Holiday ruined

oldernonethewiser

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007828#Comment_82007828

Yes, because it is a different company from the one you originally mentioned.

Viva Holidays are members of ABTA.

How far in advance of the trip did they tell you of the strike as in your orginal post you stated that they should have told you suggesting that they didn't

Billozz662

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007861#Comment_82007861

They didn't tell us about the strike we found out about the strike on the morning we arrived at the station. Does the fact they are abta rather than atol help me?

pinkshoes

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007930#Comment_82007930

Yes! Being ABTA registered means they have guidelines and rules they need to stick to, so rather than having to go through your insurance, it means you can go after the travel company for a refund and you have a governing body to complain to if they dont play ball!

Seems to me like they owe you a full refund. you paid for a holiday that they could not deliver. They (as the experts) should have checked any issues including strikes and put contingency plans in place.

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007930#Comment_82007930

Was that the station in Milan?

If it was, how long had you been in Milan?

Billozz662

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007956#Comment_82007956

Yes Milan station we stayed there the previous night.

Billozz662

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007948#Comment_82007948

So do I complain to abta now? Would they also have to cover my flights home from Milan?

A_Geordie

Not overly familiar with the rules and laws on package holidays, but it seems The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 applies here?

There are obligations under the regulations to provide assistance, to refund if certain parts of the package are not performed and if I recall, there's a duty to provide alternative travel arrangements amongst other things.

Also, just to point out that the small print at the bottom of the website and in the terms and conditions says that your package holiday contract is not with Viva but instead Hays Tour Operating Limited. Viva are just agents of Hays when selling these packages.

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007984#Comment_82007984

So knowing the strike, given it's only a 2 hour trip to the station where you pick up the other train then it would have been possible.

I would have thought that on finding a strike that all on the trip would be talking about what they were going to do?

Billozz662

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82008177#Comment_82008177

We were on our own have no idea what other people did, actually the trip to tirano by car is over 2.5 hours that's not snowing for traffic and the cost to maybe get is there was£400

DeathByFluffy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007828#Comment_82007828

Yes - it's a completely different company, and as you can imagine enforcement against a Serbian company is a bit more difficult than one based in the UK.