Mark Warner Hols and XL flights

[callmemitey]

Does anyone know if MW have sorted another carrier yet? Was about to book our honeymoon and spotted the carrier is/was XL.

I can't believe I have to look again yet so glad I did not book already. Call centre not taking calls - it may be closed for the night though!

Stay away from Mark Warner
I was one of the XL passengers who didn't get a flight and had to cancel the whole holiday.

Their customer service are incredibly rude.
Its amazing ... paying for an expensive holiday and you get to fly on a dodgy budget airline.
Or not fly when they go bust...

How were they getting away with that...

Thanks TommieB. So sorry about your Holiday

TommieB - So you got all your money back then?

They were not a budget airline, but the UK's third largest tour operator, with many divisions including selling flight seats.

Travel companies did not know about XL, until it happened. I expect the staff had to deal with many upset and rude customers since friday and will continue to do so.

Sorry to hear your hol was cancelled TommieB - did you get a refund?

We are due to travel to Greece with MW on 28th for a week. Flights originally booked from Gatwick although looking at the MW website, the new flights they are booking are all going from Gatwick ... not good for us as in NE Scotland and if the situation next week is still the same, they won't know return flight details until we're in the resort so can't even book flights from here to Gatwick. Will have to drive 10 hours - what a joy!

I guess we may still get our holiday though ...

Has anyone else had/got this dilema and what did MW say - they are being very evasive with us.

Thanks

(ps. Sorry for the long post!)

We've been on a couple of Mark Warner Hols, always been good.

You don't need to fly with XL you could find another carrier. MW are quite happy to quote a price exluding flights then you can go with whatever carrier you are happiest with.

Wherever whenever enjoy your honeymoon!

verytallbird
I would be concerned that MW will not know/give you your return flight details before you go. I would insist on knowing them before I departed the UK. Sounds very odd to me, as ATOL /CAA only deal with repatriation of holiday makers if you are abroad when XL flights (booked via freedom flights) have gone bust.

Aks MW that you want "your package holiday which includes flights be confirmed at least 72 hours, before your departure date". Email them with your booking reference and I hope you get some response.

The new flights are all up on the website verytallbird. Link is on the home page.

Hope yours gets sorted We may still go but I have been looking around and seen a really nice Soveriegn deal to Portugal. However I may see you there flights dependant of course!

If it is any consolation there are loads of holiday companies with XL flights notices on their homepages. It made me feel better! Glasgow to gatwick is a bit of a trek though if you don't know what time you are arriving. Have a look at booking a cheapy Travel Inn room near Gatwick for the night you fly back. You can cancel most of them up until 12 noon on the day of arrival - just check before you book online as there are a few options. At least then you can book flights back to Glasgow the next day and hopefully not miss them

Thanks mrswotzisnotin and callmemitey ... think we're sorted now. Just got MW to confirm the Gatwick flight times and hopefully we can use our airmiles (have been waiting for years to use them up ... not sure this is how I envisaged spending them but wth!)and travel down from Edinburgh to Gatwick the night before and day after and spend a night either side in a Gatwick hotel ... just have to make it part of the holiday (stuff ourselves with hotel breakfast, perhaps find one with a pool ... let the kids run about) ... let me know if you are going to San A, callmemitey .... If you are, we'll look out for you. I'm the verytallbird (ha ha!). They do seem to have reduced their prices again today for San A departing at the weekend (funny that ..!). Portugal v nice too though ..

Just out of interest for anyone else who may be affected by the MW and XL flights, I did manage to decipher the MW booking conditions and work out that because a change of airports is a 'significant change' then they are obliged to let you transfer your booking to another holiday with them (although all summer 08 hols now flying from Gatwick ... winter hols still going from regionals apparantly).

Best get off to Boots for that sun cream them ...

Great news! I hope you have fun. We have delayed our holidays at work until mid Oct now so not sure where to go as nowhere has childcare for 2yr old DD now

I may still do MW then - let me know what it's like