Thetownend.com

Gone bust apparently.  I booked flights direct with them, using my debit card.  I know credit cards are covered, anybody on here working in a bank/building society know where I stand?  It was booked with a visa debit card through the Halifax.  Thanks muchly.

Check yr personal messages Ronnie.

If anyone else gets problems like this drop me a line. I charge a very competitive £10 per hour for my expertise.

I fucking hate XL airlines, hope you manage to get your money back okay Mike!

As michael says, Visa debit cards should be covered.

Apparently there's around 10,000 people in Florida alone who booked flight-only packages that aren't covered by ATOL so they're stranded and have to pay over-the-odds for new flights home.

My parents were due to go on a 2 week holiday tomorrow flying with XL (part of a package).

They heard at 4am they had gone bust so got straight online looking for other flights - flights yesterday to where they were going were about 400 quid, now other airlines are trying to charge 900+ to make moeny off the back of it. Bloody rip off.

They are speaking to the agency today so hopefully they can get something else.  Gutted for them.

I'm guessing my holiday on Sunday is now cancelled then.

Lets make that:

Losing job, losing house, cancelled holiday. In the space of a fortnight. Worst. Month. Ever.

Oh mate Im gutted for you.  I'd get on the phone to who you booked it with as I know some are able to rebook their passengers on other flights, its a long shot but worth a try.

Trust XL to go into admin on the busiest day of the week for flying.

You're joking LS!!!  Flipping hell man, that's a run of bad luck for you.  Jeez, that is uckin shi.

What Jan said. That's one hell of a tough run, hope it turns round sharpish

Shit, that sucks.

Jesus sorry to hear that, don't know what else say.

I am a firm believer that things work out eventually, hang in there.

On a side note does this mean West Ham fans will be walking round in out of date footie shirts for the rest of the season, as I'd imagine they'll go get new sponsors now.

Cheers folks... airport parking was easy enough to refund! Now for the big stuff (if i can ever get through!)

Flew with them a few weeks ago to Florida and they were by far the worst airline I have ever flown with.  The planes were shit, the staff were obnoxious and the food was rank!

No wonder they have gone bust.

Same experience on flight to Egypt the other year, as I stated on their feedback form, why use a 1* airline when I've booked to go on a 5* holiday, I will never use your airline again.  Words to that effect, and I got nothing in reply.  Sums it up really.

The TEF should set up a disester fund

Did you mean desister fund? To support misogynist brothers perhaps?

hugs for LS wow thats BAD

I flew with them to Eygpt in Jan - would rather fly sleazy jet at least they dont pretend to be something they are not - like Jan agge said about 1* to a 5* holiday

That's what I said at the time JFW, I wouldn't have minded going Easyjet as they know what kind of company they are, a low cost no frills airline, yet XL were pretending to be this standard airline, to compete with the big boys.  To be honest I blamed the tour operator rather than the airline, I'm a believer that the holiday should start in the airport and flight as it were, not when you get to the hotel.

And I take it they're no longer XL Airways, just (e) X Airways.

West Ham will be looking for new sponsors now.

yeah there was soemone from Westham on Sky News early moaning about it

Always makes me laugh when people desperately seek somebody to blame for their own slight inconvenience. Blackpool's sponsor went bust over the summer and the fans were upin arms because the search for a new one delayed the release of their shirts!

I went mental when I booked online holiday to find they use Easy Jet - Now all I can say is Thnak Fuck.  Sad news for people affected tho

Apparently my flight still isn't cancelled as they're trying to find a replacement plane/carrier. Bit of good news i guess!

yeah lucky!  My parents were told they cant be booked on another flight so back to the drawing board.

I go on Wednesday and thank god I went with first choice!

so is the hotel still ok?  bit of a result if you can still go

Yeah i think so. It was just the flight through XL, the hotel itself is from what used to be Libra Holidays. I imagine it'll be nigh on impossible to arrange another flight, but at least they're trying!

I know it's a major pain in the arse but can you not try and fly (budget flight) to somewhere in Greece then get a connecting flight with another low cost flight to Cyrpus.  I know it's a pain in the harris but worth a try maybe?

Go to Cyprus Airlines site and say you're leaving from Paphos and see what airports they connect to, maybe somewhere like Amsterdam, Paris?  Just trying to think ways around the problem.

hope it works out al. if nto you can holiday at my house...

If all now okay (with the chunnel), eurostar to Paris and fly from gay Paris to Cyprus.

Some may find this info useful. Read the comments too:

http://www.fool.co.uk/news/your-money/2008/09/12/how-to-get-money-back-when-firms-fail.aspx?source=uemfoleml0010038

Thanks for that, also thanks to Michael who has sent me some pm's and explained my rights.  Been into the Halifax and asked about making a claim.  The stupid woman, or should I call her a fully-trained customer advisor, told me I had no redress with a debit card.  I pointed out to her that a visa debit card is covered, so she went to consult a colleague.  Within two minutes she is back and then spent ten mins on the computer trying to locate the correct form.  She decided to make a phone call to the card services help desk, and tried to get them to sort it.  Another ten minutes pass and she eventually puts the phone down and passes me to a colleague in the branch who sorts it out, or so I thought.  When I get home and look at the paperwork she provided me with I discover that she put the correct amount in for the tickets I purchased (£1,656) but underneath she typed that the total amount debited from my account was £165!!  A saga that may run and run!

Eventually got it sorted, they have repaid my money into my account - all £1656 of it!! Actually found out on-line whilst listening to Hartlepool wrecking our weekend last night!!  Thanks to Michael for his advice.

Glad to hear it Ronnie.

Is this a good time to negotiate a 10% fee? :)