How long to wait for a refund

Xanadu

Like many I was due to go away at Easter but Covid-19 has stopped that.  I spoke with the travel agent (company called flytriptravel, abta atol etc) who on the 25th March advised they will need to wait for refunds from their suppliers.  I chased on the 21st April and was told it will take 60-90 days for this to happen.  I was annoyed but understood that this is not a normal situation.

As of today there is still no refund, from the 25th March we are 97 days, from the 21st April we are only on 70 so my question is, should I be concerned and assume the time scale is from April or should I be worried?

Am I simply being too arsey in wanting my money back so quickly?

macman

Did you book a package holiday (ATOL certificate)? If so, they have to refund in 14 days. Ask again, give them x days, then do a chargeback on your card.

Emmajhowe90

I’ve been waiting 90 days too with Wizz Air and still nothing 

Xanadu

macman said:

Did you book a package holiday (ATOL certificate)? If so, they have to refund in 14 days. Ask again, give them x days, then do a chargeback on your card.

Yes I did get an ATOL certificate, I wasn't aware they had 14 days to do a refund.  so I am in theory well in my right to ask them for an update then at least.

Delidi

Yes the law states 14days for a refund but this is not happening. The law states of a flight is cancelled less than 7 days notice a full refund and costs this is also not happening. We are now over 3months waiting since 19th March. We have not received a penny.  Our travel agent has closed our case stating the airline aren't paying them so they are not refunding us! We are now waiting for a chargeback result which them probably be disputed by the travel agent. Our insurance had extrodinary circumstances cover yet still nothing. Sorry for the rent guess I'm just saying be prepared for a battle to get your refund good luck.

Xanadu

well brief update, I contacted them again and was just met with please be patient and wait a few more days.

I'm beginning to think I may have to kiss goodbye to any refund at this stage :-(

macman

No you don't, just start a chargeback. That will not stall any refund already in progress. Though it's unlikely that yours is in progress, because the  'your refund is in the queue, please be patient' line is just a way of stalling you. The harsh reality is that customers who meekly sit back and wait will be the ones who wait longest, or never get refunded at all.

bagand96

Xanadu said:

well brief update, I contacted them again and was just met with please be patient and wait a few more days.

I'm beginning to think I may have to kiss goodbye to any refund at this stage :-(

As the above poster says you won't have to kiss goodbye to it.  The delays are due to the airlines and agents being overwhelmed by the millions of refunds that need to be processed.  It's not like "normal" times where a small percentage of flights get cancelled and the refunds team can process refunds quickly - it was virtually every flight in Europe for 3 months.

You'd likely be no better off if you booked direct with the airline.  Lufthansa cancelled my flight at the end of March.  The customer service were very friendly and told me then that the refunds could be 8-12 weeks.  I had an email from them last week reminding me that I could take a voucher - but it's no problem if I want a refund - it could take 6-8 weeks though!  I'm not too fussed, I accept that the circumstances are what they are and I'll wait.  

There are options (chargeback) if you really don't want to wait or you don't trust your agent though.

SaabManWestonTurville

Clearly I'm nowhere near alone in my experience.  Booked a Danube River Cruise with APT (via ROL Travel Agent) as long ago as 24-June-2019 and paid balance as specified on 13-Jan-2020....over £7k in total via Credit Card for departure date of 01-June-2020.  Fully covered by ATOL/ABTA.  Trip (undrstandably) cancelled by APT on 20-April and was offered 100% credit voucher which for various reasons I declined by email on 05-May.  Since then, been contacting agent ROL every 2 weeks to be told each time that APT are processing a refund and that they can't refund me until they get the money from APT.  Clearly, my contract is with ROL who should be complying with 14-day refund regulation but say they can't afford to until APT pay them.

Today, once again told by ROL no further progress.  I asked whether they had received any refunds from APT yet and if so up to whaich departure date so I could get some idea of when I might expect refund.  Promised to email by return.  Nothing.  Contacted my Travel Insurer later this morning.  They say they will only intervene if ROL/ APT say that they will not refund, but since this isn't the case they won't act.  On the face of it ROL/APT could continue saying it's in process for a year and the insurance company won't act.

Only option now is to try to invoke Section 75 via Credit Card provider but guessing they will also say that they won't engage until ROL/APT say no refund available.  So how long is it reasonable to allow them to delay refund, given that 14 days is long since past?

Xanadu

Im in regular contact with them, each polite email simply asks me to wait a few more days as they wait for refunds from their suppliers.  As above I fully understand this is indeed a strange situation, last weekend was 3 months since the trip should have happened, this weekend marks 4 months since I was first notified of the cancellation.

I would rather not section 75 unless I am left with no choice, but what happens there if the company goes bust?

Mrsn

Xanadu said:

Im in regular contact with them, each polite email simply asks me to wait a few more days as they wait for refunds from their suppliers.  As above I fully understand this is indeed a strange situation, last weekend was 3 months since the trip should have happened, this weekend marks 4 months since I was first notified of the cancellation.

I would rather not section 75 unless I am left with no choice, but what happens there if the company goes bust?

If the company goes bust then you will get your refund via your card that you paid with so please don’t worry about that.

You have been very patient so far and I know you seem resistant to a chargeback but honestly it won’t do any harm by processing it anyway. If you get refunded in the meantime then you cancel the chargeback so a win win really.