Holiday refunds

Stoke_Prior_Andy

I have 2 holidays cancelled which I paid on credit card. On the first one the Company called me on 17th March to cancel and confirmed a refund. They said it would take 7 days. 5 weeks later I have no refund. The second one is for an air ticket and the airline is not answering emails or the phone. Their site suggests i need to wait 100 days for a refund. First question is "can i claim the card interest from fhese companies?". And the 2nd question is should I approach the credit card company for the refunds rather than wait longer for refunds that probably will not come? 

mittens65

I booked with Tui for a Cruise departing 20th June 2020. went into the store well before lockdown to ask about my holiday but they were only dealing those that had been cancelled due to travel that week I was concerned as the balance was due 31st March 2020 and I was told to wait for more information come out. I  received an email on 14th April 2020, which gives option defer via vouchers. I have not been able to get through to them  to discuss the situation. This was booked for my Daughters graduation, she does not know when or if she will be able to go next year, The cruise was booked as I don't fly. Holiday was booked in store and  obviously they have been  closed for some time and I have been unable to contact anyone from Tui. Where do I stand as far getting  a refund for the deposit paid ? I am worried as we have not been able to pay the   balance due to the current lockdown situation.  Tui haven' actually said the cruise. has been cancelled, I do not have  insurance as I always take this out when I pay the balance. Can you please advise.

bradders1983

You wont get any deposit refund until they actually cancel it.

Go to the TUI website and read the info on there about store bookings. 

born_again

No you won't get your interest back. No you can't get the refund any faster from the card company.
At this current time refunds are taking longer to come through, as the travel companies do not have the bodies to process them.

mototurkey

Hi there , my family and I had our £6000 package holiday to Florida on 1st may cancelled  by virgin holidays due to covid 19 . I have managed to eventually contact them by phone and they have reluctantly offered me a refund . they have told me that i will have to wait up to 90 days for my refund due to high demand of requests even though they managed to find the time to send me a voucher almost instantly when i did not request one .When i asked why they were not following the 14 day refund period stated by the law and if my consumer rights and the 14 day refund laws did not apply in this instance , I was told to go to the ABTA website where their claims of unprecedented refund requests and delays are backed up, they imply that the travel agents are within their rights to ignore the law and customers consumer rights . I, and many other virgin holiday customers  feel that virgin is holding onto customers money to prop up their struggling company . my family and i have our own financial problems  at the moment including the insecurity of my job and struggling with bills . When will the government step in to help vulnerable customers like my family and demand that virgin holidays and other such law flouting travel agents pay up within the set 14 day period ? i feel helpless and anxious about this situation . can anyone  help me ?

Ben Batchelor

eskbanker

mototurkey said:

When will the government step in to help vulnerable customers like my family and demand that virgin holidays and other such law flouting travel agents pay up within the set 14 day period ?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/ speculates that the government might weaken the rules rather than strengthening them:

Currently, package holidaymakers whose trips are cancelled are entitled to all their money back within two weeks under the Package Travel Regulations.

Yet there are unconfirmed reports from travel expert Simon Calder that the Government might soon agree to changes to the Package Travel Regulations, which could mean companies will be able to issue credit notes instead of giving cash refunds.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/#accordion-content-01929728789-0 also downplays expectations of enforcing 14-day refunds:

What does Trading Standards say about package holiday refunds?

If you're owed a refund under the Package Travel Regulations, you're technically due the money within two weeks. But Bruce Treloar, lead officer for travel law at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), says that enforcing this at the moment is likely to not be appropriate.

He said: "Traditional advice and legal remedies are likely to be inappropriate currently. Communication between consumers and businesses is key.

"CTSI provide business advice to the travel industry, who are appealing for patience as they are unlikely to have sufficient cash available to meet all refund requests, and many are at risk of going out of business. Suppliers based outside of the UK (eg, hotels and cruise lines) are refusing, in many cases, to refund deposits provided by UK business.

"CTSI do however advise tour operators and holiday companies to keep communicating with their customers about the steps they are taking now and those they intend to take in the future."

So while in theory you should get a refund, and it should arrive within two weeks, this is unlikely to happen in practice at the moment. It may be advisable to show forbearance and not push the law as far as it can technically go.

Takmon

mototurkey said:

Hi there , my family and I had our £6000 package holiday to Florida on 1st may cancelled  by virgin holidays due to covid 19 . I have managed to eventually contact them by phone and they have reluctantly offered me a refund . they have told me that i will have to wait up to 90 days for my refund due to high demand of requests even though they managed to find the time to send me a voucher almost instantly when i did not request one .When i asked why they were not following the 14 day refund period stated by the law and if my consumer rights and the 14 day refund laws did not apply in this instance , I was told to go to the ABTA website where their claims of unprecedented refund requests and delays are backed up, they imply that the travel agents are within their rights to ignore the law and customers consumer rights . I, and many other virgin holiday customers  feel that virgin is holding onto customers money to prop up their struggling company . my family and i have our own financial problems  at the moment including the insecurity of my job and struggling with bills . When will the government step in to help vulnerable customers like my family and demand that virgin holidays and other such law flouting travel agents pay up within the set 14 day period ? i feel helpless and anxious about this situation . can anyone  help me ?

Ben Batchelor

That begs the question why did you spend £6000 on a holiday when your financial situation was so precarious?.  It's not Virgins fault that you decided to spend all that money on a holiday which has no left you in a position where you have no money saved up for situations like the current on where your income has dropped. 
Hopefully you will learn a less on from all this to make sure you have your finance in order with a suitable emergency fund before spending large amounts on holidays. In reality the refund taking a lot longer shouldn't have any effect on your finances because it's money that you wouldn't normally get back. 

digalumps

Agree with Takmon and would also point out you have not lost 6000 pounds- you have lost a holiday at this point. You will just have to be patient.

Jonathancrowther

I booked two hotels through BA in January for a 15th June holiday.
These were after I had found the flights so not on the same purchase event.
BA have cancelled my flights and refunded that money but are saying that as the hotels are standalone purchases there is a 20% cancellation charge (£287.00) or I must take a voucher.
Is this right or what can I do to get the full refund in cash?

born_again

Jonathancrowther said:

I booked two hotels through BA in January for a 15th June holiday.
These were after I had found the flights so not on the same purchase event.
BA have cancelled my flights and refunded that money but are saying that as the hotels are standalone purchases there is a 20% cancellation charge (£287.00) or I must take a voucher.
Is this right or what can I do to get the full refund in cash?

There is a dedicated section for Covid 19 travel support. I suggest you post there.