Monarch goes into administration – what are your rights and can you get a refund
The airline went bust overnight cancelling 300,000 bookings with 110,000 people abroad
MONARCH airlines has gone into administration with all future bookings cancelled.
The UK's fifth biggest airline is the largest ever to go into administration and 110,000 passengers have been left stranded overseas.
Some 860,000 passengers are affected with 300,000 future bookings cancelled.
If you've got an upcoming flight - or your currently abroad - what are your rights?
What are my rights?
If you're abroad you will be given an alternative flight home - the CAA has chartered more than 30 flights to bring people home - and if you are in the UK you will be entitled to a refund.
Details of these new arrangements can be found on the.
It also has a 24-hour helpline. Contact them on 0300 303 2800 from the UK and +44 1753 330330 from abroad.
I'm on a Monarch package holiday - what can I do?
The CAA says it is working on getting holidaymakers on new flights back to the UK at the end of their holiday at no extra cost.
It adds that it is contacting all hotels so tourists can stay in their accommodation for the duration of their holiday.
But it warns that if you are asked to make a further payment to stay in your hotel, then pay this, keep receipts, and make a claim to the CAA when you return to the UK.
If you booked a Monarch holiday and haven't yet travelled you will be Atol-protected and should be able to get a refund.
The CAA says it will be publishing details on how to claim refunds in due course.
I've only booked my flights through Monarch - what can I do?
If you've only booked your flights with Monarch then you're unlikely to be protected.
If you booked your flights with Monarch from 15 December 2016 and haven't yet travelled you will not be Atol-protected.
The CAA has advised these customers to contact their insurer or card provider for advice.
If you booked your flights on or before 14 December 2016 you should be Atol-protected.
I've booked a Monarch holiday through another travel agent - can I get a refund?
The CAA says you should contact your travel agent "directly" about your arrangements.
If you booked a package holiday you will have Atol-protection but if you've just booked flights then it is "unlikely" your travel agent will be able to help.
If that's the case then you should see about claiming your money back via Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
Thomas Cook told the Sun Online that any of its customers who booked a Monarch package at one of its shops should contact it immediately.
"We will do everything we can to make sure customers can still go on holiday, rather than them cancelling and claiming their money back," a spokeswoman said.
Those travelling on a Thomas Cook holiday that includes flying with Monarch will be notified "as soon as possible" with alternative flights so they continue with their holiday plans.
How can you protect yourself from a travel company going bust?
Not all flights or holidays are Atol protected. The company should tell you when you make a booking if it is - either by emailing your certificate or sending it in the post.
You can check if a company has an Atol licence on the CAA website. If you’re unsure then you should check with the company before you book.
What to do if you're a Monarch customer
THESE are the guidelines which have been issued by the Civil Aviation Authority
- Customers in the UK yet to travel: don't go to the airport
- Customers abroad: everyone due to fly in the next fortnight will be brought back to the UK at no cost to them. There is no need to cut short your stay
- Customers currently overseas should check for confirmation of their new flight details - which will be available a minimum of 48 hours in advance of their original departure time
- All affected customers should keep checking for more information
- The CAA also has a 24-hour helpline: 0300 303 2800 from the UK and Ireland and +44 1753 330330 from overseas
- You should expect to be flown as close as possible to your planned departure dates, no earlier, and prepare for disruption to journeys.
- There will be no online check-in. You will be issued with a new flight and new boarding card and will not be able to check in with your old flight details
If you book flights with a credit card (and pay over £100 but under £30,000) then you will be protected under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
If you paid by debit card then you may be covered under Chargeback - this means your card company would chase the collapsed firm for the cash.
The rules on this vary vastly, but you’d usually have at least 120 days to make a claim to your bank.
How can I get my money back if my trip isn't Atol protected?
If your flights aren't Atol-protected then there are a number of ways you can try and get your money back - though it depends on how you paid.
Credit card
Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act means if you pay for items on a credit card worth between £100 and £30,000, your card company is also jointly liable if something goes wrong. Contact your card provider to start a claim.
Chargeback
If you paid for your flights by debit card (or by credit card and the cost is under £100) then you should be able to claim under chargeback rules. Ask you card provider - likely your bank - to do a chargeback and it will request your money back from Monarch. You must do this within 120 days.
Paypal
Contact Paypal to see if you can claim via its Buyer Protection Scheme. You must do this within 180 days.
Kate Hobson of Citizens Advice urged travellers who booked independently to contact the companies they've used to see if they can get some money back.
She said: "For people who have booked their holidays independently, you’ll need to contact any other companies you’ve made any bookings with - hotels, transfers etc - as you’re still be liable for those bookings.
"Check the terms and conditions to see if you can cancel without being charged."
If you need to rearrange or cancel annual leave speak, you should speak to your employer immediately.
Citizens Advice said unless employers have special rules to follow, then customers should be able to "unbook" their annual leave and let them rearrange at a later date.
Will you be covered by travel insurance?
Unfortunately, travel insurance may not be very much help. Policies do not usually cover you in the event of a travel firm failing.
A spokeswoman for the Association of British Insurers said: "If you've booked to travel with Monarch you should also talk to your travel agent or tour operator.
"Where alternative travel plans are made any existing travel insurance policy can usually be transferred to cover the new arrangements.
"While standard travel insurance policies do not usually cover the failure of the air carrier, this cover can be purchased separately."
They may cover you for the cost of your hotel and other costs, such as car hire, if you booked separately and cancellation is included in your policy.
More on Monarch
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