Stewart have you had your payment refunded yet, or are you any closer to getting it sorted? Or have you heard anymore from the Judge, bcos my credit card company are going to look into my deposit, but the balance that I paid by debit, the bank are not interested and are passing me back to ABTA. Because FD paid for my flights using my credit card, I will only be refunded £193 on my deposit, I have paid £2k more in the balance, which doesnt look any closer to me getting it back!! I have re-booked my accom with Low Cost Beds, however I did get a reasonable rate, not higher which everyone was predicting!

Not heard back again from CC however I only submitted more paperwork to them on Friday. Reading the article in the Judge if the CC dont come across then you should be able to make a claim through ABTA, even if you paid by debit card, cheque etc

As soon as I here I will post on here

Stewart

Thanks, I re-sent everything today to CAA as well as ABTA, so fingers xd

Hi all, I have previously posted comments on here regarding my experience and I've watched and read how other people have got on over the weeks.
No one seems to be getting anywhere (Myself included). I go on holiday this Saturday, after having to repay for our accommodation, so I've gotten off this "Merry Go Round" until I return on 23rd May.
I'm from the Newcastle area and I'll contact my local newspaper on my return. I will also contact Watchdog again and get in touch with my MP. I may even try one of the national newspapers. "The Sun" usually love a story like this and if enough of us get in touch, they may listen and run the story.
There are so many questions that need to be answered regarding how Freedom Direct were trading, especially towards the end.
A couple that come to mind immediately:
1) Why did they continue to take peoples money after they had been restricted from doing so?
2) Why was The MD allowed to take a £400K loan from customers money to pay for his home?
Also:
3) Why are ABTA and ATOL being allowed to pass the buck when they should be grasping this with both hands and helping people to get reimbursed in the quickest and least painful way?
4) What do they do and what are they there for if not for situations like this?
We have to keep fighting to get this sorted so it doesn't happen to the next lot of holidaymakers when a company goes bust.
I know one thing for sure, If things aren't sorted soon, the holiday industry, especially the internet companies, will take a real battering over this and may not recover from it. Their "Insurance" to their customers is ABTA/ATOL and customers believed until now, that "ABTA" and "ATOL" stood for "Security", but they are now being shown to be totally useless.
If we can keep this in the press, ABTA, ATOL and the credit/debit card companies will be seen to be washing their hands of this and they will eventually have to answer why, but more importantly, people will think twice how they book their holidays.

Suebam,
I am also from the Toon as you know and have written to Stephen Byers our local MP wo has replied to me saying he has written to the Chief of ABTA and when he gets a reply he will contact me.
I emailed Tom Mullen from the Chronicle/ journal but he has not bothered responding.
National papers is the way to go like Stewart has done.
Got to be good news that ABTA are setting up a claims line though and its got to as a result of pressure we have been applying.
If ABTA can,t pay everone back then the £400k that was used to buy a new house should be used as a bond to borrow against until this guy sells his house and pays the money back to the business.

We shall overcome
Have a good Holiday and rest assured in your absence we will be beavering away to get this sorted.
Al

Homersthirdnipple,
Thanks for the good wishes Al. I'll miss my daily fix on here and Travel Rants while I'm away, I'm starting to become obsessed. Haha.
To all,
I really hope you get something sorted within the next few days but if not, keep working at this and I'll rejoin the mission when I return.
Sue

I might finally be getting somewhere with ABTA!! I have just spoken to them and they have told me that they will send me a claim form. Apparantly they decided last night that they would issue refunds and then claim from 'whoever'.

I tried to clarify if this would mean I would get a cheque in the post or just confirmation that my original accomodation booking had been honoured. He couldn't actually tell me what the process is, but I pointed out that it was important that I knew so that I could rebook if necessary.

I don't want to speak to soon, as I have had lots of conflicting information, but this does sound more hopeful that any previous message I have had from ABTA.

For info - I booked accomodation only through Freedom Direct who in turn used Med Hotels and I paid on a maestro debit card.

I will wait and see what happens, but fingers crossed!

