The holidays of as many as 60,000 people have been hit by the collapse of Turkey-specialist Holidays 4U.
However, the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed all Holidays 4U customers abroad should be able to complete their trips as planned, although some may face requests from hoteliers for payment.
Brighton-based Holidays 4U went into administration on August 3 following the morning departure to Turkey of two Onur Air flights. A flight due to depart from Manchester that evening was cancelled.
The company has up to 13,000 clients overseas and an additional 20,000 forward bookings affecting the holidays of up to 50,000 people, all of which have been cancelled.
Joint administrator Ian Oakley-Smith of PwC said: “The company has suffered because of difficulties faced by the travel industry as a result of the economic downturn.”
Holidays 4U employed 18 staff, most of whom lost their jobs yesterday. It was registered as Holidays 4 UK Ltd and also traded as Aegean Flights. The company has been operating since 1994, but had to provide a bond and additional security in order to renew its Atol licence in March. It described itself as “providing cheap Turkish holidays”.
All package holidays and flight-only sales should be protected under the company’s Atol licence and customers can expect refunds through the CAA. However, people who booked their own accommodation will lose out on that segment of their holiday unless they can find an alternative flight.
The company’s flying was handled exclusively by Istanbul-based Onur Air and the carrier indicated it will assist with repatriation.
The CAA’s Atol spokesman David Clover said: “The height of summer is the worst possible time for a travel firm to fail.” He said any Holidays 4U client abroad who is asked to pay again for accommodation should make a claim through the CAA on their return.
Contact the CAA
- Find claim information at www.atol.org.uk
- Customers in resort call 0044 161 444 5810
- Customers with advance bookings call 08444 933037