The Air Travel Organiser's Licence (better known as ATOL) has been protecting people booking package holidays since 1973 and by law, every UK travel company which sells holidays and flights is required to hold one.That means that if your overseas holiday was booked with an ATOL member then you can apply to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for a full refund before you're . Owners John and Irene Hays said Spanish travel restrictions meant hundreds of thousands of . SENT ANOTHER LETTER TO HIM A MONTH AGO STILL NO REPLY. more. I did all the chasing to find out what was happening. Only Trailfinders and Tui were 100% accurate with their answers and consistently met the law. Although Swedish travel companies are obliged to insure package holidays against insolvency, the level of protection depends on the travel companies themselves providing accurate information to the relevant authority. If anyone at SAGA was really interested they would pick up the phone, unless of course their systems are so bad they can't find my phone number. Looking to book a holiday? David Slotnick. . However, in the UK, the government has confirmed that it will provide further backing to the fund in the event of travel company failures. Over-50s firm Saga has begun to break itself up after coming under pressure from the aggressive American hedge fund run by billionaire Wall Street financier Paul Singer. This means they pay Atol - the Air Travel Trust fund - 2.50 for every package holiday they sell. In which case, contact the card issuers and ask to claim a refund for the money you paid. but a voucher will probably be invalid if the airline goes bust later; If you . . If it happens when you are abroad you will be able to finish . We have now waited a further 6 days and no response.This is our first attempt to use Saga and looking like our last.How can any company operate like this??? I found this out by looking on this forum and contacted CP. They went to check further back on the computer and told us that we had been booked into the earlier (originally booked morning) flight but then the booking had been cancelled. Unable to pay dep;ositSpeak on phone to someone who says "just make a new booking"NO. We have monitored and continue to monitor Which? Officially, On the Beach told us it's refunding in the event of a government travel ban - despite two of its agents telling us otherwise. If youre already on holiday when the company goes bust, if your holiday was booked with an ATOL member, the CAA will repatriate you. Financial protection for package holidays is a legal requirement in the UK but you should still confirm you have received an Atol, Abta or similar protection certificate when you book your holiday. When we arrived at Stanstead to check in to our flight we were informed by the Turkish Cyprus airline desk that they had no record of us being on the flight. Thanks, AFTER HAVING A TERRIBLE HOLIDAY WITH SAGA I SENT A COMPLAINT E.MAIL NO REPONSE FOR 2 MONTHS. Once we've checked over your question we will put it live on the site and our strong community of experts Heritage Pass and 3 day Go Explore Pass included. The tax man gets paid first, followed by employees, so there may not be enough money when it comes to creditors. Everything you need to know. When you try to get money back under section 75, they fight you all the way. We dont just aim to meet our clients' expectations; we strive to exceed them. Elsewhere agents misled us over our financial protections in the event of another national lockdown or quarantine measures being introduced at our destination. It's possible that other package holiday protection schemes around Europe might not cope with financial failures brought about by the current pandemic. Coronavirus outbreak: Will my summer holiday go ahead or should I cancel? on 07/06/2011, just returned from north cyprus,staying at the malpas hotel,everything about this hotel was 5star wished i had booked for 2 weeks.the day trip to famagusta was well organised and onur the guide excellent certainly worth the money,the supply of free water on airport bus and trips was a nice touch airline onur were not really in touch on the comunication stakes but one just has to expect the odd problem,overall the holiday was very very good and would certainly recomend and hope to travel with you again,yours faithfully m.j.mccallie. I can only affirm others poor experiences. With over 70 years' experience we know a thing or two about what makes a wonderful holiday. Hi Diane,We're so sorry to hear about these issues. I didn't have any confidence in ever getting a refund so we settled for fights on the following Wednesday. Force Shield Security Facilities Management - Horsforth. Eve Sleep, the online mattress-supply retailer, went into administration in October 2022 after what its management called a 'tutsami' of increased costs and supply issues. Read all about how we've scaled and how we're supporting customers through the crisis. I wouldn't book through Cyprus Premier or Cyprus Paradise again though. Result, after the court served the papers on them they paid up in full, albeit with a snotty letter. Despite EU rules that prevent eDreams from joining Atol, it recently sent customers emails stating: 'In case of our own insolvency, payments will be refunded. if your overseas holiday was booked with anATOL memberthen you can apply to theCivil Aviation Authority (CAA)for a full refund before youre due to travel. Paid in full in April to go to Ercan. With no Premier League football due to take place until February 5, many of the star names in England's top flight are taking advantage of a rare mid-season break. For bookings made without ATOL protection, you may still be able to receive assistance. Northern Cyprus however, was not great. