Problem getting a response from travel agents

Christina180

Hi Everyone 

I am hoping that you can provide me with some advice. To explain my problem this will be a bit long winded but please bear with me as i need to give the context.  I had booked a holiday with Teletext holidays flying to New York.  Departure Date 14/03/2020Scheduled Return Date 21/03/2020

Due to the ongoing pandemic I tired numerous times with their customer support to reschedule my holiday even up to the day prior as we did not feel safe going, to be told we had to go or lose they £2300 that we paid.  We where not given an option to postpone to another date in the year or get a voucher to use at a different time. 

On this advice we went ahead with our holiday with us knowing and you also them knowing that there was restrictions in New York so we flew out on 14/03/2020 on landing in New York a number of hours later we where informed that all flight out of the UK had been cancelled.  On Arrival to the hotel we called the emergency number for teletext at 19.58 US time and where told that not to worry flights home would be going ahead as scheduled. 

We tried to make the most of this but unfortunately all attractions where closed along with some shops. On the 16th March at 12.30 US time it was announced that all bars restaurants and shops in New York where to close.  At 12.40 I called the emergency number again to inform them of this as hotel we where staying in didn't have restaurant and didn't provide any meals.  I was told there was nothing they could do and we would have to deal with it or phone insurance company.  I asked that our flights home be changed to early return and was fobbed off.  I called the airline myself to try and change and was told that as the travel agents made booking it was only them that could do it.  I called teletext back but didn't get any help was told airlines where busy and needed to wait for an email. 

On 17th March I called the number again at 19.12 US time to see if they had update on flight to be told very rudely no and there was nothing they can do. I then called United Airlines and got my details added for any notification changes on my itinerary.    On 18th March 13.33 US time I called emergency number again as had notification from united airlines to say modification had been made to your flights, I was informed that flights where fine for sat as scheduled.  Going with my gut and then spent 3 hours on hold to united airlines to be informed all flights at the weekend where cancelled and we need to fly out either that evening to London or Dublin or the next day to London.  They would be the last flights to go out of the US to the UK and Ireland, they very kindly got us on a flight that evening to Dublin to save us the hassle getting from London to Belfast.  

On return to Ireland on 19/03/2020 I called the emergency number again at 11.29 to inform them that we had been put on emergency flights out of the country by united Airlines. I was very rudely told by the operator that my flight is still scheduled which we know wasn't. 

I submitted a claim to our insurance company on return and had taken out pandemic insurance in Feb.  The insurance company can't pay out until they get get written confirmation from Teletext that no refund will be given from them. This is where my problem is I have sent numerous emails to the customer Relations team on my return and have also sent various letters to the address provided with no response.    The customer relations number on their site 02077411200 says in automatized voice there are closed and call back 9 to 5 monday to friday all the time, even during these times.  So my question is I have tried now for months to get a response from Teletext - what is my options to get a payment from the insurance company.