THOMAS Cook’s website where customers can claim refunds for ruined holiday plans crashed today as Brits started submitting claims. Some users received error messages while trying to to put in their details. About 800,000 people had been due to take trips with the firm in the coming months, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), […]
THOMAS Cook’s website where customers can claim refunds for ruined holiday plans crashed today as Brits started submitting claims.
Some users received error messages while trying to to put in their details.
About 800,000 people had been due to take trips with the firm in the coming months, according to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is handling the refund process.
Overall, the regulator needs to refund 360,000 ATOL-protected customers.
This includes 100,000 customers who paid by direct debit and 260,000 people who booked their holiday with another form of payment.
But in another blow for those who’ve had their holidays cancelled, customers need to wait up to 60 days before they get their money back.
The CAA apologised and said it had experienced “unprecedented demand” when it launched the refund website today.
It urged people to “try back again later today”.
But many customers slammed the CAA on Twitter for the issues, with one user saying: “What the hell are you doing? You had weeks to make sure this system is robust.”
Another frustrated customer described the claims portal as “pointless and frustrating” before urging the regulator to “address this asap”.
The claims section of the website went live at 6am today for those with future bookings for Atol-protected holidays to apply for a refund.
WHEN you book a holiday, the ATOL holder or their agent must give you a certificate confirming you are ATOL protected as soon as you hand over any money - including a deposit - for a holiday or flight.
Make sure you obtain and keep all the relevant paperwork in case you need to make a claim.
But be aware, the protection only covers British-based firms, so it’s vital to check. When lowcostholidays went bust in 2016, customers weren’t protected by ATOL because the company had moved to Spain in 2013.
Some travel companies display the ATOL logo on their websites even though they don’t offer financial protection.
To check it’s genuine, look for a number on the logo and check it out on the CAA’s website.
You should be wary if the travel provider has no ATOL number, or if the number doesn’t have four or five digits.
If you aren’t sure about the website, don’t book through it.
Another key term Brits should be aware of is ABTA. While ATOL protects flight-based packages, ABTA protects everything else such as cruise or self-drive trips.
Atol-protected customers who were already abroad when Thomas Cook collapsed can also claim for the cost of replacing the parts of their holiday which were financially protected, or out-of-pocket expenses for delayed flights.
Affected consumers can find out more information here.
Thomas Cook ceased trading with immediate effect on September 23 after the travel firm was unable to pay £200million to its creditors.
It resulted in crooks pretending to offer Thomas Cook refunds by calling holidaymakers in order to steal their bank account details.
Airlines and travel firms were also accused of ripping off Thomas Cook customers as prices tripled after the collapse.
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