TUI refunds thread

Eurosaver

I've been watching this thread with interest as we were due to go to Italy on 22nd July. Booked online with TUI flights.
Last Wednesday we received an e-mail to say that the holiday had been cancelled. The website showed that the whole of the Lakes and Mountains programme has been pulled. 
Following advice on here I installed an auto-dialler on my phone, but actually got into the queue on the fourth ring. The phone was answered after about 45 minutes. The only slight hiccup was that he thought holidays were only cancelled up until 11th June (as most are) but checked this and was then happy to process the refund with no suggestion we accept a credit voucher. He said 3-5 days for the refund to appear but the money was actually backed on the credit card the same day - in 3 separate payments as others have found.
So a big thank you to everyone on here who has shared their experiences so I knew to ignore the messages and not to accept a voucher. And good luck to those of you who are still waiting for refunds or to know what will happen with your holiday.

SevenOfNine

LynnMcW said:

Has anyone been successful in getting through to Tui on the phone? I received a refund code by email on 7th May which says that if I want a refund I can't do it via email, I must speak to someone. I have tried several times a day every day since but just get a recorded message saying that they are getting a lot of calls at the moment and to try again later when they will be "happy to help"!

Yes, lots of people, but it usually requires an awful lot of perseverance. TUI are getting a lot of calls, are working from home, do have less staff.  That may ease a bit when lockdown loosens, or it may get even worse as more cancelled dates are added to the ever growing list.

I was very lucky to get through on my 2nd try, refund processed while I was on the 'phone & back on our card in 36 hours. Others very unlucky both with getting through to TUI on the phone, & receiving refund.  Pot luck it seems.

If you are 'phoning then TBH I'd set aside a day. Ring every 5 minutes until you can catch an available line & make it into the 'holding queue' & select options.  But be warned, though I had no problem & listened to the stupid TUI advertising for 1hr 6mins, others are getting cut off after waiting for an age!

Skim back through the threads, you won't have to go far to see several experiences with 'phoning & plenty of contradictory advice on what you should do.

Yessam90

I’ve just got off the phone with TUI, and I’m annoyed as usual.

2 weeks ago I rang and got through to someone who advised my credit note would be with me later that day (this agent seemed helpful, gave me their email and told me to let them know as soon as the credit note is there and she’ll ring me back and process the refund). 2 days later, still nothing, so I email her asking what’s going on - she emails back to tell me the system went down and it’s now fine, it’ll be with my by COB Thursday. I let the weekend pass, still nothing. I emailed her and never received a response.

So I rang today, 2 hours on hold (pretty much the norm). Get through to someone who tells me there’s been a block on email communication to my account, and the credit note will be with me today & I’ll need to call back tomorrow.

TUI are just creating their own demand, I feel for the agents who are getting hammered on the phone because of the ridiculous system they’ve put in place. Why can’t the agent put the refund through for me now if they know my credit note is there? Instead I’ve gotta spend another 2 hours on hold tomorrow.

Ive said it before & I’ll say it again, I’m done with them after this. Whole thing has been an absolute shambles. Just one big delay tactic.

bobblebob

My TUI holiday with BA flights is technically still on (fly 15th June). However according to BA Manage my Booking the flights no longer exist. Guess thats that then

Forest657

Hi
I wonder if anyone can help with rights and regulations.
Quick backstory:
We are due to travel on 13th August.  We have made the decision not to fly due to the fact we live with a high-risk person.  We do travel with TUI every year and intend to keep on doing so.
We have paid £600 deposit and a further £300+ on top.    
Terms and conditions say if we choose not to pay up the balance, we will lose the deposit.  I have asked if they would move it to next years holiday but they can't because we have already paid the deposit on that.  They can't do the following year because it is too far in advance.  Annoying, but that is T and C and I understand that, much as that is a lot of money and not our fault.

However, when I have asked about a refund of the £300 we have paid in addition to the deposit, I was told that we would lose this too.  This seems very unfair because that puts us at a disadvantage to those people who have paid only the deposit.  We are going to lose out more, financially, because we paid more.
Could anyone advise on where we stand with this extra £300 please, as we really could use it at the moment.
Thank you in advance

bradders1983

Forest657 said:

Hi
I wonder if anyone can help with rights and regulations.
Quick backstory:
We are due to travel on 13th August.  We have made the decision not to fly due to the fact we live with a high-risk person.  We do travel with TUI every year and intend to keep on doing so.
We have paid £600 deposit and a further £300+ on top.    
Terms and conditions say if we choose not to pay up the balance, we will lose the deposit.  I have asked if they would move it to next years holiday but they can't because we have already paid the deposit on that.  They can't do the following year because it is too far in advance.  Annoying, but that is T and C and I understand that, much as that is a lot of money and not our fault.

However, when I have asked about a refund of the £300 we have paid in addition to the deposit, I was told that we would lose this too.  This seems very unfair because that puts us at a disadvantage to those people who have paid only the deposit.  We are going to lose out more, financially, because we paid more.
Could anyone advise on where we stand with this extra £300 please, as we really could use it at the moment.
Thank you in advance

Cancellations 70 days or more in advance means loss of deposit only. I make it 74 days now?

Forest657

bradders1983 said:

Forest657 said:

Hi
I wonder if anyone can help with rights and regulations.
Quick backstory:
We are due to travel on 13th August.  We have made the decision not to fly due to the fact we live with a high-risk person.  We do travel with TUI every year and intend to keep on doing so.
We have paid £600 deposit and a further £300+ on top.    
Terms and conditions say if we choose not to pay up the balance, we will lose the deposit.  I have asked if they would move it to next years holiday but they can't because we have already paid the deposit on that.  They can't do the following year because it is too far in advance.  Annoying, but that is T and C and I understand that, much as that is a lot of money and not our fault.

However, when I have asked about a refund of the £300 we have paid in addition to the deposit, I was told that we would lose this too.  This seems very unfair because that puts us at a disadvantage to those people who have paid only the deposit.  We are going to lose out more, financially, because we paid more.
Could anyone advise on where we stand with this extra £300 please, as we really could use it at the moment.
Thank you in advance

Cancellations 70 days or more in advance means loss of deposit only. I make it 74 days now?

Hi,  It is 86 days.
I guess I will ring back tomorrow (already been about 3 hours today!) with that info, and see what they say with this new information.  Thank you for your help

wanttobethrifty

Well that was painless, Called at 2.25 today, phone was answered at 2.42, and by 2.57 phone call was over, with a refund cash refund asked for and approved. Money should be back in my account within 14 days, but expecting it to be less. Just lucky i guess, but pleasantly surprised as to how it all fell into place easilly, and quickly

Forest657

Update on mine, called back (well the wife did) with the info given here.  Lady on phone said whoever was talking to me was wrong.  £300 been refunded (well moved to next years holiday but we could have had refund, was our choice)
Thank you!

rudebhoy

wanttobethrifty said:

Well that was painless, Called at 2.25 today, phone was answered at 2.42, and by 2.57 phone call was over, with a refund cash refund asked for and approved. Money should be back in my account within 14 days, but expecting it to be less. Just lucky i guess, but pleasantly surprised as to how it all fell into place easilly, and quickly

System seems totally random. I got through after about 20 attempts, but have been in the queue for 1hr 45 so far. Painful stuff.