Refund for a school trip

joe40

Hi folks, I would appreciate any help/advice you could give.

I have booked a school trip with a USIT school tours. The trip has been fully paid for. Parents gave me cash and I paid the tour company.(I'm the teacher organising the trip) Unfortunately the tour company has now went into liquidation.

I'm based in Northern Ireland and I have been informed that a company called Ipplondon is handling their insolvency insurance for UK customers.
I have e mailed this company a few times but no reply so far.
Is there any other avenues available to get refund or partial refund for the parents involved. I really don't want parents to be out a significant amount of money.

Del2005

It all depends on how you paid. If by credit or debit card contact your bank and ask for a charge back. If you paid any other way you are an unsecured creditor and will maybe get back a few cents for each Euro if you are lucky.

Pawwed Rig

Do you have insurance?
If not then you may well be an unsecured creditor. Based on the pecking order unsecured creditors often get nothing on liquidation.
Have you received anything from the liquidator? If you get a set of financial statements you will be able to see what chance there is of getting anything.

joe40

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Do you have insurance?
If not then you may well be an unsecured creditor. Based on the pecking order unsecured creditors often get nothing on liquidation.
Have you received anything from the liquidator? If you get a set of financial statements you will be able to see what chance there is of getting anything.

The liquidator sent an email saying they won't be in a position to give refunds. "Unsecured creditor" was the phrase used.
What about the insolvency insurance company, Ipplondon. What do you think are the chances of any refund there.
All the money was paid by cheque from the school bank account. No card I'm afraid.

ted1

joe40 wrote: »

Hi folks, I would appreciate any help/advice you could give.

I have booked a school trip with a USIT school tours. The trip has been fully paid for. Parents gave me cash and I paid the tour company.(I'm the teacher organising the trip) Unfortunately the tour company has now went into liquidation.

I'm based in Northern Ireland and I have been informed that a company called Ipplondon is handling their insolvency insurance for UK customers.
I have e mailed this company a few times but no reply so far.
Is there any other avenues available to get refund or partial refund for the parents involved. I really don't want parents to be out a significant amount of money.

USIT were a licensed travel agent so you have protection . Details here

https://www.aviationreg.ie/_fileupload/USIT/Usit%20Travel%20claim%20Form%20if%20you%20have%20not%20started%20your%20holiday.pdf

More here : https://www.aviationreg.ie/

From their old site “ You are protected when you book with us!

USIT Ireland Ltd is bonded and licensed by the Irish Government as a travel agent (license no. TA237) and as a tour operator (license no. TO660). The bond lodged with the Irish Government provides for the reimbursement to clients of monies paid to a travel agent or tour operator in the event of the failure of that agent.”

If you were departing from the north you will have to go through the British regulator. Where were you due to fly from ?

https://www.packpeaceofmind.co.uk/about-atol/ They should have also being registered with ATOL if selling flight departing from the UK

ted1

joe40 wrote: »

The liquidator sent an email saying they won't be in a position to give refunds. "Unsecured creditor" was the phrase used.
What about the insolvency insurance company, Ipplondon. What do you think are the chances of any refund there.
All the money was paid by cheque from the school bank account. No card I'm afraid.

What airport where you departing from ?

steve-o

joe40 wrote: »

Hi folks, I would appreciate any help/advice you could give.

I have booked a school trip with a USIT school tours. The trip has been fully paid for. Parents gave me cash and I paid the tour company.(I'm the teacher organising the trip) Unfortunately the tour company has now went into liquidation.

I'm based in Northern Ireland and I have been informed that a company called Ipplondon is handling their insolvency insurance for UK customers.
I have e mailed this company a few times but no reply so far.
Is there any other avenues available to get refund or partial refund for the parents involved. I really don't want parents to be out a significant amount of money.

You should follow the instructions for NI customers described at www.usit.ie and https://www.aviationreg.ie/news/commission-for-aviation-regulation-notice-regarding-usit-ireland-limited-ceasing-to-trade-27th-march-2020.956.html
You may well be covered by the IPP insurance, but there's probably no point emailing or phoning. Just follow the instructions on the sites above and submit your claim for tour operator insolvency using the reference number provided.

ted1

steve-o wrote: »

You should follow the instructions for NI customers described at www.usit.ie and https://www.aviationreg.ie/news/commission-for-aviation-regulation-notice-regarding-usit-ireland-limited-ceasing-to-trade-27th-march-2020.956.html
You may well be covered by the IPP insurance, but there's probably no point emailing or phoning. Just follow the instructions on the sites above and submit your claim for tour operator insolvency using the reference number provided.

If they are flying from Dublin. Best to keep with the Irish Regulator.

joe40

ted1 wrote: »

USIT were a licensed travel agent so you have protection . Details here

https://www.aviationreg.ie/_fileupload/USIT/Usit%20Travel%20claim%20Form%20if%20you%20have%20not%20started%20your%20holiday.pdf

More here : https://www.aviationreg.ie/

From their old site “ You are protected when you book with us!

