Between a rock and a hard place with Tui

PiperPA28

Hi there, We are in a dilemma deciding on what to do re, our holiday booked with Tui. My wife and I have a package holiday to Crete, departing on July 7th this year. We paid only £100.00 deposit as requested on their web site (Credit card) with another £300.00 being due on April1st and the remaining balance (£2618.00) due on April 14th. Our travel insurance will not pay any claims due to Corona virus. Our dilemma is: a) Because of the departure date, if we cancel then we will have to pay £200 per person as this is their "Normal" deposit irrespective of their asking only £100.00 at the time of booking. b) If we pay the remaining balance and Tui then cancel (either by their decision or on recommendation from the FCO), how easy would it be to get a refund as it looks as though they are pushing people to re-book the same year? c) If we pay the remaining balance and they subsequently go into liquidation, again, how easy would it be to get a refund, either through ABTA or our credit card company? We need to decide whether to cut our losses and loose the £400.00 or wait, hoping that travel will be permitted by July but possibly loose over £3,000.00? Any advise would be appreciated as I expect there are many in this situation.

 

 

[Deleted User]

If the trip is cancelled or they go out of business, you get your money back.

If you cancel, you don't.

bradders1983

You wont loose [sic] anything...if you stick to your contractual payment agreement.

Westin

Have a read through the MSE guide.  Look specifically at the section titled "I've booked a trip, but I'm paying for it in instalments. I don't want to go – can I stop paying?"

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/?utm_source=MSE_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=18-Mar-20-50597963-386&utm_campaign=nt-hiya&utm_content=4

evkevin

We have a trip book at the end of April to Mexico. Not heard if its been cancelled yet but will i need holiday insurance to get my money back for the holiday? 

pelirocco

evkevin said:

We have a trip book at the end of April to Mexico. Not heard if its been cancelled yet but will i need holiday insurance to get my money back for the holiday? 

Havent you  got insurance ?

We have a trip  in June and one booked in July ...hoping they still go ahead 
But what will be will be 

CountDrakma

Ours was similar, only we'd booked online with Jet2 for a holiday starting 31st May. We'd only paid £120 deposit with the balance of of £2000 due this Sunday. We've made a sensible, responsible and pragmatic decision to cancel with the assumption that we'll lose our £120. It's not an insignificant sum but y'know what - it's saved all the stress and hassle and means we haven't floated off 2 grand into the coffers of a company who can't assure you of the holiday you've paid for or even a proper, timely, cash refund (see all the stories about vouchers instead of refunds). A thought though - we cancelled with just over 70 days to the departure date, so we only stood to lose the first £120 deposit. Don't Tui have a similar cut off period? If so you may not even have to pay the £300 on 1st April. Double check their cancellation period and terms. And as a precaution, if you do decide to cancel, email/message your bank/card holder and instruct them not to process any further payments to Tui. I've heard a story where someone received a cancellation confirmation (not Tui mind you), only for the travel company to still try and request the outstanding balance!

bradders1983

CountDrakma said:

Ours was similar, only we'd booked online with Jet2 for a holiday starting 31st May. We'd only paid £120 deposit with the balance of of £2000 due this Sunday. We've made a sensible, responsible and pragmatic decision to cancel with the assumption that we'll lose our £120. It's not an insignificant sum but y'know what - it's saved all the stress and hassle and means we haven't floated off 2 grand into the coffers of a company who can't assure you of the holiday you've paid for or even a proper, timely, cash refund (see all the stories about vouchers instead of refunds). A thought though - we cancelled with just over 70 days to the departure date, so we only stood to lose the first £120 deposit. Don't Tui have a similar cut off period? If so you may not even have to pay the £300 on 1st April. Double check their cancellation period and terms. And as a precaution, if you do decide to cancel, email/message your bank/card holder and instruct them not to process any further payments to Tui. I've heard a story where someone received a cancellation confirmation (not Tui mind you), only for the travel company to still try and request the outstanding balance!

Unfortunately you cannot compare Jet2 with TUI here. TUi offer a "low deposit" scheme, whereas Jet2 do not.  The OP, by the letter of the contract he has signed will have to pay the rest of the balance (£300) or TUI could take him to court. Whether this happens in this climate I have no idea.