Our Flights Have Just Been Cancelled

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
01/03/2010 23:56

Hi All



Really in the you no what now!!!



Just had an email off On the Beach to say our flights at the end of the month have been canceled. We were due to fly out with Monarch on the 29th March and return to the UK on 8th April.



The stupid thing is when we have just checked on the Monarch website and the flight is still available (even though twice the price we paid)



Surely this is illegal, how can Monarch tell On The Beach to cancel our flight and then sell it themselves at whatever price they chose to!!!!!



Any help or advice would be appreciated folks, 4 very annoyed adults and 3 upset children!!

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 00:04

Suggest you contact Monarch, is it On the Beach who are the problem? did they give you a reason for the cancellation?

Liv84


Joined: 14/09/2009
Posts: 69

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 00:06

Hi,



Same thing happened to me with KTHY, I booked month ago then one week before my flight they told me that they have to transfer me to another flight.



I couldn'T do anything about it ı just had to accept it but ı made turism agent to pay for my airport transfer from mancester airport to Birmingham.



As ı know they have to refund your money back.

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 00:13

Think it is Monarch that are the problem Woodspeckie.



Monarch have a contact us section with reference to all ZB flight cancellations thru 3rd party agents.



I am sure they will offer me the alternative flight when i ring and roast them in the morning BUT were am I supposed to find the extra £1000 for the 7 of us to come over!!!!!!





Liv - they cannot offer an alternative flight as they are saying there is not one (bear in mind they have already changed it once on us prior to tonight).



The bit that is slightly confusing is that on the Monarch.co.uk web site the flight still shows as being available (but obviously at the inflated price)!!

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 00:35

The problem that you both have come up against is that the airliones have total control and that their contracts worldwide are written "against" the traveller and also the travel agent.



The only contract the airline makes is to get you from A to B not how or when.



They have the right to refund your money as does the agent and at that point they are effectivley removed any responsibilty. This will happen more often these days as fewer aircarft are breaking even let alone profitable.



Liv - Msg 3 You are lucky as the agent was not liable to pay for it and may not get repaid.



Just before Xmas one of our clients at flightholiday was refused boarding by KTHY because the airline system made an error.



At about 10.00 pm we heard about it and tried to resolve the problem.

We paid for the travellers to stay at an expensive hotel in Stansted overnight and IAH are still waiting for the airline to compensate us (at over ten times our profit) for the airlines error.

Tootie


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 2037

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 00:55

The problem that you both have come up against is that the airliones have total control and that their contracts worldwide are written "against" the traveller and also the travel agent.

The only contract the airline makes is to get you from A to B not how or when.



They have the right to refund your money as does the agent and at that point they are effectivley removed any responsibilty. This will happen more often these days as fewer aircarft are breaking even let alone profitable.



Sorry but your statement makes no sense at all, and is also not true.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 01:38

In my ignorance, and I stand to be corrected, Monarch do not fly to TRNC and if your resort is North Cyprus based maybe the airline knows something about the border being imminently closed which we do not!



Richard

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 01:40

The flights are into Larnaca Brinsley or they were until tonight.



Going to have 3 very upset boys in the morning (12,11 and 3 years old and now the prospect of no holiday).

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 01:47

Msg 8

Okay, where or what is 'On the Beach', a booking agent, a resort, or?



Richard

Tootie


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 2037

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 02:00

Your agent has to give you a refund or another flight at no cost to you, If they are ATOL Protected!? then they have no choice but too refund/exchange your flights but NOT any Hotel or transfer costs.

Take this up with your agent who you booked through.

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 02:03

It is a booking agent Richard.



I assume they buy a set amount of seats off Monarch, put their own mark up on said seats and then sell them on. I guess Monarch have the right to recall the seats at any time and then On The Beach have to inform those who purchased through them have no longer got a flight to board.



Maybe only the airline itself should be able to sell its own flights in the first place :(

Tootie


Joined: 28/08/2008
Posts: 2037

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 02:18

looking at the website i dont see any ATOL protection.

People should be aware that ABTA gives the customer no protection.

Without ATOL Protection then the agent has no obligation by law to refund or exchange anything they sell you.



I understand this does not help you right now. Have you booked on a credit card?



Call IAH. They should advise you best. Good luck.....

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 02:34

Tootie you are going to give me heart failure!!!



The below is lifted off their web site and hopefully means we are covered.