USIT Ireland Ltd is bonded and licensed by the Irish Government as a travel agent (license no. TA237) and as a tour operator (license no. TO660). The bond lodged with the Irish Government provides for the reimbursement to clients of monies paid to a travel agent or tour operator in the event of the failure of that agent.”

If you were departing from the north you will have to go through the British regulator. Where were you due to fly from ?

https://www.packpeaceofmind.co.uk/about-atol/ They should have also being registered with ATOL if selling flight departing from the UK

Thanks for reply.
We were due to fly from Belfast in late May, but I don't have flight details yet. The school is in NI.
The information on USIT website and from aviationreg.ie was to contact a company called Ipplondon. I have a ref no and policy number which I included in my email but no response from that company yet.
I will try your second website www.peaceofmind.co.uk to see what info they have.

joe40

steve-o wrote: »

You should follow the instructions for NI customers described at www.usit.ie and https://www.aviationreg.ie/news/commission-for-aviation-regulation-notice-regarding-usit-ireland-limited-ceasing-to-trade-27th-march-2020.956.html
You may well be covered by the IPP insurance, but there's probably no point emailing or phoning. Just follow the instructions on the sites above and submit your claim for tour operator insolvency using the reference number provided.

Thanks. The information I was given on both of those sites was to contact Ipplondon. E mail address was provided so that is what I did. Just no response yet not even acknowledgement despite several emails. I don't know of any other avenues.

steve-o

joe40 wrote: »

Thanks. The information I was given on both of those sites was to contact Ipplondon. E mail address was provided so that is what I did. Just no response yet not even acknowledgement despite several emails. I don't know of any other avenues.

It's going to take a while, so you'll probably have to be very patient. Good luck, I hope it works out. You are in a particularly horrible position.

CFC1969

I was wondering if there was any update on this situation?


I have a friend who was using USIT to fly from Dublin-London-Bangkok to Australia in May 2020.

He is looking to get compensation, as he paid fully for the trip


I have seen TEDs advise above, and will ask him if he has followed it ..


Appreciate any experiences people had attempting to get compensation

CFC1969

Here is an update to my query


The regulator states only flights are covered, and USIT bought the tickets from Aer Lingus / Thai Airlines.



They advised to contact Bank for charge back, or the airlines directly and look for refund


Any suggestions?

---

We are in receipt of your claim form (copy enclosed) against USIT Ireland Limited.

Note, for background, that the only USIT services covered by the bond are flights and accommodation (other items such as Visas, Insurance, Programme fees, are not covered). Therefore the only element of your particular claim being considered by us are the flights.

However, as the airlines were paid by USIT and you received your flight tickets, USIT had fulfilled this element of your contract, meaning the travel element covered by our scheme was not impacted by USIT’s collapse. As a result, you do not have a claim against the bond administered by the Commission for the €1,*** you paid USIT.

I advise you to contact Aer Lingus & Thai Airways to see what redress may be available to you (in the event your flights were cancelled, for example).

Failing a successful outcome there, as you paid by debit card, you may be entitled to a chargeback from your card provider. If you go this route you can present this as evidence that you do not have a claim against the bond of USIT.

steve-o

CFC1969 wrote: »

Here is an update to my query


The regulator states only flights are covered, and USIT bought the tickets from Aer Lingus / Thai Airlines.



They advised to contact Bank for charge back, or the airlines directly and look for refund


Any suggestions?

It states that your friend was not affected by the collapse of USIT and had a valid ticket. It your friend didn't travel due to COVID then that's for another thread.

CFC1969

Thanks for the reply Steve-O,


I have asked him did he get e-tickets, or just a response stating the tickets were booked from USIT


Initially, when he contacted USIT during initial lockdown, he was informed he could move the trip into the future.


They suggested Nov - Dec 2020. Then they went into liquidation.


Would you recommend he go back to the regulator?


My understanding of your post is, They stated he had received his flight tickets, and it was nothing more to do with them


If he had not, would the Aviation Regulator be liable?

steve-o

Has he contacted Thai Airways to determine the status of his reservation?

CFC1969

Thai Airlines did not fly when he was supposed to travel.


He was to travel in May, 2020.


He got his booking in Late January from USIT, and flight schedule for May

---

ELECTRONIC TICKET

PASSENGER ITINERARY RECEIPT



ASTON QUAY RETAIL DATE: 29 JAN 2020

19/21 ASTON QUAY AGENT: 0555

DUBLIN 2 NAME: *******/ **** MR

DUBLIN

IATA : 362 00333

TELEPHONE : 01 6021600

steve-o

The USIT insolvency is not a factor in his case. His flight was cancelled and he needs to contact Thai to request a refund. I can't add any more than that.

CFC1969

Thanks Steve-O


Appreciate all your help on this

joe40

steve-o wrote: »

It's going to take a while, so you'll probably have to be very patient. Good luck, I hope it works out. You are in a particularly horrible position.

In my situation it all worked out well in the end. The insolvency insurance company IPP London paid a full refund for the trip.
I'm not sure if this is relevant to the other query.

CFC1969

Thanks for the reply Joe40


I think KPMG would be the insolvency insurance company for USIT , will see what their response is