Package holiday cancelled, no refund option

bearshare

I had a two week holiday booked for May, including flights, accommodation and most food. This was covered by ABTA, and has now been cancelled by the travel company due to FCO restrictions. The travel company are refusing to provide a refund, even tnough it is their Ts and Cs, and arè just offering a voucher or to rebook the holiday fir a later date. They claim the government have, or are about to, allow them to get out if refunds to prevent the holiday industry collapsing.

Can anybody suggest what I should do? I understand the argument, but I would rather have th £3k back if possible!

ryanx909

Hi, 
Pretty much in the same situation with last minute.com. They told me two or so weeks ago that our flight/hotel package to Tokyo was covered by ABTA and we should expect a full refund. The flights were with Air China who were offering cash refunds in full weeks ago but I was told they had to confirm the cancellation with the hotel and basically it was a formality. Then I get an email offering a voucher only.
I appreciate as you said the concerns around the potential collapse due to cash flow problems but with all the support from the government announced yesterday it seems unreasonable to at least not offer us the flights as a cash refund. 
Called my insurer (Post office) who said call the bank who told me call ABTA.
I've emailed the tour operator and asked them to explain how they can justify this so will wait for the inevitable stock reply. 
I get the feeling we're just going to be fobbed off. 
Anyway, sorry for not having much of an answer but noone has yet to reply to my thread either so just wanted to let you know you're not the only one!
Cheers, 
Ryan

jamiew112

I also got a call from TUI today asking if i want to reschedule my holiday that i have booked for June. June is the only time i was able to book off this year and i wouldn't be able to go on holiday at any other time this year. I told them i couldnt reschedule and i would wait and see what the travel advice is at the time. They then told me that if the holiday gets cancelled then i might not get a cash refund and just get a voucher instead. How is this fair when i paid the holiday in full last year? I wouldnt even know when i would get to use the voucher so i would rather have the money back so if it is possible to later in the year, i could use the money to take the kids out on day trips etc.

Jamie

les6400

i booked and easter break direct with a holiday camp in holland paid by halifax clarity . have contacted the pack and been told that i can re-book later in the year but no refund under t & c's can i claim on my credit card as not getting holiday i ordered , will loose £200 excess if i claim on my insurance     Les

bearshare

It seems to me there are 3 levels of possible redress: travel company, credit card company (with which I paid), and travel insurance. Travel company contacted me with the options. Trouble getting through to CC company or travel insurance company. I feel that if I accept the voucher, I lose the other avenues of redress, if, in fact, they really exist now. 

Alan_Bowen

The law is clear, if a package holiday is cancelled by the company it must offer an alternative holiday if available or a full refund and ABTA's own Code of Conduct makes it clear that a refund must be one of the offers. We are now in a situation that the world  has never experienced before and the industry is near the edge and asked the government to change the law so that refunds can be replaced with vouchers, The law as yet, has not been changed but ABTA members are telling customers that it may be, and that is where we are today

bearshare

Alan Bowen
Thanks for the reply, but that is pretty much what I put in the OP.
My question was, what do we do now? Nothing? Accept  the offer? Pursue the other theoretical means of redress?

maman

I'm in much the same situation. I had a short break cancelled by lastminute but mine was because of the collapse of Flybe rather than coronavirus. Two weeks ago I chose the refund option but have yet to see any money or any communication one way or the other.  They did say it could take up to 15 days though so not worrying yet. 

I could live with a voucher if necessary but there is the worry that some businesses will collapse so the voucher could become worthless. I'm also not enamoured with the way lastminute handled things in that it was impossible to get through on the phone (recorded message then cut off) and there was no facility on the website to cancel/claim a voucher or anything else. So it's not a company I'd use again from choice. 

Although I'm fortunately not one of them, there must be many families who could really do with the money to spend right now to offset losing money because of the pandemic. 

I know these ae unprecedented times but retrospective legislation seems a very drastic step.  It would definitely need safeguards to ensure vouchers didn't become worthless.

happyandcontented

We are in the same boat for a holiday to Greece departing April 5th, which has cost £2000. No refunds being offered, but the crunch for us is that if we change the dates as we could easily do, it would be classed as a new booking under our Nationwide policy and from March 20th any new booking is not covered for cancellation due to Covid 19.  Catch 22, so the insurers are not helping but hindering the travel industry.

We also cannot start a claim until 48 hours before we are due to depart as Nationwide are dealing with customers in order of departure date. 

bobblebob

This really cant work if they're allowed to offer a voucher. Even if its protected (which isnt certain), what if you cant afford to rebook? We booked a holiday to NY and Vegas, that was on the assumption we both had jobs so can save for spending money. If people are out of work, they cant simply rebook

desklamp

Some really good posts. 
Solely offering vouchers without a refund is against the legislation, and, for many during these hard times, unacceptable. 

I am mulling over the various courses of action, be it a Section 75 claim against the credit card company or action in the small claims court. The latter is a pain. However it is mentioned in mse, that package holidays are not covered under section 75, but it does not further elaborate. 
Can anyone else expand on whether a section 75 claim is possible against a package holiday company who cancels?