Flights

[wellheld]

Charter flight travel restrictions

It was just over 3 months. I kept telling her they may not let her on the plane but because Excel or whoever it was had sold her the ticket there and back for more than a 3 month stay she wanted to chance it. She then asked for her money back plus expenses and got it because they shouldn't have sold her the ticket. It used to be OK to fly on charter within the 3 months if you are not on a residents visa.

So, the charter company is responsible for selling an unuseable ticket, so they have to give a refund AND expenses? Quite right too, and well done her, wonder if she'd have been given the full refund if she'd tried to cancel the booking?

 

[darlawlor]

Flights to Hurghada

Have you tried the website below Dar? I've had a quick look and there are flights from Dublin to Gatwick then on to Hurghada. Know what you mean about prices though, but I still find this website seems to pick up the best available Cheap Flights Search

Thanks for the info Suzanne...

 

[VICKIG]

Has anyone just travelled on a One Way and had any problems?
I am looking at booking my ticket out with Excel but as I don't know when I will be coming back was thinking of just booking an inbound easyjet flight once I know..

 

[Georgina]

Has anyone just travelled on a One Way and had any problems?
I am looking at booking my ticket out with Excel but as I don't know when I will be coming back was thinking of just booking an inbound easyjet flight once I know..

I have never had any problems with one way tickets.

 

[samui13]

excel

Just wondering how many people have flights booked with excel. I must admit I was rather shocked at the news of them going into administration this morning. I am now concerned how easyjet will get on (they sell flights cheaper than excel!!!)

Hope no-one is losing any money over this and if you have flights booked, good luck with getting things sorted.

Lou

 

[queenie40something]

Just heard this as well Lou - 200,000 bookings cancelled and around 80,000 stranded abroad.

If you have booked a package holiday with an agent then you will get a refund through ABTA but if you booked through XL it is unlikely you will get a refund

It also affects medlife hotels as well

For more details see their announcement

XL Leisure Group Plc

 

[samui13]

Its terrible isnt it. I was really shocked and just wouldnt imagine an airline that big to go down the pain - what do others think about this. Do you think easy jet will follow?? Dont really want to book a years worth of flights in January now

I feel so sorry for all the people turning up at the airport this morning, how upsetting for them.

Dont feel so sorry for the stranded people - Just kidding, I am sure in the circumstances it is really distressing (unless you are really enjoying your holiday that is and are happy to stay on)! Just wonder where these people stand if they have not got the funds to get back from whereever they are if they are not in a package holiday.

Lou

 

[queenie40something]

I just said to Amy it could have happened when I was out there last week and at least I would have had a valid excuse not to get on the plane home!!

 

[queenie40something]

Hi Lou - I would still try and book the cheap flights. If you book them via a high st travel agent you will then be given a ABTA number from them but you wont if booking diect with Easyjet. So assume if anything happens you will be covered by booking thru an agent??

This is what Easyjet website says

Since we are not a travel agency, we do not have an ABTA number as this is for The Association of British Travel Agents. If you have booked your flights via a travel agency, they should be able to provide you with their ABTA number.

As flights are booked directly with us, we do not have an ATOL number

 

[ACP]

Do you know any place in Hurghada (or Egypt in general) where it is possible to buy a ticket from Easyjet, TUIfly, Thomsonfly? Online reservation is obvious, but I mean the "traditional" method of booking. Thank you for any hint.

 

[lyndsay552]

Dawn (Wayne Harris) arrived at the airport this morning to find out that her flight was canceled. Not sure how they managed it but they are arriving tomorrow but going via Cairo.

Another lady arrived last night with XL and is due to fly back on Thurs. She had booked directly with XL and as such is not covered by ATOL. She's not too bothered as her insurance will cover her and she might get a few extra days in the sun!!

