Lowcostholiday workers ‘were told to reassure customers they didn’t need Atol protection’
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A TRAVEL agent who was offered a job at lowcostholidays just months before the company went bust has slammed the firm’s bankruptcy as “a big con”.
The worker, who wished to remain anonymous, was offered a job as a homeworker for the budget travel company in April and says she was told to assure people their holidays were safe with the company’s package protection.
When she was offered the job after a simple phone interview process, the woman asked for advice on what to tell people who ask about Atol protection – as she believes this is a concern for many consumers.
She said: “The person who offered me the job said customers have package protection, which works for them so they don’t need Abta or Atol.
“This means lowcost should be covering the problems with people’s bookings but haven’t done so.”
The woman claims the company is responsible for sorting out people’s booking issues, as they advise travel agents who work for them to reassure people their money is safe when booking.
Homeworkers take phone calls from customers and make reservations, but do not work in the company’s main call centre and pay a monthly fee to work as a franchise to the business.
Lowcostholidays were asking for a £250 non-refundable set-up fee, on top of £50-a-month payments to the company and paid workers just 15 per cent of the commission they made.
This fee is allegedly much lower than other companies, who offer salaries or 20 – 60 per cent commission rates as an average.
She said: “It’s a big con, they must have known they were going bust but they were still recruiting and handing out jobs in April.
“Thank God I didn’t take it or I’d be out of pocket.”
The woman also explained travel agents would normally secure accommodation and flights with the deposit and so finds it strange lowcostholidays has been taking money without making reservations.
She also said lowcostholidays makes most of their commission from hotels and extras, not flights, which explains why many package deals had flights booked but nothing else.
Hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers have been affected by lowcostholidays going bust on Friday.
Many people have been left without accommodation or told they must pay again if they want to remain on holiday.
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Natasha had already paid £800 to go away with partner Wayne Jackson, 30 and sons Bradyn, six, and Declan, three, on Friday morning.
The mum-of-two was appaled to find out her accommodation had been cancelled hours after forking out the cash.
Angry Natasha told The Sun Online: “Apparently they were taking bookings right up until four o’clock, knowing it was going to happen but continuing to take people’s money and bookings.”
The mum-of-two says Ryanair confirmed their flights have been booked – but the hotel says there is not room for the family to stay on the dates their holiday is booked and she still does not know for certain whether her booking was ever made.
She said: “My partner went on their website and was waiting for news to come up for an hour, during which time they were still taking people’s bookings.
“They would have known for a few days prior they were going into administration yet they’ve continued to take people’s money.”
Natasha says she is lucky friends have offered to help the family pay for their break and said she couldn’t believe such a big, popular company was not Atol protected.
She added: “It’s meant to be our first holiday together as a family and my little one is turning four when we’re supposed to be out there.
“I’ve gone from being on a really good high to one a really bad low – I was sobbing my heart out on Friday for two hours.
“We are going to really struggle financially and are going to have to restrict ourselves while out there – something we did not want to be worrying about.
“I’m really disgusted with lowcostholidays, and I’ve still not received any form of email stating this has happened or an apology.”
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