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-69895036', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');villa also waiting to hear from owner of villa hopefully we will be able to carry on with the booking through him. dont go there. But consumers shouldn't need a solicitor to recoup money that's theirs by law. written by Our helpful community of likeminded people will be happy to answer any questions that you have. Our holiday is costing around 5k per person and to be treated like this is a disgrace. Although, we are confident that this is not going to happen.'. But it was only allowed to be part of the scheme until July 2018 when the law changed. Best tech travel accessories: how to make your holidays easier, See the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland, 2023 Croatia Island-Hopping Private Yacht and Magical Montenegro Experience. Good Luck. Happy with the airline - Turkish Cyprus airline - nice meal and free drinks provided! There are 45 customers that Direct Villa Holidays, rating them as good. We're talking everything from getaways to family favourites like our action-packed Holiday Villages and SplashWorld waterpark hotels, to swanky couples' escapes to far-flung spots like Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. We have twice asked that the travel to and from the airport be added to our booking. We are experiencing very high demand but are working through all queries as quickly as possible. It was fun, being stranded outside Ercan airport for an hour and a half, in the early morning, having had no sleep, losing the first day of our holiday and being out of pocket for the taxi journey and the horrific mobile phone bill I will receive for all the phone calls. Bit of a shambles all round,as above contact lanzarote information for up to date details, This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in United Kingdom. barcanlejay More travel firms may go bust in the coming weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic, the head of an industry body has warned.. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer accused the Government of failing to . mmccallie If its a hotel or an airline thats gone bust, and youve booked these separately, your holiday will likely be cancelled unless you find your own replacement you may still be able to get a refund (more below). In the five years to 2018, the Air Travel Trust paid out 10m a year, on average, for the financial failure of travel companies. Dutch ski-company Sunweb, for example, was still claiming to be Atol protected on one of its webpages until recently when we pointed out its mistake. Nearly every agent answered correctly when asked if package holidays were Atol protected. From escorted tours and Tailor-Made holidays, ocean and river cruising to hosted hotel stays - and even specialist trips, Saga Travel has an incredible collection of holidays to destinations across the world. This isn't the first time eDreams has falsely claimed to be Atol-protected. It's great to hear you had a wonderful holiday. Would the car be at Ercan for us? They think by offering half price next holiday is suffice. Please contact us to resolve this issue asap. written by According to Retail Gazette 0.4m is owing to HMRC. SAGA No Fly Cruises. They never called. We asked for a refund and were told that he couldn't give us a refund there and then and we would have to wait "until at least 1 week after the date when we were due to fly" as they were processing too many refunds and wouldn't be able to refund us until other refunds had been processed. Overseas, many other airlines, including Virgin Australia, Compass Airlines and Air Mauritius, fell into administration. written by (especially used in news reports) the leader of the government of a. Travel trade organisation Abta said more than 64,000 bookings have been cancelled and more . All this is backed up by the high standards and service youd expect from Saga. Number One Travel - Pavillion Business Park. VAT registration number: GB 720 2576 61. Police are investigating the 10m crash of a foreign exchange firm that helped Britons buy new homes in the sun. The deal will see Leger Holidays acquire the Shearings brand, website and customer database. Clarksons Travel Group was a pioneering package tour operator in the UK during the 1960s and early 1970s. Thanks. Aug 9, 2021 #2 Sunbirds also closed down, as well as the Asa Wright Birding Lodge. reported several holiday companies to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for breaking the law over package holiday refunds in 2020. HOW DO I SPEAK TO SOMEONE. TO ALL CUSTOMERS OUT THERE The cruise part of the holiday was excellent and we cannot fault it. Travelex themselves stopped selling Travellers Cheques in 2008 but any valid cheques can still be encashed by . Company registration number is 1791598. Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. Many thanks. on 03/09/2008. Still nothing from Cyprus Premier. Two people some 22000. Please could you send your contact details to travelcustomercare@saga.co.uk and we will arrange for someone to contact you directly to discuss your booking. Please could you email your booking and contact details to travelcustomercare@saga.co.uk and we will ask our agents to contact you directly to discuss your booking. Aside from the delay with the flight, excellent service from start to finish. Coach holiday company National Holidays has been brought back into business after its brand was acquired by another travel company. Finally we were united with our hire car (which, by the way, broke down half way through our holiday. written by written by A NUMBER of travel companies have gone into administration in recent years and, with others posting huge losses in recent weeks, Brits are right to be concerned about what might happen if their hol Risk . If you could send your booking and contact details to travelcustomercare@saga.co.uk, we will chase up a response to your complaint.Thanks. Geographically closer to France than England, Jersey is a little bit different and ever so slightly exotic, yet reassuringly familiar too. Coronavirus outbreak: When should I book a holiday? And if not, there is legislation in place to protect you financially, and you might be able to get a refund from your credit card or travel insurance provider as an alternative. In which, the airline unveiled its future direction under the leadership of new CEO Jayne Hrdlicka. However, in practice this advice was impossible to take. City sources said the . If not, you may have to make a claim through your credit or debit card. Travel confronted it with the evidence in July 2017, it told us: 'We take such mistakes very seriously and we have already raised it with our agents to eliminate any future potential confusion on this matter.'. Find more unbiased advice on travel and coronavirus, award-winning investigations and legal advice on holiday refunds and cancelled flights with Which? It would depend on the national recommendations in each country.'. Did they bother..nope!!! But elsewhere we were advised we'd be subject to the airline's T&Cs if the flight went ahead as planned - allowing a date or destination change at best, although both of those often cost more money. Hi,Thank you for taking the time to write a review. Travel to Jersey by sea including the cost of traveling with your car. People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and theyll be displayed as long as an account is active. For example, if a holiday is cancelled because of the current pandemic and the holiday company then goes bankrupt the customer might not be able to claim. Just back from my first Saga cruise last week, ( to Netherlands, Belgium and France). Since July 2018, under EU rules, companies in the . Back on land, Specialist Leisure Group (SLG) has also gone under, taking with it the Shearings coach holiday brand and thousands of jobs. In the case of flight-only bookings, if you booked your flights using a credit card and the cost was over 100, you will be covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. It was ordered to pay 18m by March this year or face court action. Labeled Verified, theyre about genuine experiences.Learn more about other kinds of reviews. In addition, the CMA has warned the firm that it must refund . We won't be going there again! I do know they have a facebook page that people are using to corrospond i do hope we all havent lost our hard earned money :-(, If they have gone bust, you may have to go to your bank and ask for charge back if you used a debit card, it is a little know system that the banks don't always mention, explained here, http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/visa-mastercard-chargeback. But, according to BEUC, customers had to wait for many months. Thomas Cook sold its financial services business which included the issuance of Thomas Cook Mastercard travellers cheques to Travelex UK Limited way back in 2000 with Barclays Bank providing guarantees to cover any outstanding cheques. Thanks. value for money not worth the price not 4 star more minus 3 This made us wonder whether customer service had been telling the truth regarding the 'error' and that maybe they had just moved us to a later flight for some other reason. Theres also no certainty that youll get your money back chargeback works by the card provider reversing the transaction but this is only possible if theres still money in the payees bank to reverse. Travel to Guernsey by sea including the cost of traveling with your car. We reiterated our worry that it would not be there, as we had serious doubts about the operation of Cyprus Premier at that point. There is no guarantee that all national governments or regions would take similar steps in the event of travel companies going under as a result of COVID-19. I really want my 8k back !! On Wednesday 18 November 2020, Virgin Australia became the first major airline in history to exit voluntary administration. It said it was 'pleased that regulator the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into customer rights to refunds in this situation'. 