I sent off my completed claim form and relevant documentation last wednesday (recorded delivery) to ATOL. Rang the helpline number on the CAA website, to check if there was a contact number that I could ring to check if my forms etc were received and to check for an update. Guy I spoke to advised me that ATOL does not have a direct contact number or email, he advised me to wait and that they would contact me in regards to a refund. I tried to explain that I only needed to know if ATOL have received my claim, again he told me that I have no way of contacting them and I have to wait.

So what should I do? Should I wait a few weeks and then resend the claim form again if I haven't heard nothing or should I just ring the helpline number provided on the ATOL /CAA website and go round in circles again, looking for a contact number to see if my claim form has been received, only to be advised to wait.

This is the most worrying part of it all now for me, how are we expected to just sit and wait for ATOL to contact us when we have no way of ever knowing that they have received our documentation. Surely through previous experiences like XL, Globespan etc, ATOL should have some sort of contact number that enables worried customers, like myself, to contact for periodic updates.

I was told to return my ATOL claim form back to OTB they have to complete some of it like you no idea if they have recieved it and no idea when i will be proved with any information disgusting really

modoc
The CAA deal with the claim. ATOL is not an organisation. It stands for Air Travel Organisers Licence amd is regulated by the CAA. If you have sent your claim form recorded delivery then you should be able to see if it has been received.
Sandy
The information you were given is correct. There are two sections of the form that the agent has to complete.

thanks sunaddict

furious!!! had to ring OTB again for an update regarding refund on accomadation i was told last week there would be no charge today its now 30.00 pp i asked him how is that hotels4u didnt charge and yet there company are profiting from peoples misery and something that is beyond anyones control he said its an ADMIN fee
i am absolutley livid my whole experience with OTB from start to finish has been a tota cock up
any advice greatly appreciated
any sugestions? my experience with this company is they dont give a damn.... is it worth complaining
sandy

Hi sandy ... to ensure that your problem is not lost amongst other Goldtrail issues, I would suggest that you return to the OTB topic in the Complaints forum for advice there.

David

CAA makes special arrangements for Goldtrail customers

The Civil Aviation Authority has struck a special deal for customers of Goldtrail Travel because it was a "highly unusual failure".

It said it was rare for an operator to go into administration in the height of the summer, and circumstances of the failure are still being investigated.

So far, the CAA has repatriated some 20,500 Goldtrail customers, with nearly 112,000 people disappointed by the prospect of missing out on a holiday this summer unless the cost of their holiday can be refunded quickly.

"The CAA, working with the Air Travel Trust (ATT) and ATOL holders has responded to this unusual circumstance by introducing a special arrangement for this case, designed to give as many Goldtrail customers as possible the opportunity to have a replacement holiday arranged or a refund provided more quickly than usual," it said.

Customers who booked a package holiday with Goldtrail will get a full refund from the CAA/ATT. All claims will be acknowledged within 28 days of receipt.

The CAA/ATT intention is to make refunds as quickly as possible, but incomplete forms may delay.

Customers whose paperwork shows they booked a flight with Goldtrail (whether or not part of other holiday arrangements) will be contacted by the ATOL holder who sold it.

These customers should be contacted shortly in order to have a replacement holiday booked or to arrange a refund.

Customers who may have already submitted a claim form to the CAA do not need to take any action, as this will be forwarded directly to the ATOL holder where required.

Richard Jackson, director of consumer protection for the CAA, said: "An ATOL holder failing in the school summer holidays poses particular problems and disappointment to customers.

"This collaborative approach is designed to give a large number of Goldtrail customers the opportunity to have a holiday rebooked for them or for a refund to be paid more quickly.

"If customers are in any doubt as to whether or not the travel company they booked with is an ATOL holder or not, please complete the ATOL claim form and we will ensure that these are either processed by the CAA or directed on to your ATOL holder."

The CAA helpline for Goldtrail customers is 0844 856 2585.
The CAA helpline for Goldtrail customer abroad: 0044 203 441 0846

With permission from Travelmole

david does that mean OTB willbe refunding me instead of the CAA?

Hi sandy ... my understanding from that is that OTB should make contact with you to discuss rebooking or refund.

