Monarch Airlines stops trading - latest info and your rights

Wayne_h wrote: »

Tried by phone today recorded set of answers eventually found the transaction but said it was for £0 when my account clearly states otherwise

Statement on Paypal website:

"Monarch flight and holiday cancellations

Monarch has ceased trading and gone into administration. With immediate effect, all future flights and holidays provided by them have been cancelled and are no longer operating. If you are directly impacted by this please see https://monarch.caa.co.uk

If you are currently on holiday in another country, the Civil Aviation Authority will fly you home and Monarch's website provides details on how to arrange this.

If you booked a holiday package and have not yet travelled, you will be covered by the Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) and can file a claim with ATOL.

If you booked a “flight only” prior to Dec 14th 2016, please check their website to determine if your flight is ATOL protected. Click here to do so.

If you are a customer who booked a “flight only” after Dec 14th 2016, you will NOT be covered by ATOL and can file a PayPal buyer protection claim through our normal processes. Click here to begin that claim."

What I can gather form this is they are likely talking to the administrator to ascertain their liability and make sure funds are available to make refunds, but it does seem odd to have zeroed the transaction when their instructions clearly say to make a claim.

Here is a tip form the Paypal forum:

" I recently found out how to Bypass PayPals Annoying automated customer service call. If you call their customer server number, Login, Click "Contact Us", Click "Call Us", usually it will walk you through and give you an automated response pulled from a database. If you want to bypass this when it asks you to describe what your problem is, Simply say 'Agent'. Then it will connect you to a REAL person. They are much more helpful then the automated service. It took me hours to find out how to do this so I decided to share it. Hope I helped someone out."

If you can screenshot your account and have the same on your bank account or card account make sure you have all the evidence in case something funny has happened. If you were within 180 days on the date Monarch went under I doubt they can get out of paying your refund unless they can't secure funds from the administrator.

Try to be patient, nothing happens quickly in these situations, but when Paypal get going personal experience say they refund all valid cases quickly and efficiently, far more so than a lot of the card providers.

It may feel horrid at the moment, but hang in there and keep posting information as you obtain it (to here and Facebook if you have it) as you are probably not alone.

LOUDARRELL wrote: »

I have flights booked and am trying to get proof of dates for my credit card. They are on my monarch account and I can not log into to get proof. Is there anyway I can get this as only have a booking reference. I have barclaycard visa receipt but no proof of dates f flights

Didn't Monarch send you an itinerary by email?

Visa debit have agreed to refund my flights via Chargeback as they are not covered by ATOL but they seemed totally unable to answer the question about whether I could claim for an alternative more expensive flight or a refund for my accommodation, outward journey (booked with easyjet) and transfers. I really need to know one way or another because I have a decision to make about whether to cancel or book another flight. I have airline failure cover with insureandgo who say they will cover a return flight but subject to an excess of £150 per person. I thought it was per claim but they are adamant. Any advice very welcome!

Visa debit have agreed to refund my flights via Chargeback as they are not covered by ATOL but they seemed totally unable to answer the question about whether I could claim for an alternative more expensive flight or a refund for my accommodation, outward journey (booked with easyjet) and transfers. I really need to know one way or another because I have a decision to make about whether to cancel or book another flight. I have airline failure cover with insureandgo who say they will cover a return flight but subject to an excess of £150 per person. I thought it was per claim but they are adamant. Any advice very welcome!

Chargeback does not cover consequential losses. It is just a reverse of the original charge.

Your choice is to claim on travel insurance and lose the excess. Or book alternative flights home and swallow the extra cost.

Follie wrote: »

Thanks. Do you know anywhere this is set out? All I can find is lists of ways in which chargeback and s75 differ and this wasn't mentioned.

The refund would cover the excess but I don't think I can claim under both.

Go onto the main MSE site, there are some very good guides to Chargeback, Section 75 and your consumer rights to a refund. As everyone's case is different you have to apply the rules to your own situation as best you can.

You are correct that only Section 75 has cover for other loses associated with the transaction, but if you used the credit card to book an hotel they may argue that it is still available. Also a lot of Monarch flights are under £100 per person and so Section 75 does not cover. And if you didn't book direct with Monarch they would argue you paid an intermediary so Section 75 also would not cover you as there needs to be a direct link between you and the supplier.

I am wondering if this is why a few card providers are sending people down the chargeback route as just refunding a payment is far easier.