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Britishjet/Malta bargains - have we been conned?
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Kangin_2
Posts: 17 Forumite
Sorry for the long post, but we are in need of some advice.
Last summer we were invited to a family wedding to take place in Malta this August. In September 2007 we booked four cheap flights (£668) with Britishjet from Manchester.
Last Friday (13th) we got an urgent phone call from a company we had never heard of, called Malta bargains, telling us that Britishjet, a subsidary of theirs, had 'ceased trading.' At the time they offered us a full refund or an alternative flight from Manchester with Malta Airlines at an additional cost of £290. Because it was only 7 weeks to the wedding, and because I felt pressurised by the salesgirl, I immediately agreed to the extra money and paid on my credit card.
When I got home home, I discovered from the internet, that Britishjet had announced as far back as January that they were going to cease trading in May. We are really angry that it took them so long to contact us. I also discoverd that they had only ever had one plane anyway, and that thousands of their flights were booked with Malta Air - had we just paid another £290 for our original seat on the airplane? I was also annoyed to realise that I could have flown with Ryanair at no extra cost from Luton, on a flight at a far more suitable time of day.
I immediately phoned Malta Bargains back that evening to cancel the new flight and claim the refund that she had offered me earlier that day. However, despite several calls and e-mails the company refuse to give us our money back, saying that the moment I had agreed to the new flight I had waived my right to the full refund.
We are really distressed by all this but will probably have to take these unwanted flights to Malta: time is so short now.
But what I really want to know, is do we have grounds to complain about this company at all? They are ABTA members and have something in there terms and conditions about contacting people about cancelled flights more than 8 weeks before the flight (which certainly didn't happen in our case.) They are also very harsh, and like I said, I felt pressured into buying these new flights.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Last summer we were invited to a family wedding to take place in Malta this August. In September 2007 we booked four cheap flights (£668) with Britishjet from Manchester.
Last Friday (13th) we got an urgent phone call from a company we had never heard of, called Malta bargains, telling us that Britishjet, a subsidary of theirs, had 'ceased trading.' At the time they offered us a full refund or an alternative flight from Manchester with Malta Airlines at an additional cost of £290. Because it was only 7 weeks to the wedding, and because I felt pressurised by the salesgirl, I immediately agreed to the extra money and paid on my credit card.
When I got home home, I discovered from the internet, that Britishjet had announced as far back as January that they were going to cease trading in May. We are really angry that it took them so long to contact us. I also discoverd that they had only ever had one plane anyway, and that thousands of their flights were booked with Malta Air - had we just paid another £290 for our original seat on the airplane? I was also annoyed to realise that I could have flown with Ryanair at no extra cost from Luton, on a flight at a far more suitable time of day.
I immediately phoned Malta Bargains back that evening to cancel the new flight and claim the refund that she had offered me earlier that day. However, despite several calls and e-mails the company refuse to give us our money back, saying that the moment I had agreed to the new flight I had waived my right to the full refund.
We are really distressed by all this but will probably have to take these unwanted flights to Malta: time is so short now.
But what I really want to know, is do we have grounds to complain about this company at all? They are ABTA members and have something in there terms and conditions about contacting people about cancelled flights more than 8 weeks before the flight (which certainly didn't happen in our case.) They are also very harsh, and like I said, I felt pressured into buying these new flights.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
:j Capital One: Claimed back £267.48 interest Received back EVERYTHING
Yorkshire Bank Visa: Claiming £163.84 Received back EVERYTHING
Yorkshire Bank Current Account: £4500 - Recieved back everything.
Money saved so far: £100+ on train tickets; £100+ on a washing machine; £52 on travel insurance. :rolleyes: £20 a month on shopping delivery; £100 on car insurance...
...Thanks Martin! You deserve a Knighthood! :money:
Yorkshire Bank Visa: Claiming £163.84 Received back EVERYTHING
Yorkshire Bank Current Account: £4500 - Recieved back everything.
Money saved so far: £100+ on train tickets; £100+ on a washing machine; £52 on travel insurance. :rolleyes: £20 a month on shopping delivery; £100 on car insurance...
...Thanks Martin! You deserve a Knighthood! :money:
0
Comments
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Yes, you have very strong grounds for complaint, British Jet did indeed stop flying months ago, but it was operated soley for Malta Bargains who were the only charterer. They cannot therefore insist you pay more to fly on another airline, they have to make the arrangements at whatever cost to themselves as they chose not to operate British Jet this year. Contact ABTA on 020 637 2444 and ask for pre departure complaints, I suspect they have an ongoing file on this company. There is certainly a major breach of the ABTA Code of Conduct, but it may be more serious than that. It appears they blatently lied to myou.
If you paid the additional fares by credit card, contact your card issuer and say you want to put a query on the charge, although if you voluntarily agreed to pay the extra, the card company may not be prepared to act.0 -
Thank you, Alan.
I have phoned ABTA but they said that I had a 'slim case', that I would have to pay more money to complain and that as I had been offered a full refund initially but declined it, opting for the alternative flight with Air Malta, that I didn't stand a very good chance of winning. He seemed pretty unmoved by my account of all the sharp practice that had gone on.
Feel pretty fed up but trapped. The credit card company said we could send in a 'dispute' form but I'm well aware that complaining and disputing may take weeks - and we've got to be at that wedding in August. (Daughter a bridesmaid.)
Think I'm just going to have to like it and lump it.:j Capital One: Claimed back £267.48 interest Received back EVERYTHING
Yorkshire Bank Visa: Claiming £163.84 Received back EVERYTHING
Yorkshire Bank Current Account: £4500 - Recieved back everything.
Money saved so far: £100+ on train tickets; £100+ on a washing machine; £52 on travel insurance. :rolleyes: £20 a month on shopping delivery; £100 on car insurance...
...Thanks Martin! You deserve a Knighthood! :money:0 -
Ye Gods! ABTA telling you it costs money to complain? No it doesn't, apart from the cost of a stamp. Admittedly you paid the money for the alternative flights but only because the company blatently lied to you. Send a formal letter of complaint to Malta Bargains and send a copy of it to ABTA, 68-71 Newman Street, London W1 asking them to intervene and consider whether there has been a breach of the Code of Conduct. Otherwise, make as mcuh noise as you can and post your story on other holiday websites to warn others!0
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