Tunisia holiday problems. Help!!

[pawnbrokers]

I have and am having a nightmare with holiday on line operator and need some help.

I booked a holiday on line with teletext holidays to Tunisia. Leaving 19.7.15

 

Then the slaughter in Sousse on 26th June made me want to cancelled my trip. I was taking my two children 15&17away. They would not be allowed by their mother to go and they were scared

 

The contact to the online agents were a nightmare,finally got through, to be told I couldn't cancel as theFO had not declared the destination unsafe and that the only alternative was to rebook to another destination. And quickly as it had to be done within the 14 days of the departure or forfeit all money paid.

 

This would be done without penalties or charges,

It now transpired that the on line agent was advising me that I had to make these rearrangements myself as it was my own personal booking.?????? 14 telephone calls and hours of music by musak, later I was getting desperate, no airlines had flights available, I had been booked with Thomson fly and they couldnt or wouldn't help,I'm suddenly trying to be a travel agent "!!!.b

 

Insisted in talking to a supervisor at teletext holidays, they again said they would help but I had to do everything as they were not travel agents only booking on my behalf. So I refused to accept that argument and insisted they re arrange , which they did but at considerably more cost.

 

Only got confirmation on the 8th July and no baggage had been booked, so I then had to get Thomson fly to add bags and pay for them and seat allocations another 400 quid. That same night at 9.00 pm a note was posted on teletext holidays stating that the Foreign Office had declared Tunisia unsafe for travelling and recommended all brits return.

 

Would I be within my rights to request a complete refund,as all subsequent actions were forced on me by there original refusal to cancel the holiday.

Edited July 10, 2015 by citizenB

[citizenB]

What travel company is it ? Are they a Member of ABTA ?

[unclebulgaria67]

I do not think you can request a refund, as Teletext holidays or whoever the booking was with could only go by the information they had at the time from the Foreign Office. The additional costs incurred were before the FO made the announcement.

 

It is just really bad timing, as had the FO made the announcement earlier you would have been able to obtain a cancellation refund. Also had you left it late, your holiday would have been cancelled by the tour operator, as soon as the FO made the announcement.

 

Enjoy the new holiday you have arranged and when you get back have a look into whether you can make a complaint about the unfair situation of incurring these costs because Teletext Holidays could not originalły assist you. I am not sure what Teletext Holidays are signed up to in terms of regulator e.g. ABTA

[pawnbrokers]

Company was an on line operator teletext holidays, all easy when booking and paying for original destination, very different when having to change. They then kept harping on that they were not responsible as they were booking directly in our names to airlines and other people involved in holiday. I finally insisted that they book all changes as they had done that on the original holiday, they did, but were not happy about it. Await your response,thanks PHOTO

[pawnbrokers]

I do not think you can request a refund, as Teletext holidays or whoever the booking was with could only go by the information they had at the time from the Foreign Office. The additional costs incurred were before the FO made the announcement.

 

It is just really bad timing, as had the FO made the announcement earlier you would have been able to obtain a cancellation refund. Also had you left it late, your holiday would have been cancelled by the tour operator, as soon as the FO made the announcement.

 

Enjoy the new holiday you have arranged and when you get back have a look into whether you can make a complaint about the unfair situation of incurring these costs because Teletext Holidays could not originalły assist you. I am not sure what Teletext Holidays are signed up to in terms of regulator e.g. ABTA

 

Thanks for view, I personally feel I should have a chance because everything I did after the Sousse slaughter, was done under duress. They wouldn't allow the holiday to be rescheduled later, it all had to be done before the 14j day precancellation date or suffer loss.

Not a good way to book a holiday. Thanks anyway. PB

[unclebulgaria67]

Thanks for view, I personally feel I should have a chance because everything I did after the Sousse slaughter, was done under duress. They wouldn't allow the holiday to be rescheduled later, it all had to be done before the 14j day precancellation date or suffer loss.

Not a good way to book a holiday. Thanks anyway. PB

 

There are a few forums online where you can get expert travel advice, so worth looking. I cannot remember which one, but there is one forum for regular travellers, where you have real expertise where they know all the regulations that apply to travel companies.

 

Because you made the changes before the FO action, unless you can point to something in your contract with teletext or tour operator, i would think it would be difficult to claim back these others costs. Travel companies will have thousands of people in your situation.

[pawnbrokers]

Yes I'm sure they will.

I'll see what transpires won't hold my breath. Pb

[caro]

You don't mention insurance. Does that mean you didn't get any initially.

 

ABTA is the Association of British Travel Agents, so as operators teletext wouldn't be members. I don't know if ATOL may be relevant.

[unclebulgaria67]

You don't mention insurance. Does that mean you didn't get any initially.

 

ABTA is the Association of British Travel Agents, so as operators teletext wouldn't be members. I don't know if ATOL may be relevant.

 

Insurance would not cover costs of booking another trip, before any FO announcement not to travel. Not wanting to travel to a destination because of some event, without any FO warning not travel, is excluded as disinclination to travel. The only slight hope is the travel company offering a discretionary payment.

[Old Cogger]

FO statement about Tunisia against any travel latest

 

 

Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Tunisia - Press releases - GOV.UK

Gov.UK‎ - 3 days ago

More news for for

[stu007]

This is from the Teletext Holidays website: http://www.teletextholidays.co.uk/

 

Bookings are arranged by Truly Travel Ltd (a member of the TTA (U6466), under the trading name Teletext Holidays unless otherwise stated. Products and prices are subject to availability and Truly Travel Ltd’s and the applicable supplier’s terms & conditions, and you must read these carefully before making any booking. We do not sell ‘Package’ holidays. Each product is priced separately and independently, creating direct and separate contracts between you and the applicable supplier(s). We are not a party to any such contract. All ratings shown on this website are those of the supplier and may not be the official classification. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any ratings given. For full Terms & Conditions please click the link above. Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: http://www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate.

 

 

So Teletext Holidays is a Trading Name of Truly Travel Ltd.

 

This is there Terms & Conditions Link: http://www.teletextholidays.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

[pawnbrokers]

You don't mention insurance. Does that mean you didn't get any initially.

 

ABTA is the Association of British Travel Agents, so as operators teletext wouldn't be members. I don't know if ATOL may be relevant.

 

I have a yearly travel cover, so does my partner. So I hope I'm covered. I did not insure my two children, asked their mother to get that done, and she hasn't, so could be half the holiday costs gone. pb