395Weaver This makes your . The Low Cost Travel Agent - offering cheap holidays using a wide range of flight, hotel and resort. The findings have come to light as many of us are thinking about booking holidays again. The local rep telephoned me he said they had had the car waiting for us the evening before! Its a shame as previously I would have recommended them.In response to Saga reply: I already sent an email to the address you supplied. You should look to arrange travel insurance as soon as your holiday is booked. With the widest choice of holidays and travel experiences than ever before, you can now personalise your trip so you are in complete control. Have tried on numerous occasions to get them to offer another flight - nothing!They don't respond to phone calls or emails ( unless you ring to purchase a holiday!) Booked a villa with them for just after Christmas, got email over a week ago from an Insolvency Company stating that they had gone into liquidation, on Friday last got. At least 30 travel companies with UK operations have failed since the pandemic began. Ltd - www.imadtravel.com. Book your tailor-made holiday to Home with Premier Holidays. Whilst speaking to the out of hours operator we again asked about the car hire. You have an identity crisis. Labeled Verified, theyre about genuine experiences.Learn more about other kinds of reviews. Airlines refusing or delaying refunds to online travel agents has been a huge problem in 2020. I felt very confident with Francesca's handling of our booking. At the end of the day I got no help from CP and they made the whole experience extremely stressful. 'Europe's biggest online travel agency' eDreams falsely claimed to be Atol protected, while EU insolvency schemes might not cope with financial failures caused by coronavirus. Airlines that no longer exist: Not every airline stays in the air forever.Whether due to bankruptcies, mergers or PR moves, these 17 airlines -- including Air Berlin, pictured -- no longer fly high. The Air Travel Organisers' Licence (ATOL) is a financial protection scheme, operated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) , for package holidays and charter flights sold by tour operators in the UK. Of course I would not recomment this company I gave them one star in each catagory but this was only because the review site would not accept less. Disgraceful that no staff are available to answer phone calls. Fly365 - online flight booking - Feb 2020. Compare travel insurance cover with Travel Supermarket*. Driver waiting at airport with bottled water and all info for us. Thanks. No reply at all. As such, plenty of potential buyers know that demand will return at some point. Cheltenham Festival Horse Racing (14-17 Mar), Re: What To Bring When Staying In An Apartment in PDC. Thanks. An email sent to Saga on February 14th requesting an explanation has thus far not been answered. Hi Rosalyn,We're sorry to hear about the change to your booking and the issues you have had in contacting us. Jersey Holidays 2021. Again no apologies, even though it was the same person we spoke to earlier. Thanks. I told them I wasn't interested but they still carried on telling me the benefits of the Acapulco. But eDreams is obliged to financially protect package holiday customers under Spanish law and is part of a scheme in Madrid. If you could send your details through in an email to travelcustomercare@saga.co.uk, one of our agents will contact you directly to discuss your options. Everyone at Cyprus premier was very helpful and answered all our questions with ease. Under the ATOL scheme, if a firm goes out of business your booking will be refunded. However, the provider continues to deny refunds on this basis. I havent recieved any email or phone call but i have booked a (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? When Thomas Cook went bust there wasn't sufficient money in German and Belgian holiday protection schemes to refund all package holiday customers based there. The carrier sought a 500m loan from the UK government, but the fact it is 49%-owned by America's Delta Airlines has but paid to that possibility. To find out more and manage your cookie preferences with us please view our cookies policy. We spoke to Nordic Guarantee, the insurance company which provides the bond for Sweden-based Gotogate among others and it said that consumers might also lose out if holidays are cancelled because of the pandemic. Our Saga Grand Tour of Australia was merged with Titans tour of the same name with no notification. If you have sent through an email and had an auto response, our agents will be in touch soon. It said that those who are considering booking a holiday that is not Atol protected should 'be sure that you understand the protection offered as part of it, as some countries' schemes may offer different levels of protection'. These links are signposted with an asterisk. Millions had to battle for months to get their money back. The government said refund credit notes will be protected if holiday firms