AIBU?
To feel robbed by love holidays
Chloefairydust · 06/09/2022 05:10
So in May me and my partner booked a holiday with love holidays, regrettably. Their customer service is non existent. They cancelled our flights after we had already paid for them, and never rebooked flights. We couldn’t contact them to reorganise our flights, so we ended up having to organise our own flights thinking we could get a partial refund on the holiday as obviously they never organised our flights. However there’s no way of getting in touch with them and they basically owe us £1400 . I have come to accept I’m never going to see that money again. Just wondering if anyone else has had the same experience?
Am I being unreasonable?
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Ireallycantthinkofagoodone · 06/09/2022 09:17
I had a holiday booked with them, which was cancelled at the beginning of the pandemic. After many many emails/webchats/phone calls, my money was eventually returned, but it take a massive amount of time and determination. They tried every trick in the book to get out of their responsibilities.
Don’t give up - they must return your money if you booked the entire holiday with them. It’s in the package deal regulations.
I would never book with them again……..
TakeYourFinalPosition · 06/09/2022 09:23
OP you're going to have to properly talk to your partner to work out if you've got any sort of legal case here.
You'll definitely know who the airline is, it shows on booking and on the confirmation emails.
Did you get the cancellation info from Love Holidays, or the airline directly? Presumably Love Holidays, if you don't know the airline. Did it give you more advice on what to do/expect next? How much opportunity did you give LH to rebook your flights before you booked your own?
If you didn't get them adequate chance to rebook; that could be a valid defence to them for a legal claim. Likewise if they did actually have flights ready on the day that you went, and you'd booked your own.
If they didn't rebook flights, and you had no contact, you can raise a case with your bank (even if you paid with a debit card) or with ATOL/ABTA, or the Small Claims Court.
But it sounds like you need your partner to send you all the comms they had first; as it's rather vague and you won't win any case without solid details.
Kitchenlight · 06/09/2022 09:29
Chloefairydust · 06/09/2022 06:01
I’m going to try to go through trading standards.
Just checked ATOL and you need a certificate to make a claim? Love holidays never gave us a certificate. So I’m not sure about that.
Learn from my mistakes though people, avoid love holiday like the plague
Yoh are being very defeatist. They owe you money. Try and get it back!
EnglishGirlApproximately · 06/09/2022 09:30
ATOL won't be able to help, the protection it offers is for supplier failure nothing else.
Love Holidays left ABTA during the pandemic specifically to avoid paying refunds on holidays affected by covid.
You need to read through PTR regulations to see what is applicable to holiday - I believe that LH sell linked travel arrangements rather than packages which have less protection. Which? Website has a good section on this and what it means for the consumer.
Coldilox · 06/09/2022 09:40
As others have said, Love Holidays (and On The Beach) both withdrew from ABTA during the pandemic, so their customers have much less protection now. People need to know this before spending their money with them.
OP I’m sorry I don’t know how to help in your situation. You should be entitled to a refund, as the service you paid for wasn’t delivered. I would try small claims.
Bubblebubblebah · 06/09/2022 09:41
I am with few other pisters that I think your partner is not clear on what it is they booked i mean if no one even noted the airline, that's surprising. They REALLY need to dog through junk and promo folders in their emails. Or use search. [email protected] is where confirmation came from. With all info incl atol cert. A pp said that is also on your booking oage.
Your partner was most likely told they need to contact the airline about refund (that's how it works with LH) when the situation happened. I was bit confused as well, but chat helped and you simply request refund from airline as if you paid by yourself.
Again, Love Holiday are NOT package holidays like TUI for example.
Day20 · 06/09/2022 09:52
Fortuny · 06/09/2022 08:43
I worked in a similar company and its probably not a package, they're known as a Flight + Hotel bookings and it's a workaround to avoid responsibility - they just blame the supplier. So your holiday will likely not be covered by ABTA.
If you have proof that you that:
- your flight was cancelled
- you have tried to contact the company
- there was no replacement flight booking or refund
Then I would go to trading standards, or at least call them and walk them through your situation and what proof you have.
The PP who mentioned contacting the airline to confirm they have refunded LH is also really good idea, so you have firm evidence.
The no refunds clause is for people who just want to cancel their holiday, that's not the case with your situation.
This is what I've heard also that during the pandemic LH decided not to use Abta for their holidays which causes issues for the flights part if cancelled. My neighbours often use them and have no issues.
catwomando · 06/09/2022 10:02
Chloefairydust · 06/09/2022 05:25
Unfortunately we didn’t use a credit card
If you paid on a debit card there is a thing called 'chargeback' which if done before 120 days of transaction may allow you to get money back from the bank.
