I messed up BIG TIME, but can I do anything?

londonderry

1. Booked Czech Air tickets with Opodo by Debit Card in October of 2019 for about £300.
2. Flights cancelled by Czech Air in June of 2020. Contacted Czech Air for refund. Czech Air told me to sort it out with Opodo, as my dealing were with them.
3. I gave consent to Opodo to seek my refund, and they said they would pursue it for me. 
4. After months of contacting them, Opodo has said that Czech Air is refusing all refunds and is now going into insolvency, and I could make a claim in the Czech courts. Yeah, sure. 

Can I sue Opodo, or do anything at this point, or is this just a painful learning experience?

p.s. I messed up by not contacting my Debit Card provider (Sandander) sooner. They told me that I'm outside of the window, and couldn't help. 

superbigal

Claim on your travel insurance

Westin

londonderry said:

1. Booked Czech Air tickets with Opodo by Debit Card in October of 2019 for about £300.
2. Flights cancelled by Czech Air in June of 2020. Contacted Czech Air for refund. Czech Air told me to sort it out with Opodo, as my dealing were with them.
3. I gave consent to Opodo to seek my refund, and they said they would pursue it for me. 
4. After months of contacting them, Opodo has said that Czech Air is refusing all refunds and is now going into insolvency, and I could make a claim in the Czech courts. Yeah, sure. 

Can I sue Opodo, or do anything at this point, or is this just a painful learning experience?

p.s. I messed up by not contacting my Debit Card provider (Sandander) sooner. They told me that I'm outside of the window, and couldn't help. 

No, you can't sue Opodo (or you could try but you will be throwing money down the drain).

CSA are indeed going through a restructuring and fighting through court insolvency proceedings.  Outcome unknown at moment hence I expect the comments you have from Opodo in point 4.

As previous poster suggest, perhaps see if you have a travel insurance claim, although some policies to cover for airline insolvency was an extra premium. 

Failing the above I would wait the outcome of the insolvency proceedings - although I have to say it is not looking good.

Next time around, book direct with the airline and use a credit card for better protection.

mattyprice4004

No, because Opodo don't have your money. 
This is definitely one I'd look towards your travel insurance cover for. 

epm-84

mattyprice4004 said:

No, because Opodo don't have your money. 

But are Opodo are a booking platform or an online travel agent?


If you ordered a TV from John Lewis not in stock and John Lewis paid the manufacturer, only for the manufacturer to go bust before the delivery is made then it's not your problem that John Lewis wouldn't have the money to pay you, it's their responsibility to offer you the product or service you paid for or a full refund.

According to Which? they are a Spanish travel agent meaning you don't get the same level of protection as for a UK travel agent: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/10/why-you-shouldnt-book-with-opodo/

epm-84

Westin said:

londonderry said:

1. Booked Czech Air tickets with Opodo by Debit Card in October of 2019 for about £300.
2. Flights cancelled by Czech Air in June of 2020. Contacted Czech Air for refund. Czech Air told me to sort it out with Opodo, as my dealing were with them.
3. I gave consent to Opodo to seek my refund, and they said they would pursue it for me. 
4. After months of contacting them, Opodo has said that Czech Air is refusing all refunds and is now going into insolvency, and I could make a claim in the Czech courts. Yeah, sure. 

Can I sue Opodo, or do anything at this point, or is this just a painful learning experience?

p.s. I messed up by not contacting my Debit Card provider (Sandander) sooner. They told me that I'm outside of the window, and couldn't help. 

Failing the above I would wait the outcome of the insolvency proceedings - although I have to say it is not looking good.

Apparently you have to fill out a form by 10th May 2021 to let the Czech courts know you are owed money. The form is in Czech but there's an English translation of the sections on the below link

https://www.eccnederland.nl/en/news/czech-airlines-bankrupt-due-coronavirus#:~:text=The nearly 100-year-old,bankrupt on 10 March 2021.

Upsidedownandaround

epm-84 said:

mattyprice4004 said:

No, because Opodo don't have your money. 

But are Opodo are a booking platform or an online travel agent?


If you ordered a TV from John Lewis not in stock and John Lewis paid the manufacturer, only for the manufacturer to go bust before the delivery is made then it's not your problem that John Lewis wouldn't have the money to pay you, it's their responsibility to offer you the product or service you paid for or a full refund.

According to Which? they are a Spanish travel agent meaning you don't get the same level of protection as for a UK travel agent: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/10/why-you-shouldnt-book-with-opodo/

They will almost certainly be acting in the capacity of an agent. In other words you are asking them to buy a ticket on your behalf.

Upsidedownandaround

Of course why you would ask a Spanish agent to buy a ticket from a Czech airline is another question.

epm-84

Upsidedownandaround said:

Of course why you would ask a Spanish agent to buy a ticket from a Czech airline is another question.

They may not have been at the time the OP booked though. If you read the article it says they moved to Spain and withdrew from the ATOL scheme, when previously they were in the ATOL scheme.

Thrugelmir

epm-84 said:

mattyprice4004 said:

No, because Opodo don't have your money. 

If you ordered a TV from John Lewis not in stock and John Lewis paid the manufacturer, only for the manufacturer to go bust before the delivery is made then it's not your problem that John Lewis wouldn't have the money to pay you,

Not how corporate finance works. 

Westin

epm-84 said:

Westin said:

londonderry said:

1. Booked Czech Air tickets with Opodo by Debit Card in October of 2019 for about £300.
2. Flights cancelled by Czech Air in June of 2020. Contacted Czech Air for refund. Czech Air told me to sort it out with Opodo, as my dealing were with them.
3. I gave consent to Opodo to seek my refund, and they said they would pursue it for me. 
4. After months of contacting them, Opodo has said that Czech Air is refusing all refunds and is now going into insolvency, and I could make a claim in the Czech courts. Yeah, sure. 

Can I sue Opodo, or do anything at this point, or is this just a painful learning experience?

p.s. I messed up by not contacting my Debit Card provider (Sandander) sooner. They told me that I'm outside of the window, and couldn't help. 

Failing the above I would wait the outcome of the insolvency proceedings - although I have to say it is not looking good.

Apparently you have to fill out a form by 10th May 2021 to let the Czech courts know you are owed money. The form is in Czech but there's an English translation of the sections on the below link

https://www.eccnederland.nl/en/news/czech-airlines-bankrupt-due-coronavirus#:~:text=The nearly 100-year-old,bankrupt on 10 March 2021.

Good find epm-84.