Low Cost Holidays in administration

[BellMcEnd]

Haven't seen a thread about this yet.

We have (had?) a week long, all inclusive holiday booked for the very end of the school holidays. We've just found out that Low Cost Holidays have now ceased trading and are in administration.

I'm so aware that this is, for us, is a first world problem and that there are people who have lost their jobs, are stranded abroad etc but this is the first family holiday we've had in years and we're pretty upset.

Not told our 3 DCs yet.

Anyone else in the same boat (ha ha

If you have checked in, got seat numbers, you are OK, surely? That is surely a 'confirmed booking'? It says that in the LCH website, doesn't it?

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Just trying to work out who I paid with - if it's a credit card i feel I have more chance of recovering some money than a debit card...
Just trawling through statements.
good luck with everything, everyone...
Keep posting on here for traffic - think we might need to help each other out...

I really really feel for you all. Lch were registered in spain and poland and switzaland since 2011/2013 so they dont fall fall under the caa (eu laws basically) It makes my blood boil because on the morning they went under they released a 60% off offer. It was monday the administrators where called in. Its really important to check who and what your booking with. Surely for the sake of 50 quid its better to book with a travel agent?

Sure - if it was fifty quid I'd happily pay it. In my case, they were the only 'travel ager' (if that's the right term - it seems that the water is muddy) who could offer us our requirements - two linked rooms for our family of five... I had spent hours in a high street travel agent searching for this but LCH, whom I thought were a reputable agency, were the only ones with the availability. It wasn't all about the money but it was about the availability...

EXACTLY what Nonno said. We have 3 young DCs and wanted a little apartment type set up but as an all inclusive holiday. It was quite tricky to find and took us a while.

We've definitely learned our lesson in holiday bookings from this.

It's beyond a joke / unbelievable that they were continuing to trade up until the last minute. Unsure - did they really release a 60% off deal the very same day they called in the administrators???? Five minutes before the schools are due to break up? That is appalling I shall join you in the blood boiling

W will apparently be refunded in full as we booked through an agency, the the supplier was low cost.

Our hotel, after an enormous amount of negotiation, is charging an extra £800.
Very disappointing, but the accom was £4800 to start with. So we are over a barrel really.

Just trying to focus on the holiday now

Did you book before Brexit, Enjoying? I think that'll be the issue we face too as the £ is less strong against the €. Ho hum.

Has anyone any experience booking via last minute.com?
We booked lanzarote for October. The flights are confirmed with Thomas cook and should be ok. Unfortunately we paid via debit card. We have tried to speak to our travel insurance but haven't got an answer for sure til tomorrow.
Last minute were very unhelpful and on the phone and said they would let us know in the week.
But they've now put up on their website that they are merely advertising??? For low cost and won't take responsibility. What a joke! All the paperwork confirming the trip says last minute.
I'm calling the hotel and insurers tomorrow.
So sorry for you all you families that have the summer holidays affected.

marking place -

also completely fucking gutted. Trying and failing to be philosophical about it as it we hadn't been abroad for the last 3 years, and really looking forward to this. Couldn't afford a holiday at all last summer :( (yes, I know it's a first world problem)

I would really prefer it if the smug crowd who had booked with their ATOL and ABTA protected holidays didn't come on to this thread to tell people how they should have booked their holiday.

Because it's actually a bit too late for that now, and we feel bad enough as it is. Looks like 110,000 people were also caught out one way or another.

I do hope that you all get a holiday sorted despite LCH. Terrible time of year, though obviously no time is a good time for this to happen :(

I’ve made a petition – will you sign it?

Click this link to sign the petition:
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/161956/sponsors/mEUtA5wqOJ0IUqcgpW

My petition:

Review the work of the Lowcost Holidays travel company bankruptcy scandal

Lowcost Holidays has gone into administration owing thousands of pounds to over 110,000 UK customers also without a holiday many of which were booked months in advance. Lowcost Holidays used to be ATOL and ABTA protected but moved to Majorca at the end of 2013.

The practice of travel companies not paying for hotel accommodation/flights/transfers after they've been paid by customers should be made illegal. It's a company based within the EU but there is little or no EU protection for its citizens against this poor practice or when a travel company goes into administration. Why?

Enjoying the peace- can I ask how you know the supplier is lowcostholidays?
We have a hotel booked through Sunshine but I've no idea who the supplier is, did they email you?

In my voucher, which I received when I had paid in full.

Plus sunshine emailed me to tell me

Well we got an incredible deal, less than £5k for nine nights accom at Sani. The hotel have said that they can't honour because it was so low. We have reached a compromise, but it is a very difficult pill to swallow that we thought all paid up, now have to produce another £800

Here coco
www.lastminute.com/help/travel-advice/lowcosttravelgroup.html

I am going to call them back tomorrow

Similar arrangement with us and sunshine. We booked with sunshine but turned out supplier was lowcostholidays. If you read the contract, the relationship is between you and lowcostholidays.

There will be no mistake. Lastmins legal team will have gone over every detail of wordings multiple times.

So this is a 2-bit GB company registered in Spain (to save tax or what)
and employing staff in Poland on the lowest wages possible?
With customers in one of the better-off and populated countries in the EU
and they still failed? Not very good are they?

My Insurance company have said they won't do anything but to call back tomorrow to confirm that. The hotel we had booked originally told me yesterday they didn't have a booking for my family but did have rooms then today they had my reservation come through and then it got cancelled and they've now got no rooms left!

Absolute nightmare. I feel fortunate that we had just enough money to pay (more!) for a new hotel so we can still go when I know this won't be the case for many people. It still leaves our savings in a scary state but it's that or lose every penny and not get a holiday.

Just did a big long post on my phone and lost it all.

Briefly, feel queasy and drained. What a shit week ended. Then back to work tomorrow with all my work colleagues and their holiday countdowns on their phones. Sigh.

Basically our flights are paid for - this may be the case for many. Transfers gone but can pay for them again and pay extra tenner.
Room on hold 'apparently' for a few days so our choice is :

Pay for room again and hope Chargeback works and we are eventually reimburse do. Go on our holiday.put it on credit
Or lose everything and stay at home.

Sorry for typos. Stupid phone.

It's good for some that seem to be in particular banks that are on the ball and have sorted stuff out over this weekend.

I think Natwest and Halifax are OK.

It was my money in my dads TSB Gold account visa debit. Dreading call to bank tomorrow.
Still don't know what to do and if we ring the hotel back what's to stop them hiking up price?

Anyone got any positive news regarding debit cards?

We are booked to go 2nd August

Thanks coco nutty!

That is, ironically, the one fb group I haven't looked at' . Stupidly.
My head is spinning from looking at Martin Edwards etc
Will have a look now.