Just been on to ABTA and they will not send me a form, I booked through Freedom and my supplier is You Travel, I also am accommodation only.
Abta tell me they have not recieved clearance from Head Office to issue these forms, I am pleased you have some good news but could you tell me what number you have been calling.
He did say that he would expect some news in a couple of days though.

I just rang the normal claims number: Tel 01243 621 500.

I spoke to a polite young man called James.

Hope this helps.

Thats the number I dialed but the guy I spoke to was far from polite and not helpfull at all, will try again tomorrow at a differnt time, the early shift might be a better bunch!!!
Thanks
Al

Well - submitted the claim form to CAA and just received a letter from them today.

Not good news at the moment... They have said that as FD booked my holiday through seperate companies (lowcostbeds.com & jet2.com) that i was not eligable for a refund under the Air Travel Trust Fund.

Just after FD went bust the Shields Gazette ran a story asking if anyone had been affected by the failure.

Called them tonight and was told that a reporter would call me in the morning to discuss what's happened.

Once i've spoken to them i'll get back in contact with the relevant department @ CAA and let them know that i'm going to take things further - with the posibility of taking them to court fro my money as my contract was with FD and no one else.

If anyone else wants to contact the Shields Gazette to let them know about what's happened you should be able to get a contact number from http://www.shieldsgazette.com/

I'll keep everyone updated with my progress.

One of the earlier replies said that a claim line would be set up by this Friday. It may be worthwhile checking ABTA website on Friday for this number

As I previously advised I would also recommend that you check out the link that I posted, from The JUDGE at Sunday Mail and highlight the part that states they will refund everyone no matter how they paid. Send this along with your claim forms.

If ABTA start playing silly bu%%ers, post it on here and I will get back onto The JUDGE and hopefully this will embarress them into action.

Keep up the pressure and hopefully you will all get your hard earned monies back

Stewart

I won't go into details but ABTA are soo deluded it is unreal. When will they wake up and smell the coffee that their name is being tarnished and people who have been affected will see the ABTA logo next time they book a holiday and laugh at how pathetic they have been.

As the old saying go's, bad experience you tell 10 people, a good one, maybe a few.

They only have themselves to blame in my opinion.

Hope you get some positive news soon guys.

Keep us posted

MikeC
Just e-mailed the Shields Gazette so hopefully they will run a story soon.

ABTA are offering claim forms, they emailed my sister who paid by maestro and gave a number for her to call, when she called they confirmed her details and are sending out a claim form - when pushed for a time limit of when the refund would be made, it was suggested 6 weeks!

They also called me to see how I was getting on with my refund!!!! IM trying to claim through my credit card - they said there shouldnt be any problem, if there was to contact the financial ombudsman.

As a matter of co-incidence - I went to the Judge !!!
So maybe they are just starting to take things forward - i sure hope so!

Well done Suebam.

The more people we get to contact them the better coverage we'll get.

Once the story gets out what the CAA are trying to do in relation to refunds the nationals should start to run the story as well!!

Best of luck to everyone on getting their money back.

Have emailed a letter to the Shields Gazzette, as the Chronicle don't want to know.
Hope more folk can do the same.
I like the post above saying contact is being made and people are getting phone calls for ABTA.

Sounds Positive.

I think its down to the negitiations with the supply company, as mine is You Travel they may be digging their heels in, Low Cost Beds may be helping who knows.

Wonder if its an alphabetical thing or a post code thing as I havn't even got a reply from my emails and no joy on the phone neither.

I have just recieved an email from ABTA---Eventually and here it is below.

''Thank you for your email and apologies for not replying sooner.
Unfortunately we are still unable to advise with regards to bookings connected with Youtravel.com. Once we have been informed as to the situation with this company we will contact you.

Regards

ABTA Claims''

This seems to back up my thinking that LCB and MED are playing ball but You Travel are being obstinate.

Anyone got any good news that had booked via You Travel ?

Finally caved in and repaid my accomadation, however it has cost me £350 extra with lowcost beds even though my original booking was with them.
so much for Hays saying it would be the original price.
All in all have now paid £ 4450 for holiday that should have cost £2000.

Have completed my claims form which has been ackowledged by Abta, but no information on when or if i will be refunded.