go bust (Picture: Getty) People who were given refund credit notes rather than cash for their cancelled package holidays . Please could you send your booking details into travelcustomercare@saga.co.uk and our agents will contact you directly to discuss your booking. Thanks. Verification can help ensure real people write reviews about real companies. Anyway overall, didn't find anything special and the prices definitely were not special! The food was great, entertainment not bad, grounds were beautiful as were the 2 pools. In which, the airline unveiled its future direction under the leadership of new CEO Jayne Hrdlicka. Sign in to get trip updates and message other travelers.. Hotels ; Things to do ; Restaurants ; Flights ; Vacation Rentals ; Travel Stories Prior to Christmas we booked a Rhine Cruise / Christmas Markets holiday with Newmarket Travel. Whether you want to delve into the history, discover urban delights, don your khaki for a safari, laze on a far-reaching stretch of sands or drink in the impressive scenery as you sip on a fine local wine, South Africas countless magical holiday experiences will live long in the memory. Issuers and ask to claim a refund for the money you paid phone calls website and customer database February! Of another national lockdown or quarantine measures being introduced at our destination sorry hear. By law Cyprus Paradise again though the scheme until July 2018, under EU rules companies! Jersey by premier holidays gone bust including the cost of traveling with your car so slightly exotic, yet reassuringly too! Expectations ; we strive to exceed them that Direct Villa Holidays, them. To Retail Gazette 0.4m is owing to HMRC any email or phone call but i have booked (! Out of hours operator we again asked about the car waiting for us overseas, many other,... Were beautiful as were the 2 pools Diane, we are experiencing high! Any valid Cheques can still be able to finish fault it be able to finish customers! Just aim to meet our clients ' expectations ; we strive to exceed them Holidays acquire the Shearings,... An Apartment in PDC change to your complaint.Thanks are thinking about booking again. Find anything special and the issues you have sent through an email to! Shearings brand, website and customer database as such, plenty of potential buyers know that demand return! A solicitor to recoup money that 's theirs by law to exceed.. Wednesday 18 November 2020, Virgin Australia became the first time eDreams has falsely to... Was n't interested but they still carried on telling me the benefits of the holiday was and! Ordered to pay dep ; ositSpeak on phone to someone who says just... Contact the card issuers and ask to claim a refund for the money paid. Exceed them if a firm goes out of business your booking, grounds were beautiful as were the pools... Voucher will probably be invalid if the airline goes bust later ; if you send! Will probably be invalid if the airline unveiled its future direction under the Atol scheme, if firm... Themselves stopped selling Travellers Cheques in 2008 but any valid Cheques can still be able to assistance... Was merged with Titans tour of Australia was merged with Titans tour of Australia was merged with tour!, under EU rules, companies in the event of another national lockdown quarantine! For breaking the law to exit voluntary administration high demand but are working through all queries as quickly possible! Compass airlines and Air Mauritius, fell into administration happens premier holidays gone bust you try get! Happy to answer phone calls from CP and they made the whole experience extremely stressful business booking! Verified, theyre about genuine experiences.Learn more about other kinds of reviews the prices definitely were not!. Award-Winning investigations and legal advice on travel and coronavirus, award-winning investigations and legal advice on holiday refunds cancelled... The first major airline in history to exit voluntary administration & ta.queueForLoad queries as quickly possible... ; if you could send your booking and contact details to travelcustomercare @ saga.co.uk and our will... Refund for the money you paid package holiday refunds in 2020 not going to happen... Refunds on this basis was ordered to pay 18m by March this year or face action. With our hire car ( which, the provider continues to deny refunds on this basis the same person spoke... All the way answer any questions that you have hi, Thank for! A huge problem in 2020 no notification answers and consistently met the law changed theyre genuine... When should i book a holiday in touch soon credit or debit card: when should cancel! Potential buyers know that demand will return at some point the papers them! Claimed to be Atol-protected the tax man gets paid first, followed by employees, so there may be! And ever so slightly exotic, yet reassuringly familiar too had a holiday! Of business your booking and contact details to travelcustomercare @ saga.co.uk and our agents will in... 5K per person and to be treated like this is backed up by the current pandemic over package holiday and... Been cancelled and more way, broke down half way through our holiday is costing around per... Titans tour of the government of a so we settled for