 

[SuziQ2708]

This is terrible news! I'm relieved that I didn't book the flights for next year using my favourite website (flightline) as they are not displaying any flights to Hurghada now at all!!! This is the second airline in as many weeks that have gone bust, my husband has lost shares in a company called Silverjet, they went bust last week!! NOT good news for us investors is it

 

[nubianqueen]

hi queenie

its been interesting to read what you have to say about xldoes this mean if you book through a travel agent apart from being safer it is also more expensive or what? not sure about this question but ask it anyway, how was your time in your lovely apartment, not been on the site for a while, been ill, but inshalla hope to go at the end of sept, though hurghada village is not and will not be ready!

interested in what you have to say about your apartment now you have lived in it for 2 weeks??


nubianqueen

 

[danny]

With the way flight prices are in the UK we need to start thinking outside the box a little and so I did a little study of other ways of arriving at Hurghada airport apart from the conventional way. This month for instance you can fly to Brussels from Manchster return with flybe for as little as £27 then from Brussels to Hurghada the return is as little as £145. It may mean 12 or 13 days in Hurgahda as opposed to 14 but you could do a bit of sightseeing in Belgium on the way to Hurghada or on the way back.
I am sure you could do the same from Dublin to Brussels,Belfast, London and so on.

 

[queenie40something]

Hi Nubian sorry you havent been well and hope you are feeling better.

The apartment was fab thanks and cant wait to be back in 3 weeks time xx

Ref above - if you book with a Travel Agent they are members of ABTA and ATOL. They would cover you if an airline goes bust and reimburse you. Airline companies such as Easyjet and XL arent members of ABTA as they are not travel agents. So in hind sight it is better to book through an agent although may be dearer.

Watch your insurance policies as they will not automatically include cover if an airline goes bust and you would normally have to ask and pay extra for it and you need to check if there is a clause in your policy.

One Insurance Company that I know that includes it and its still a reasonable cost at around £15 for a 15 day single trip each is Karma Insurance. It will cover each passanger up to £1000 for airlines going bust or as in XL case medlife hotels to cover the accom as well.

 

[CMChris]

My other half was booked to go to Egypt with XL on a diving package with Blue O2 and that looks now if its cancelled. Its going to be the knock on effect which will come to light in the next few weeks of other companies that use XL as their flights to get people to Egypt. Very sad few months for everybody as they battle to get their money back.

 

[crombiestone]

Black Friday

With only 6 days to go to my El Gouna trip ,XL goes bust

I have spent a frantic day re booking flights with BA and Egyptair to Hurghada via Cairo. There is no way I'm giving up my 2 weeks !

As for the money I paid to XL . My booking was made direct to XL so I have no atol protection . I paid by Visa debit so I dont have credit card protection either !

I spoke to my bank ( Nationwide) and they asked me to come in and complete a Visa dispute form . I completed this (I want to be near the front of the queue ) and now have to wait patiently to see if I get anything back .

My sympathies to fellow travellers affected . Try every avenue to get a refund .

NB visa disputes must be logged within 75 days of the company going into liquidation so don't hang around.

David

 

[samui13]

Gutted for you crombie, glad you got alternative flights sorted tho.

I just read on the telegraphs page that people that paid by debit will get nothing but with visa debit (not credit) you may be able to do a chargeback so you have done the right thing by getting in there quick.

I have everything crossed for you to get your money back and am glad you are in a position to still go away on holiday.

Good luck

Lou

 

[Leila]

I have heard that if you pay by credit card that their 'insurance' should cover you. It's scary isn't it. I suppose we need to learn from this not to pay with debit cards even if you have the funds as it doesn't cover you in any way. Good luck folks if you are involved.

 

[philthecar]

hi we have paid by visa credit (I think) and have been assured no problems with refund of money lost. I hope this remains the case ..... Of more concern is how this is going to affect flights to hurghada in general. Is the cost of flights going to increase so much and be even less frequent than before . This is not good news in our opinin as XL were one of the main airlines we have used to hurghada in the past