FOR eight agonising weeks, Marian and Kevin Turner battled to get back £10,000 for a Caribbean break they had booked as respite from serious illness.
When their two-week holiday, planned for May this year, was cancelled due to Covid-19, they assumed tour operator Tui would pay up quickly.
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But the couple, who are battling breast cancer and leukaemia, had almost given up hope of getting their cash back — until they read about The Sun’s Corona Crew.
Within five days of getting in touch with our panel of experts, who are here to help with your pandemic problems, the ten grand was back in their bank account.
Retired assembly-line worker Marian, 66, said: “I can’t thank The Sun’s Corona Crew enough.
“Without them, I’m not sure how long it would have taken to get our money back. It’s great to know it has now been refunded.”
‘Good news – we have our money back’
Marian and Kevin, a retired warehouse worker, also 66, of Worthing, West Sussex, had booked their dream getaway to a Sandals resort in Barbados after she had battled cancer for four years and he had then been diagnosed with leukaemia in February last year.
She said: “It was to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. We had upgraded our flights and the hotel room and were really looking forward to it.
“Because of the pandemic and the fact no one was flying anywhere by May, we expected the holiday to be cancelled — but heard nothing.”
For nearly two months Marian tried to get through to Tui, which was dealing with some 1.3million refund claims, and got nowhere. But just five days after Sun Travel Editor Lisa Minot took up the case, Tui promised to pay back the full £10,000.
A spokesman told us: “We will arrange payment and they will receive a refund. We were waiting for our supplier to pay us first until we could arrange this.”
This week the repayment came through as promised and Marian told us: “Good news — we have our money back. Thank you for all your help. Hopefully when all the mask-wearing and social distancing is gone, health permitting, we will be able to rebook our dream holiday.”
DISNEY DREAM
GRANDAD Gerald Wells and seven of his family wanted to recreate a dream Disney holiday a larger numer of them had taken in 2016.
The retired bank worker paid Opodo £7,293 for the family’s return flights next month to Orlando, US. His stepdaughter Kerry, 42, tried in vain to get a refund from travel firm Opado, instead of a voucher.
Widower Gerald, 72, of Sandy, Beds, said: “My four grand-children are in their late teens, so the chances of us all being free to go next year were low. But after I emailed the Corona Crew, Opodo offered our money back.”
Opodo have confirmed this.
£805 USA TICKETS REPAID
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RICHARD and Nicole Forse had not had a holiday in years so were looking forward to a break to the US to visit friends and family.
But coronavirus meant their planned two week-trip in May, booked through Globehunters, was cancelled.
Despite numerous attempts to find out about a refund for their £805 flights to Minneapolis, they heard nothing.
Warehouse worker Richard, 47, of Watford, and Tesco online sales employee Nicole, 45, were furious. He said: “All we got were automated emails.”
But within 24 hours of the Corona Crew contacting Globehunters, the firm got in touch with a full refund.
Richard said: “Thanks very much for kicking this refund into action.”
REFUND AFTER 70 CALLS
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PENSIONER Pat Claybrook made SEVENTY phone calls and wrote three letters to Tui trying to get back £1,589 she paid out for a holiday to Greece.
Former council education department worker Pat and husband Leslie, 71, an ex-tyre moulder, had booked the break to Corfu for her 70th birthday.
But it was cancelled due to the pandemic. The Claybrooks, of Birmingham, finally turned to our Corona Crew for help – and Sun Travel Editor Lisa Minot quickly got Tui to cough up.
Pat said: “We were over the moon to get our money back. I thought this couldn’t happen so quickly. Without Lisa’s help, I’m sure we would have been months away from hearing anything.”
RYANAIR CHARGE WAIVED
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RETIRED Gary and Jane Laker were billed for £460 to change Ryanair flights to Spain for this summer after they were cancelled due to Covid-19.
Former facilities contractor Gary, 62, and ex-teacher Jane, 72, from the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, were at first relieved to be told they could rebook for a future date at no extra cost.
But after rebooking, Gary was furious to get an email telling him £460.98 had been added to the orginal £189.20 cost of the flights – and charged to his credit card.
He called customer care at Ryanair only to find it shut, then complained online but heard nothing. But after our Corona Crew got involved, Ryanair refunded the £460.98. Gary said: “Thank you.”
FLIGHT FARES RETURNED
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ALAN NUTTALL waited almost three months to even hear from easyJet after numerous unreturned calls and emails over his cancelled flights from Manchester to Lisbon.
But within two days of contacting our Corona Crew, his £222.92 outlay for return fares for him and wife Sandra, 80, was refunded.
Retired Land Rover parts boss Alan, 67, of Bolton, was told two days before his scheduled March 30 departure that the trip was off. He began seeking a refund and was told it would be paid by May 28 – but it was not.
He said: “I tried calling many times but the phone just rang then an automated voice told me to call back. I called your Corona Crew and easyJet paid. A very big thank you. Well done.”
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