Martin Lewis issued a warning to Thomas Cook customers today who have been hit by the tour operator’s demise. Hotels are being accused of holding Thomas Cook holidaymakers “hostage” in Cuba and other countries as they demand payment from the travellers. Thomas Cook holidays saw globetrotters pay for rooms and meals months in advance but the tour operator would only pay the hotel several weeks after the guests’ stay. However, with angry hoteliers now demanding payment from guests, safety is becoming a worry. This is the latest travel advice.
“Hoteliers are taking a different attitude,” Lewis told ITV this morning. “What is supposed to happen is if you pay for your hotel through a package holiday, your hotel is supposed to be covered.
“You leave, say ‘Thank you very much’ and go. But some hoteliers are saying: ‘No, we want payment from customers’.
Lewis explained that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Atol will cover your hotel from the Monday that Thomas Cook went into administration until the point you leave.
However, for periods before that, the hotel company will have to claim off the administrator, “which is likely to be a few pence in the pound,” the MoneySavingExpert said.
“That’s technically right, as they should, they had a contract, that’s what they accepted – and when companies go bust you claim off the administrator,” he explained.
Unfortunately, this means that hoteliers will lose money – leading some to demand the guests themselves cough up.
If this is happening to you, Lewis advises ringing the CAA hotline first thing. “If they still want money afterwards, it’s going to be very difficult,’ he warned.
“Certainly if you feel unsafe I would suggest you pay, keep the receipts and hope to claim back later – safety is more important.
“You may need to get the embassy involved – but these things are never that smooth sailing. You should in most cases get your money back afterwards but I can’t guarantee that,” said Lewis.
Scammers are also moving in on holidaymakers to exploit the Thomas Cook collapse and get money off customers.
People are getting Thomas Cook emails, said Lewis, from officials forms to invitations to reclaim.
However, Britons should never contact the people who are coming to them – you should always go through the official channels and contact the official people yourself. Spelling mistakes are a very easy way to identify a phishing email.
Adam French, Which? Consumer Rights Expert, added: “We’ve heard worrying stories of criminals trying to scam people affected by the collapse of Thomas Cook, so while the messages being sent by some banks might be well-meaning, this flawed approach will only be adding to the confusion customers are facing.
“Our advice is to ignore unsolicited calls and texts and avoid sharing your card or bank details. Anyone looking to claim back the cost of their flight through their debit or credit card provider should contact their bank directly themselves.”
Travel Association ABTA also issued a travel warning customers today as some travellers are mistakenly believing their holidays have been cancelled when in fact they are still in place.
“ABTA is aware that some customers who made bookings where Thomas Cook was selling as an agent for other tour operators may assume that their holiday has been cancelled. This may not be the case,” an ABTA spokesperson said.
“If the holiday was actually made by Thomas Cook with another tour operator, that operator may still be able to provide the holiday. Customers should ensure they carefully check all of their paperwork and contact the operator who will deal with them directly.
“If customers mistakenly rebook they may be in the position of having two valid bookings and they will be subject to cancellation charges for the holiday they do not take. Information clarifying this issue is prominently displayed on abta.com.”
