Holiday News and Holiday Ideas

Both Thomson and First Choice have issued advice on what assistance is available to those passengers on ATOL protected flights or holidays following the collapse of XL.
First Choice and Thomson assist those stranded overseas

XL customers currently overseas will be able to continue with their holidays as planned. We are currently organising the repatriation of customers who booked ATOL bonded packages and are stranded in Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Sardinia and Egypt and these flights will take place as close to the passengers original departure dates as possible. Our overseas teams will be working closely with the existing XL representatives in resort to facilitate the repatriation of customers back to the UK.

Passengers currently stranded overseas are advised in the first instance to visit the CAA website (www.atol.org.uk) or call +44 (0)2891856547. There will also be links from the XL website.

Further assistance available for those due to travel

XL customers who have booked an ATOL protected package or flight and are yet to travel, can arrange an alternative holiday. We are advising customers who booked direct, or through a Thomson or First Choice shop to take confirmation of their booking to any of our branches nationwide. Our retail team will be able to arrange an alternative holiday for them and assist with claiming the refund for their XL holiday or flight.

Customers who have booked with another travel agent are advised to visit the travel agent that sold them the holiday who can look at other options with First Choice and Thomson Holidays. Again both businesses will assist with the refund and arrange the paperwork on behalf of the customers.

The company has arranged a helpline for those not near a First Choice or Thomson shop, which is as follows: Tel: 0871 231 5704

All package holiday companies offering air inclusive arrangements must have an Air Travel Organisers Licence or ATOL, which ensures that consumers are repatriated or given a full refund if an airline collapses. This cover is usually not available when customers book separate flights and accommodation. A customer who books a scheduled flight direct with an airline is not given the same financial protection as those booked as part of a package.

Many consumers have a false sense of security, believing that their travel insurance will cover them if an airline fails, but usually, this is not the case. Credit card companies do offer some protection, but they will not repatriate passengers if they are abroad.

A recent survey of Thomson Holidays’ customers found that over 90% of holidaymakers said that having their holiday financially protected was important to them but also found that consumers were confused with over 50% of holidaymakers still wrongly believing that booking a scheduled flight directly with an airline meant they were financially protected in the event of bankruptcy.

Despite a Government commitment to encourage scheduled airlines to communicate the fact that flight only bookings are not protected by the ATOL scheme, over 50% of passengers wrongly believed that having paid upfront for their flights in good faith, their money would be protected if the airline went bankrupt.

More detailed advice for customers:

XL Customers who booked direct

If you have booked a holiday or flight with one of these holiday companies direct (ie: not through a travel agent), please go to your local Thomson or First Choice travel shop. In most cases they will be able to transfer the value of your booking to a new holiday with the minimum of fuss. Our retail staff will be able to then reclaim the value of your lost holiday..

XL Customers booked through a Thomson or First Choice Shop

If you have booked a holiday with one of these companies through a Thomson or First Choice Travel Shop, please go back to the shop where they will be able to help. In most cases we will be able to simply transfer the value of your holiday with the failed company onto another holiday. The travel agent will be able to then reclaim the value of your lost holiday .

XL Customers who booked with a travel agent

If you booked a holiday with one of these companies through any other high street travel agent brand please go back to see them. We are working closely with all UK travel agents on this issue and will in most cases be able to transfer your lost holiday value onto a First Choice or Thomson holiday with the minimum of fuss and no penalty.

In all cases customers should bring all the original documents and proof of payments made to the travel agent. This will help speed things up.

For more information on XL help, customers are being directed to www.thomson.co.uk/xlassistance

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