insurance and see if they will cover you the cost of the BA/LM flights. They may however refuse given that the CAA are providing repatriation flights without cost.
3. If lastminute.com are offering you vouchers then they are probably going over and above what they have to do.


I would take the LM vouchers and be grateful.

peachyprice

JackMitchell wrote: »

Because I woke up to the news and panicked. Also there was no guarantee of replacement flights at the time so wanted to book before anyone else did

There actually was, ATOL/CAA/UK government had all been saying for the entire week prior to the collapse that everyone would be brought home, as near as possible to their booked flight, they categorically stated that nobody would be stranded.