David

never mentioned that on the phone today said they had recieved my claim form i wonder if that will incur admin fees!!! they certainly wont get my custom to re book thanks for the reply david will keep you updated

They might not have known about this new arrangement when you spoke to them today, sandy. However, the situation with OTB may in fact be different than described above, weren't there a few different companies involved in your booking ? It would depend which one was the ATOL holder. Didn't you pay a premium on your booking for OTB's Supplier Failure Cover scheme ?

David

Hi david as far as i know the flights were with goldtrail and my hotel with hotels4u i havent paid a fee for supplier failure unless it was free i will go have a look

All flight bookings made after the 01st of January 2010 are fully protected via the Supplier Failure Cover scheme we arrange at the time of booking. We will claim a refund from the insurance company underwriting the scheme and pass this on to you.
thats what is on the page when you click on financial protection my flights were booked before jan 2010 when you look on the booking it says supply failure free? im sure they will make the claim go to the caa i really have lost trust in this company they just dont seem to care about there customers

sandy .. the article says that customers who booked a Goldtrail flight "will be contacted by the ATOL holder who sold it". However, OTB are not ATOL holders, so that may put your case back in the CAA's hands again.

David

Arrived home this morning from holiday in Turkey.
My thoughts on the CAA and its help to Goldtrail victims.
Due to fly home at 0545hrs 27th, Bodrum to Glasgow, had phoned CAA constantly for info regarding flights, help line said " all Turkey flights will go ahead as per original flight details and to check in as normal" CAA ops when you got through could give you no info.
Phoned all day on the 26th with no joy as to any updates and with the same message telling passengers to check in as per normal.
Had text message from U.K at 18.00hrs from a friend telling me my flight had changed to a 22.40 flight and was going to Manchester!!
Phoned CAA, same message regarding checking in, spoke to operator who told me he had no info on flight even though flight only 11hrs away and due to be picked up in 8 hrs for transfer.
Found internet cafe and checked CAA website, flight indeed changed to 22.40 and going to Manchester, then 5 hr bus journey to Glasgow.
Decided that was all the info i needed and would check in at new time.
On arrival at Bodrum airport next night found that almost all passengers had been there from 03.00 hrs ( 19 hrs ) as they had followed instructions from helpline or had been provided with paperwork telling them to check in as normal.
Quite a lot of unhappy people, saying that we had our holiday unlike many others and our flight back with Monarch was superb, even fed on plane.
Glad to be home finally.

Hi there. Can anybody help me pls? I am a foreigner and am really confused with that situation. I was about to have my holiday to Turkey on 7th Aug, I try to contact my tour operator (Freedom, the one which has undertaken busted Monster Traver) but I have already enough listening to the tune for 3 hours already 4 days. It is left less than 10 days to departure and I just hear promises that they will call me back and when they call me back another lady gives me the same number asking to contact them urgently, and they everything repeats all over again! Is this a kind of joke?
All I wanted to do is to rebook flight and to know what difference I have to pay. But now I already have enough! I don't want the holiday from that tour operator, but how can I cancel it if they even can't transfer me to the right department to speak to the right person! All I get from spending hours on 08 line is hear secretary keeping promising that they will call me back!
I don't want anything, just cancel and be sure they will give me a refund sooner or later (even if I pay that 3o quid pp) and just book another holiday with a proper tour operator for the same date before the offer expired. But time is running out and there is no step ahead. I am near the hysterics, I can't sleep at at nights, I just want to quit with them asap.
Please advise me what to do. Appreciate in advance

Welcome Veryupset ... although you have posted in the Goldtrail topic, you mention Monster Travel and the Freedom Travel Group. Just in case of any confusion, can you confirm that part of your booking is actually with Goldtrail, or is your concern only about the unrelated collapse of Monster Travel ?

David

Hi, my flights were through Goldtrail company, so that I had either to rearrange another flight or to cancel all booking. I have already enough so just want to cancel it and take a holiday with another tour operator.

im in the same position have sent a claim form in for the flights and it will probably take sometime i cancelled the accomadation but had to pay a charge to OTB you can book another holiday but you will have to pay for it yourself they wont automatically give you another one
good luck