Is this usual for a travel company gone into administration and then saved by another company?

[TheThinWhiteDutchess]

I booked a short UK package break holiday in 2021 that departed in Sept 2022.

In August 2022 the original travel company went into administration and I had a call stating that this had happened and was I happy for my holiday to be transferred to a new company who had taken over the old company. I agreed to this.

The holiday took place as seamlessly as if it had been delivered by the original company. I did not have to pay any more money.

The new company are now trying to get all of the people who bought this holiday to claim the price of the holiday back via a card chargeback. I find this odd as I have not lost any money. As far as I am concerned I got the holiday I paid for.

Is this usual? The travel company who went bust are/were ABTA protected.

That sounds really fishy and unethical. I mean you have not actually lost any money or services.

Also, what would they as the new company have to gain?

What exactly have they said to you?

It sounds fishy to me too. I can't help but wonder if they have no legal right to demand the money from us but they are chancing their arm to reclaim as much as they can.

Apparently company 2 bought out company 1 who were on the brink of administration and couldn't afford to pay for all the booked holidays.
Company 2 paid for all the booked holidays so that they could go ahead.
Company 2 now own company 1 (who are running pretty much as they were) and are now out of pocket because of paying for all the holidays.

So I guess if they hadn't done that the holiday would have been cancelled and I would have had to claim on insurance or chargeback. Or would their insurance have kicked in?

They have said that as the original holiday not delivered by Company 1, this entitles me to a chargeback claim.

Also apparently even though the holiday was covered by Company 1's insurance, the insurance company require that all customers attempt a chargeback before they will consider a claim.

This isn’t Felix holidays is it? If so there is a group on Facebook called scammed by Felix holidays

It's not Felix holidays. I will check Facebook in case there is a group related to this though.

I’m glad it’s not felix! I hope you find some other people and you get your money back.