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what to do with holiday balance

  • 25-03-2020 11:30am
    #1
    tom1ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,020 ✭✭✭✭


    hi all, looking for some advice here.
    We have a family holiday booked for 13th june to majorca booked with a travel operator (wont post name as im not sure if im allowed).
    So i received a text from them yesterday telling me the balance id due by 3rd april.
    The balance at this stage is approx €700.
    Obviously with the current situation im doubtful we'll be going anywhere for the foreseeable future,so i rang up to find out what the options were.
    i was told that if i didn't pay the remainder it would be treated as me cancelling the holiday and oi would forfeit my deposit, (€650) but i would get the remainder of my balance refunded, approx €1800.
    If i pay the balance, €700, the travel operators will push the dates to suit us later in the year or book us in for next year at no extra cost.
    So should i just pay the €700 and have a holiday whenever we get green lighted to go and when we feel safe to go also,
    or
    do i cancel, get my refund of €1800 save my €700 on top of that, lose the €650 deposit, but not run the risk of the operator going bust, if this turns out to be a long protracted downturn.
    any advice appreciated.


Comments

  • #2
    Curb Your Enthusiasm
    Registered Users Posts: 3,461 ✭✭✭Curb Your Enthusiasm


    I'd pay the balance IMO.
    Seems like a reasonable offer to rebook you next year free of charge if it doesn't go ahead this year.

    Best case, it goes ahead as planned in June, worst case scenario, you have to postpone it til next year but you don't lose any money per se.

    Are the operator well known, or small / local?


  • #3
    The J Stands for Jay
    Registered Users Posts: 5,645 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »
    I'd pay the balance IMO.
    Seems like a reasonable offer to rebook you next year free of charge if it doesn't go ahead this year.

    Best case, it goes ahead as planned in June, worst case scenario, you have to postpone it til next year but you don't lose any money per se.

    Are the operator well known, or small / local?

    My general advice now for any situation involving payment for something that you will receive in the future is: pay by credit card. If the company do go bust, you can do a chargeback.


  • #4
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,833 ✭✭✭daheff


    If you can't go on the travel date (restrictions not lifted) will they refund you? Or do their ts&C's only allow rebooking?


  • #5
    tom1ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,020 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    Curb Your Enthusiasm wrote: »
    I'd pay the balance IMO.
    Seems like a reasonable offer to rebook you next year free of charge if it doesn't go ahead this year.

    Best case, it goes ahead as planned in June, worst case scenario, you have to postpone it til next year but you don't lose any money per se.

    Are the operator well known, or small / local?

    Tui via a high street trader. Beginning with just and ending in spl......


  • #6
    tom1ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,020 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    daheff wrote: »
    If you can't go on the travel date (restrictions not lifted) will they refund you? Or do their ts&C's only allow rebooking?

    They have said an overall decision on this has not been made.
    The person I spoke to said it’s very early days at the moment and they don’t know if tui will do a full refund or basically give credit.


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  • #7
    kravmaga
    Registered Users Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭kravmaga


    Op if I was you I would lose the €650 deposit and conserve your cash funds.

    We dont know what lies ahead, this could be the worst recession in the history of this country.

    25 million jobs gone worldwide already.

    The other poster is correct, use a credit card if you decide to pay the balance, as you can use the charge back option

    The travel agent depending on how big they are will want to keep their cash funds and do their best not to give refunds but a voucher or a re-book option in the future


  • #8
    kravmaga
    Registered Users Posts: 1,945 ✭✭✭kravmaga


    tom1ie wrote: »
    Tui via a high street trader. Beginning with just and ending in spl......

    Are they bonded?


  • #9
    tom1ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,020 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    kravmaga wrote: »
    Are they bonded?

    Yes. It’s just split.


  • #10
    tom1ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,020 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    kravmaga wrote: »
    Op if I was you I would lose the €650 deposit and conserve your cash funds.

    We dont know what lies ahead, this could be the worst recession in the history of this country.

    25 million jobs gone worldwide already.

    The other poster is correct, use a credit card if you decide to pay the balance, as you can use the charge back option

    The travel agent depending on how big they are will want to keep their cash funds and do their best not to give refunds but a voucher or a re-book option in the future

    I’m kinda leaning towards this tbh.
    If I cancel, I’ve 700 in my account that I didn’t have to pay over plus I get the 1800 back.
    This protects me loosing the full amount if they go bust.


  • #11
    Lex Luthor
    Registered Users Posts: 11,220 ✭✭✭✭Lex Luthor


    kravmaga wrote: »
    We dont know what lies ahead, this could be the worst recession in the history of this country.

    Worldwide


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  • #12
    endofrainbow
    Registered Users Posts: 2,592 ✭✭✭endofrainbow


    Get everything in writing from them before deciding


  • #13
    _Brian
    Registered Users Posts: 18,468 ✭✭✭✭_Brian


    Surely the travel operator is covered by insurance so if it goes bust you will get your money back anyway?? Atol isn’t it ??

    Would they push the dates to next year ??

    We are looking likely to loose flights to Italy in July, I expect travel will be back on but we’re not going anyway.


  • #14
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,833 ✭✭✭daheff


    tom1ie wrote: »
    They have said an overall decision on this has not been made.
    The person I spoke to said it’s very early days at the moment and they don’t know if tui will do a full refund or basically give credit.



    looks like TUI have changed the information on their website. look to be pushing towards changes rather than refunds now.

    anybody know how to view a cached version of the below page?

    https://tuiholidays.ie/f/travel-information/tui-coronavirus-information

    edit: found a website that does this for me.



    For the OP https://www.tuiholidays.ie/f/info/flexible-payment-options

    this is for travel between 19 APRIL AND 30 JUNE 2020


  • #15
    tom1ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,020 ✭✭✭✭tom1ie


    daheff wrote: »
    looks like TUI have changed the information on their website. look to be pushing towards changes rather than refunds now.

    anybody know how to view a cached version of the below page?

    https://tuiholidays.ie/f/travel-information/tui-coronavirus-information

    edit: found a website that does this for me.



    For the OP https://www.tuiholidays.ie/f/info/flexible-payment-options

    this is for travel between 19 APRIL AND 30 JUNE 2020

    Thanks daheff. They’re working on the site. I’m gonna ring them tomorrow (sorry later today!) and tell them we are want a refund on the amount we have paid above the deposit.
    We are going to ask will they then use the deposit we have paid to secure against a later date. It’s worth a shot but I’m not too optimistic.
    It’ll be interesting to see what they do.


  • #16
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,833 ✭✭✭daheff


    tom1ie wrote: »
    Thanks daheff. They’re working on the site. I’m gonna ring them tomorrow (sorry later today!) and tell them we are want a refund on the amount we have paid above the deposit.
    We are going to ask will they then use the deposit we have paid to secure against a later date. It’s worth a shot but I’m not too optimistic.
    It’ll be interesting to see what they do.

    Did you manage to get in touch with them?


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