Google Martin's money chargeback.
Hope this helps
purplecorkheart · 06/09/2022 10:04
I think the first thing your partner should do is talk to the bank. The chances are ye are not the first people to be in this position and they should be able to advise you if they can help with a partial refund. I do not understand why your partner thinks that it is not worth ringing .
WagathaChristieMystery · 06/09/2022 10:07
OP sorry this has happened to you. Have you got social media? Just thinking you could call them out on Twitter. And think as well about writing into the ‘Money’ pages of the main papers (e.g. The Times, Guardian, Daily Mail), as they might publish your letter and be able to help - they’re very good at dealing with stuff like this.
SheeWeee · 06/09/2022 10:13
Chloefairydust · 06/09/2022 06:50
Love holidays were really vague we don’t even know what flight companies they used to start with, the communication with that company is honestly so bad it’s unreal. I’m going to ask bf to check with his bank to see if there’s a form to fill in like you said, he’s with nationwide so I don’t know what their like with stuff like this
I find this hard to believe. When you book you get a full itinerary with the flight details...provider, times, flight numbers, even seats, even before you book and then it all confirmed in emails afterwards, and available with manage my booking on the website. It's not possible that you don't even know what flights you had booked!
LH are not great at communication but your comments here just don't add up
SheeWeee · 06/09/2022 12:04
Leftbutcameback · 06/09/2022 11:58
This thread is so useful - I didn't know about companies selling flight+hotel which looks like a package but isn't.
The website clearly explains this though, its not hidden or anything.
A lot of people on this thread talking about scams and robbers etc but the infor doesn't add up and its not clear that the company is in the wrong at all....
Bubblebubblebah · 06/09/2022 12:05
SheeWeee · 06/09/2022 12:04
The website clearly explains this though, its not hidden or anything.
A lot of people on this thread talking about scams and robbers etc but the infor doesn't add up and its not clear that the company is in the wrong at all....
Leftbutcameback · 06/09/2022 11:58
This thread is so useful - I didn't know about companies selling flight+hotel which looks like a package but isn't.
Yeah. It is oretty clear. I think lots of issues do come from people thinking it's standard package holidays provider
Chloefairydust · 06/09/2022 14:14
Yeah the flights got cancelled before we were contacted by the airline itself, the web chat thing with them was when they told us the times of the flights and the airline which am sure was American Airlines. But we were never sent anything my American Airlines themselves. At the time my partner contacted them through the web chat thingy and said that he wanted to see confirmation with the airline and they told him he would here from the airline closer to his holiday. So we just had to take love holidays word for it basically. The flights were then cancelled before we got any official confirmation of the flights. The whole thing was very strange. Lots of messages were left by my partner on web chat to try to sort it out and they basically just fobbed him off every time. He screenshot all the chats so there is a lot of evidence. I’m thinking the small claims court might be the best option although we will definitely try twitter too.
EddyF · 06/09/2022 14:19
PrincessInDisguise · 06/09/2022 06:52
I've used them for 1-3 holidays a year for the last six or seven years and never had an issue.
Their ATOL number is clearly stated on their website - "Our ATOL number is 10989. Find out more about the ATOL scheme and what it covers, or visit the CAA website." - hopefully that helps with your claim?
I had a holiday cancelled that was booked through them throughout COVID and while I had to wait a long time for my flight refund that was down to the airline not them. They sent me regular emails and couldn't have been better tbh.
Hope you get sorted soon as i'd be devastated to have missed a holiday and lost that much money.
The same as me; I have never had any problems with them at all. Do you have their App? I think they is a message function on there to get in touch. I hope you get your money back and do not let the issue go.
Gazelda · 06/09/2022 14:39
OP, I think it would be helpful to write down all of the details so they're clear in your mind.
Booked trip to x on 1 Jan 21
Booking reference 23456
Flight number AS35 Heathrow to Philadelphia 0500 on 1 May 23,
return flight number AS36 0600 Philadelphia to Heathrow on 14 May
Stay 14 nights in double room at Four Seasons Hotel in Philadelphia.
Room only
Email from airline on 1 Feb to advise flights cancelled
Web chat with LH on 2 Feb to rearrange flights (screenshot attached). Told by Peter that new flights would be booked
Etc
Etc
Etc
You can then send this to CEO, bank, CAB, Small Claims etc and the details will all be to hand to avoid misunderstanding.
That will make it easier to resolve.
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