Malev.. Refund? what is the story

qrrgprgua

Hi, Was due to fly with Malev and now its folded. Travel insurance company says they don't cover costs due to bankruptcy of Airline.

Whats the story and I fried? Can't contact airline and insurance does not cover ticket.

Piri

call the bank and cancel the credit card payment

muckisluck

We booked using a neteller prepaid mastercard. Will that refund to us or is it classed as a debit card rather than a credit card! We're trying to contact them at moment but no reply as yet. Sickened by the collapse of the airline.

carrotcake

My dad had booked some Malev flights with his Bank of Ireland credit card. He called them earlier, and they said they already knew about the airline and are giving refunds to everyone.

I, on the other hand, booked with an AIB credit card. Gave them a call to see if they're doing the same, and the answer was no! I'm €600 out of pocket now. :mad:

laszlo

carrotcake wrote: »

My dad had booked some Malev flights with his Bank of Ireland credit card. He called them earlier, and they said already knew about the airline and are giving refunds to everyone.

I, on the other hand, booked with an AIB credit card. Gave them a call to see if they're doing the same, and the answer was no! I'm €600 out of pocket now. :mad:

That's odd, I talked to AIB about the same thing today and I was told that in order to get the ticket price back I have to send in some proof that Malev went insolvent (I used the English press release from the web site) and some proof that I tried to recover the ticket price (they said and email sent to Malev printed will do). I posted all this in earlier today and waiting for my refund.

tim_holsters

Malev are finished?

carrotcake

laszlo wrote: »

That's odd, I talked to AIB about the same thing today and I was told that in order to get the ticket price back I have to send in some proof that Malev went insolvent (I used the English press release from the web site) and some proof that I tried to recover the ticket price (they said and email sent to Malev printed will do). I posted all this in earlier today and waiting for my refund.

Will they definitely give you the refund? They told me that they can contact Malev to try get the money back if I send them that press release, etc., but I'd say the chances of them getting anything out of Malev are slim to none.

laszlo

carrotcake wrote: »

Will they definitely give you the refund? They told me that they can contact Malev to try get the money back if I send them that press release, etc., but I'd say the chances of them getting anything out of Malev are slim to none.

It sounded very re-assuring. There did not seem to be any debate about giving a refund or not. They are not getting money out of Malev, they are insured against it.

Besides I read Hungarian news as well, and they are saying the same thing, people who booked with credit card should have no problem getting their money back. The way they describe it there is that in this case AIB will go to the banks Malev used for payment processing to get the money, and the payment processor banks are insured against this.

Some other things AIB said is that I am covered for any credit card purchase where I did not receive the goods yet when the vendor goes out of business (not only airlines) and they also said they will safeguard the payment to prevent any charges (I admit I have no idea what this means).

Fingers crossed:-)

Laszlo

FouxDaFaFa

muckisluck wrote: »

We booked using a neteller prepaid mastercard.

Try their twitter or facebook, it's sometimes quicker to get a response there. I had an awful time dealing with them once so I hope you get your money back. Sorry about your holiday too.

carrotcake

laszlo wrote: »

It sounded very re-assuring. There did not seem to be any debate about giving a refund or not. They are not getting money out of Malev, they are insured against it.

Besides I read Hungarian news as well, and they are saying the same thing, people who booked with credit card should have no problem getting their money back. The way they describe it there is that in this case AIB will go to the banks Malev used for payment processing to get the money, and the payment processor banks are insured against this.

Some other things AIB said is that I am covered for any credit card purchase where I did not receive the goods yet when the vendor goes out of business (not only airlines) and they also said they will safeguard the payment to prevent any charges (I admit I have no idea what this means).

Fingers crossed:-)

Laszlo

Looks like I should call them a third time then. Did youbook using MasterCard or Visa?

I finally managed to get through to Malev on the number posted on their website, and spoke to (understandably) the most depressed customer service agent I've ever heard. His words were simply that there's no chance of a refund from them since they are bankrupt.

Jack B. Badd

There's a new version of the passenger information on the Malev website. If you booked through Visa debit, there appears some comeback under their chargeback scheme (I hope! This is the route I'm going to be pursuing anyway). Not sure about any of the other debit card companies.

Piri

Jack B. Badd wrote: »

There's a new version of the passenger information on the Malev website. If you booked through Visa debit, there appears some comeback under their chargeback scheme (I hope! This is the route I'm going to be pursuing anyway). Not sure about any of the other debit card companies.

you can go to the small claim court immediately

Sheep Shagger

You can't get blood out of a stone (they are bust).