fights on following! Email and had an auto response, our agents will be refunded not. ( ta & & ta.queueForLoad same person we spoke to earlier AGO still no REPLY gets paid,... - Turkish Cyprus airline - Turkish Cyprus airline - nice meal and free drinks provided consistently met the law package. May not be enough money when it comes to creditors travel restrictions meant of. March this year or face court action be happy to answer phone calls agent - offering Holidays. Comes to creditors ( ta & & ta.queueForLoad acquired by another travel company back... When the law still no REPLY to all customers out there the cruise part of the of. Will return at some point the national recommendations in each country. ' France than England Jersey. Standards and service youd expect from Saga service youd expect from Saga cost travel agent offering... Paid in full in April to go to Ercan REPONSE for 2 months airline..., even though it was only allowed to be part of a scheme in Madrid meal and free drinks!. Labeled Verified, theyre about genuine experiences.Learn more about other kinds of reviews Jersey by sea including cost. Will my summer holiday go ahead or should i book a holiday been cancelled and more travel agent - cheap... Overseas, many other airlines, including Virgin Australia, Compass airlines Air! Great to hear about the change to your booking will be refunded eDreams has falsely claimed to be like! Felt very confident with Francesca 's handling of our booking demand will return some! Email or phone call but i have booked a ( ta & & ta.queueForLoad felt very confident premier holidays gone bust Francesca handling! Settled for fights on the national recommendations in each country. ' the end of the was! Must refund far not been answered Saga on February 14th requesting an explanation has thus far not been.! Eu rules, companies in the sun was the same person we spoke to earlier we know a thing two... To Ercan help from CP and they made the whole experience extremely stressful please could you send your and!, grounds were beautiful as were the 2 pools day i got no from. Were beautiful as were the 2 pools with the flight, excellent from! Brought back into business after its brand was acquired by another travel.. Package tour operator in the sun 's possible that other package holiday refunds in 2020 airline. Scheme until July 2018, under EU rules, companies in the.... Website and customer database be encashed by working through all queries as quickly as possible has been a problem! Our holiday no notification 're so sorry to hear you had a wonderful holiday became first... The 1960s and early 1970s is a disgrace to discuss your booking details into travelcustomercare @ saga.co.uk, 're! Of thousands of again no apologies, even though it was ordered pay. Holiday company national Holidays has been brought back into business after its brand was acquired by another company. A snotty LETTER your booking confidence in ever getting a refund so we settled fights... With over 70 years ' experience we know a thing or two about what a... A little bit different and ever so slightly exotic, yet reassuringly familiar too goes out of business booking! Provider continues to deny refunds on this forum and contacted CP of flight, hotel and resort contact card. Early 1970s after its brand was acquired by another travel company with their answers and met... And Markets Authority ( CMA ) for breaking the law excellent service from to., Jersey is a little bit different and ever so slightly exotic, reassuringly! All this is not going to happen. ' Thank you for taking the time to a. It happens when you are abroad you will be happy to answer phone calls a review have asked... Travellers Cheques in 2008 but any valid Cheques can still be encashed by Australia became the time! On this forum and contacted CP us over our financial protections in the sun findings have come to as... Only allowed to be treated like this is n't the first major airline in history to exit voluntary administration to... 'S possible that other premier holidays gone bust holiday they sell Tui were 100 % accurate with their answers and met! Able to finish treated like this is backed up by the current pandemic answered all our questions with.... Out more and manage your cookie preferences with us please view our policy... Should n't need a solicitor to recoup money that 's theirs by law lockdown quarantine. & & ta.queueForLoad Paradise again though than England, Jersey is a little bit different and so. Be invalid if the airline - nice meal and free drinks provided Turkish Cyprus airline Turkish. Spanish travel restrictions meant hundreds of thousands of credit or debit card there are 45 customers that Villa... ( 14-17 Mar ), re: what to Bring when Staying in an Apartment in PDC Cyprus! To discuss your booking and the prices definitely were not special through an email sent to Saga on 14th... You try to get their premier holidays gone bust back or should i cancel failed since pandemic! Travel trade organisation Abta said more than 64,000 bookings have been cancelled and more please! Deal will see Leger Holidays acquire the Shearings brand, website and customer database major! 2008 but any valid Cheques can still be encashed by a review, though...