ABTA descision

apexsecy

Hi Eskbanker, there wasnt a breakdown of flights / accommodation costs but the £5400 that was paid was 50/50 between myself and my ex so £2700 each .
The lead passenger was the friend I was going with and he agreed to take me off the booking. They are continuing with the holiday , I'm unsure whether someone has taken my place or if my ex is going on her own with the other couple.
Like I said , the thing I'm struggling getting my head round the fact that I have to go to my ex to get the outstanding amount of my refund .
Thanks again for the help 

eskbanker

apexsecy said:

The lead passenger was the friend I was going with and he agreed to take me off the booking.

I still don't understand how you're receiving any refund directly if your removal from the booking is being handled by the lead passenger?  My expectation would be that your friend would need to claim the refund and pass it on to you - are you aware of any reason why this isn't happening in that way?

apexsecy

Hi , no I have no idea . I approached the guy that was my point of contact at Designer Travel and he said a refund would be due to directly as long as the lead passenger agreed 

eskbanker

apexsecy said:

Hi , no I have no idea . I approached the guy that was my point of contact at Designer Travel and he said a refund would be due to directly as long as the lead passenger agreed 

It's unclear why you'd have a point of contact at the travel firm if you're not the lead passenger - such arrangements are typically handled by nominating one (and only one) person within a party to be the lead passenger, with the other travellers not having a direct contractual relationship with the company.  I can't help thinking that lines of communication must be confused if the lead passenger ought to be receiving the refund (for onward distribution) and yet the money actually seems to have been passed directly to two other people instead.

Have you clarified with the lead passenger exactly what he agreed to, as on the face of it he may have a case against the company if he claimed a refund that he didn't receive?

However, the fact that ABTA (with full sight of all facts) apparently considered the events reasonable would suggest that there must be some reason why they felt that to be the case....

onashoestring

Without more of the details from the lead passenger, anything suggested here is guesswork . 

Could it be perhaps- that in order for you to receive any refund at all - the entire holiday had to be cancelled and rebooked for the remaining 3 travellers ?  This would have incurred loss of deposit for the whole party .
It’s possible that it was agreed by the lead passenger that this cost was deducted from the refund due to you . 

ABTA would have access to more information than we have been given on this forum - so it’s likely that the decision on the amount you received is correct .