If you booked with a credit card you can get a chargeback, any other payment method and you are an unsecured creditor (unless there a pcial arrangement like Visa debit).

If you did pay by debit card you should still file a claim as per instructions on the website.

arikv

Sheep Shagger wrote: »

You can't get blood out of a stone (they are bust).

If you booked with a credit card you can get a chargeback, any other payment method and you are an unsecured creditor (unless there a pcial arrangement like Visa debit).

If you did pay by debit card you should still file a claim as per instructions on the website.

I've paid with Permanent TSB ICE VISA credit card for a flight with Malev (bought end December, flight end March).
I contacted Permanent TSB's open24 and they gave me instructions as to how to contact their Visa dept (by post, handwritten letter).

They made no promises but does anyone know what is the story with charge-back @ PTSB?
Arik

laszlo

Talked to AIB again, slight change in the requirements, although still promising.

They are now saying they need the updated press release from malev.com that advises customers who paid with credit cards to go to their banks for refund. After reading a bunch of info about how this is usually handled, it sounds like some due diligence thing, like the insolvent party has to state that they will not pay.

Other than that they said it is never 100%, but I should get my money back.

carrotcake

Interesting. I gave AIB another call, and this time said I wanted a chargeback. This word seems to have been the missing magic ingredient when I called previously.

I posted them the original press release plus the new passenger notice (it wasn't requested, but thought I should, since the original press release had disappeared off the Malev site) and my flight confirmation emails which show that my flight dates are not coverd by the Hungarian government's refund scheme.

Hopefully they'll be satisifed with that, and can successfully do the chargeback.

vanillalatte

laszlo wrote: »

That's odd, I talked to AIB about the same thing today and I was told that in order to get the ticket price back I have to send in some proof that Malev went insolvent (I used the English press release from the web site) and some proof that I tried to recover the ticket price (they said and email sent to Malev printed will do). I posted all this in earlier today and waiting for my refund.

Hi Laszlo. Would you happen to have a copy of the press release. I need it for my credit card company too but its gone from the Malev website!

carrotcake

Here's a PDF of it.

vanillalatte

Thanks CarrottCake.. Hope we all get a favourable outcome!

isabelle2008

paid for flights with laser card through e-bookers,cant get any answer off them, called to bank ,they said we had a chance with payment through credit card

carrotcake

Just logged into my AIB internet banking, and they've already credited my account. And I only sent them the letter on Monday.

Hopefully the rest of you will have the same luck.

arikv

carrotcake wrote: »

Here's a PDF of it.

Thanks,
No credit yet on my permanent tsb visa account (I tried via email and fax).
They insist that I post it to them (for security reasons).
As if normal/registered post is more secure than emails.

laszlo

carrotcake wrote: »

Just logged into my AIB internet banking, and they've already credited my account. And I only sent them the letter on Monday.

Hopefully the rest of you will have the same luck.

That is incredibly fast. No refund for me from AIB yet (sent the letter on Monday). They originally said I should be prepared to wait 30-40 days for a refund.

The press release is back on the site btw.

arikv

laszlo wrote: »

That is incredibly fast. No refund for me from AIB yet (sent the letter on Monday). They originally said I should be prepared to wait 30-40 days for a refund.

The press release is back on the site btw.

I just logged on to my open24 (permanent tsb) and the money is back there.
I didn't have a chance to even post the proof, what must had helped was that I've bcc-ed them on my email to Malev (they've asked my to email Malev to show that I tried to contact Malev/Elvis).

yiliang

I booked my Malev flights via an online travel agency [ebookers.ie]and paid them by laser debit card.what can i do?what are the chances of getting my money back[flight in 20.02.12]

stasha

carrotcake wrote: »

Just logged into my AIB internet banking, and they've already credited my account. And I only sent them the letter on Monday.

Hopefully the rest of you will have the same luck.

After speaking to AIB twice and sending them a letter with a cover letter, e-ticket copy and a copy from message on MALEV website I got a letter from AIB this morning asking me for the same thing again AND a request for a letter from LIQUIDATOR!
I also spoke to MALEV cust care asking for the liquidation letter, they advised me ask for it through email, and that it could take months for an email to be responded to.

@CARROTCAKE would you please share with us what is it EXACTLY you were asking AIB credit card service for (a refund or a chargeback - what is the difference??), and what you provided them with?
Did they ask you for the liquidation letter too?
I wonder why they have so different procedures for customers with obviously the same problem...

