To think flights should be ATOL protected? Thomas Cook

[ShitFuckBastardBollocks]

Why is it just package holidays? Why not flights?

Booked my first ever family holiday and had no idea about ATOL protection not applying if you bought flights separately to the accommodation.

I got insurance.

Told this insurance does not cover airline bankruptcy/failure.

Called insurance and they said I cannot upgrade to Flight protection insurance because its now a known issue and it won't be valid

So I've spend 2600 on flights and my insurance is wank and I'm not ATOL protected.

So if I fly out and Thomas Cook go under how do I get home? I do not have the money to pay for flight s home

Does this mean I have to just abandon my holiday? :(

Ive been crying all afternoon.

This was supposed to be our first family holiday abroad and its just turned into hell

• I wnat them to go bust.

Then I can get a charge back and be done with them.*

Wow never mind thousands loosing their jobs.

Why do you think you will get a refund?

She’s struggled to save for it for well over a year, probably made other financial sacrifices, it’s her first time abroad and she has no money to replace the flights. Do you think disabled people should be unable to leave the house? That in the world’s 5th richest country disabled people should have nothing more than basic subsistence living?

The OP is clear that she's saved long and hard for a one off holiday and part of the reason that the cost is high is that it is for seven people.

Why do you think you will get a refund

Because consumer protection legislation, in this case, the chargeback scheme, gives her that right.

Link to Moneysavingexpert article on what to do if you're affected, updated today.

I really hope it all works out for all the people who work at Thomas Cook and for all the people who have their hard earned holidays and weddings and travel booked. What a really really sad situation for all concerned. I'm sure the OP didn't mean to be so heartless. Can understand the worry. Fingers crossed for a good outcome today.

Because consumer protection legislation, in this case, the chargeback scheme, gives her that right.

Thanks

So you think disabled people should be kept on the breadline do you? Just enough to eat and a little bit of roof above their heads? Nice, that'll teach them

Yeah, that’s exactly what I meant in my post? 🙄🙄🙄 DFOD.

Makes me sick you’re here wanting a company to go bust OP when thousands of people’s jobs are at stake. Your holiday funded by your obviously over generous disability benefits has been funded by their taxes!

You undermine your reasonable first sentence with your completely unreasonable second.

ok, so being able to drop over £2k on flights and the subsequent costs of a holiday is living on the breadline is it?

There is no reason to suggest the holiday was funded entirely from benefits or that it wasn’t saved for over several years.

I'm really not interested in disability benefit slamming.

I've been saving for 15 months for this.

I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't go out with friends. I don't go to the cinema or eat out.

I'm a prisoner in my own home most days.

The holiday is for 7 people.

That's 300 quid each.

Hardly Las Vegas money.

My kids have never been on a holiday in their lives. And they are teenagers.

Of course I don't want people to lose their jobs but it's still true that the best situation for us would be to get a refund and be able to rebook elsewhere.
My bank has already said I will get a charge back within days.

The chargeback scheme will eventually give you some of your money back. Next time use a credit card to pay for your holiday (even if it’s in installments) as the bank will guarantee a full refund in this situation

Chargebacks aren’t straightforward. You will get a refund and then after 30 days if the bank isn’t reimbursed by thomas cook then they will take it back. They will then reimburse you again and wait for another 30 days

I apologise to people at risk of losing jobs. Its was a callous statement.
I'm just very stressed and upset, as you are too I'm sure.

But to the people who think people on disability shouldn't be able to have a holiday 🖕 Fuck you.

Booked my first ever family holiday and had no idea about ATOL protection not applying if you bought flights separately to the accommodation.

When you received your flight confirmation from Thomas Cook Airlines it would have been made very clear that the booking was not ATOL protected.

Regardless of ATOL protection, you'll be flown home by the repatriation that's the CAA will carry out if you're abroad. It's likely you will have to wait longer than you're original flight though.

If they go into administration before your holiday then no, you won't get a refund of the money but as you say, you can get a charge back from the banks - although you are lucky, this usually applies for credit cards only.

@ShitFuckBastardBollocks Just so that you're not misled here - the bank will usually action the chargeback within days, and the money will probably be with you quite quickly, but if the bank can't recover it within 30 days, it'll be debited from your account again.

I do hope the situation is resolved for everyone quickly - and that it hurts as few people as possible. But I don't necessarily think TC going bust is best for you unless you have someone who could cover you if the money is removed from your bank again after a month and puts you in an overdraft; you're probably better that there is a government bail out before you're due to go, or that you get your holiday and are repatriated. Are you due to go next week?

joffrey All Visa cards can do chargebacks, I believe, but credit cards are usually a lot easier to do the process with. Love your username!!

Thanks @AnchorDownDeepBreath you're the first person who seems to know what it is

I just re-read my post, ah the spelling errors!

Will have to look into this charge back to see if I can claim the cost of my wedding back, we paid on a Halifax debit. Fingers crossed!

Just a note to say that even if you have booked a package with TC, you should check your paperwork for the ATOL certificate. Mine wasn’t there (even though it should have been) - I contacted them yesterday via online chat and got them to issue a duplicate. I’m still hoping for the best, but figured it was sensible to prepare for the worst. I imagine that only realising it was missing once I actually needed to rely on the ATOL protection would’ve complicated matters.

Thanks for apologising Op

It's obvious it was said in worry.

Stress running high in this household as DH and my job on the line and literally hundreds of our friends and colleagues.

I hope you get sorted.

Credit cards are covered under Consumer Credit Act so it's easier to get funds back from them. Debit cards arent covered so it's more complicated to get funds back from them

@MarthasGinYard
(or possibly given your username). I really hope today’s meetings bring positive news for you and your colleagues.

Martha