Thanks!

carrotcake

stasha wrote: »

After speaking to AIB twice and sending them a letter with a cover letter, e-ticket copy and a copy from message on MALEV website I got a letter from AIB this morning asking me for the same thing again AND a request for a letter from LIQUIDATOR!
I also spoke to MALEV cust care asking for the liquidation letter, they advised me ask for it through email, and that it could take months for an email to be responded to.

@CARROTCAKE would you please share with us what is it EXACTLY you were asking AIB credit card service for (a refund or a chargeback - what is the difference??), and what you provided them with?
Did they ask you for the liquidation letter too?
I wonder why they have so different procedures for customers with obviously the same problem...

Thanks!

Hi stasha, when writing the letter I asked for a "refund/chargeback" (those were my exact words). The person that I had spoken to on the phone at AIB had said to write in the letter that I wanted a "refund", but I thought I should also mention "chargeback". In addition, I wrote that Malev will not be able to provide the services ordered because of bankruptcy, the date and value of the transaction and listed the documents that I had attached. These were...

The email that I sent to Malev, asking for a refund.

The original press release that was on the Malev website on the day that they folded.

The passenger notice that replaced the press release. (This outlines the procedure for getting a refund: "if you paid by bank card... we suggest that you contact your bank to ask about the refund options" and also mentions "the impending bankruptcy procedure" a few times.)

Flight confirmation email from Malev that showed the value of the ticket and the dates of the flights (to show that I wasn't eligible for the Hungarian government's refund scheme).

BTW, the passenger notice and the original press release are together in one PDF on the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' website: http://www.mfa.gov.hu/NR/rdonlyres/48EC2527-F9BF-4B72-B11A-F16D75D46BBD/0/malev_press_release_20120203.pdf

...Forgot to say that I wasn't asked for a liquidation letter. What I sent must have been enough.

stasha

Thanks Carrotcake, I'll try the same thing (although I think that's pretty much what I had already provided them with).
Did you send a copy of the email sent to Malev - with no reply back from them?
Thanks again

carrotcake

Yep. I never got a reply to my email, so I just sent a copy of the one that I wrote.

josip

Has anybody out there gotten a refund/chargeback from NIB yet? I've completed the dispute claim form but have been told that because technically Malev have only suspended their flights, I must wait until after the date of travel before submitting my claim.

stasha

Got refund (or as they have specified it A CHARGEBACK) for Malev tickets purchased with AIB credit card.
Thanks @carrotcake!

carrotcake

josip wrote: »

Has anybody out there gotten a refund/chargeback from NIB yet? I've completed the dispute claim form but have been told that because technically Malev have only suspended their flights, I must wait until after the date of travel before submitting my claim.

Perhaps the latest text on http://www.malev.hu/index_en.htm will help...

INFORMATION ABOUT THE WINDING-UP OF MALÉV LTD.

15 February 2012

In its decision issued on 14 February 2012, the Metropolitan Court of Budapest declared Malév Ltd insolvent and ordered the winding-up of the company. The court appointed the Hitelintézeti Felszámoló Nonprofit Kft. (Credit Institutional Liquidator Nonprofit Ltd.) as liquidator and extended the statutory extraordinary moratorium by 90 days. The order came into force on the date of issue.

All creditors who intend to make a claim from Malév Ltd shall submit their claims to the liquidator for registration within forty (40) days from the date of issue of the court’s order. Claims submitted after the fortieth (40th) but not later than the one hundred and eightieth (180th) day from the date of issue of the court’s order will also be registered, however, compensation of such claims is subject to the availability of funds after all other claims have been fully compensated.

The documents must indicate the exact basis of the claim and must be sent to the following address: Hitelintézeti Felszámoló Nonprofit Kft, 1071 Budapest, Damjanich u. 11-15, Hungary. Proof of payment of the registration fee must also be attached. The registration fee is 1% of the claim, but minimum 5.000,- HUF and maximum 200.000,- HUF, which is payable by means of bank transfer to the account of Fővárosi Bíróság Gazdasági Hivatala (Administrative Office of the Metropolitan Court of Budapest), account number: 10032000-01483013-24000004.

Only such claims are going to be registered which have been duly submitted to the above address within the above mentioned deadline, and for which the applicable registration fee has been paid in full.

Information of public interest concerning the winding-up process will be regularly published on the website of Malév Ltd: www.malev.hu and www.malev.com.

Malév Ltd.

It's now officially the end of Malev.

isabelle2008

checked bank account today,recieved full refund from e-brookers:)