On the Beach has arranged Supplier Failure Cover giving you complete peace of mind in the rare event of the insolvency of a flight supplier.



Whether you have booked flights with On the Beach flying with charter, low cost or scheduled airlines this cover ensures that in the unfortunate event of a failure of your flight provider your monies are safe. All you need to do is make a new flight booking with alternative provider safe in the knowledge that you can secure a refund on your original flight booking



Is my booking protected?



Yes. With Supplier Failure Cover all flights bookings are 100% protected



How is my Booking protected?



All flight bookings with us are fully protected via the Supplier Failure Cover scheme we arrange at the time of booking. We will claim a refund from the insurance company underwriting the scheme and pass this on to you.

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 02:38

Flight Holiday - can you help us finding flights??????



7 of us to get over there, as follows:



4 adults and 3 kids aged 12, 11 and 3.



We were due to fly Luton to Larnaca on the 29th March with Monarch and then return Larnaca to Luton on Thursday 8th or Friday the 9th April.



We live just outside Preston in Lancashire but happy to travel to any uk airport if you can get us out for reasonable money??



My email is martin_cosycottage@yahoo.co.uk, feel free to drop me a line if you help and i can tell you what sort of money we have got to play with!!!!!

fiendishpaul


Joined: 18/05/2008
Posts: 1720

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 08:00

Leylandlad



Sorry to hear of your plight and I hope that Flightholiday can find you something reasonably priced. I have just looked on Skyscanner (a site that we regularly use for cheap flights back to UK) and the cheapest that I can find is Luton/Larnaca return £1729 - this does not include baggage etc. Not good news i am afraid.



Best of luck



Paul

malsancak


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 2874

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 08:53

leylandlad, if you paid by credit card then they are "jointly and severally liable." What this means is they would be your second point of call. Your argument would be that you have booked the flights early in order to get them cheap and by breaking the contract you would be liable to extra costs. I believe the compensation would be €200 per passenger if Monarch have cancelled.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/feb/22/britishairways.theairlineindustry

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 08:56

hi leyland im really sorry to hear this, in case tom is not on here yet his email is info@flightholiday.co.uk . The very best of luck, its unbeleivable.

michelle3012


Joined: 07/11/2008
Posts: 578

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 09:32

Hi being a nosey cow......! I have just looked on the 'on the beach' website and in their T&C's it appears although they booked your flights the contract you have is with 'Monach'

It says 'No tickets will be issued for low cost flights and you will simply need your confirmation number, which will be emailed to you with your booking confirmation, along with your passport, to board the flight.' It also says: On line check in

Please note that some no frills airlines require you to check in online. Where applicable your paperwork includes instructions regarding the online check in procedure. Failure to check in online will result in check in fees at the airport which you will be liable to pay for.



So have you been onto the Monach website and checked for yourself? I would complain and speak to ATOL.

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 09:39

Morning All



Thanks for the overnight replies, help and advice. What makes it worse is that on this trip we were going to look at possible business opportunities for us all to move out to NC in the next 18 months.



Having slept on it I feel worse than I did last night when we got the email. Off to email flightholiday now (thx Lilli) and yes michelle, i will be in touch with every man and his dog today, although i dont think it will get me anywhere!!!

michelle3012


Joined: 07/11/2008
Posts: 578

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 09:47

One thing i did note on monach, is that they only ask for a £25 deposit per person with the remainder due 6 weeks prior to travel, check your credit card statement, because maybe the 3rd party ie On the Beach didnt pay the balance for you and thats why they have been cancelled. But i do know that a lot of these 'no frills' airlines have been stopped from making bookings, although looking on their website they are still offering flights from Luton with monach. I would take them to the small claims court.....!

MarkVPiazza


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 530

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 10:00

What these dodgy agents do is sell their allocation of flights, cheap at first, getting more expensive as departure approaches .

A month before departure, they see how many seats they have sold, and how many they had to sell, and those who have paid the least, then dump the least profitable "customers" and give them their money back.



If you go with dodgy , fly by night agencies, this can happen (it has happened to me)



Mark

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 10:47

To be fair Mark, On The Beach have been around for many years as a booking agent and I have nothing but good things to say about them up to this incident.



Having just spoke to them directly they are now saying that if Monarch have withdrawn the flight for commercial reasons then it is illegal for them to continue selling it on their own web site for double the cost!!!!



Today could be fun!!!!!! Waiting for a phone call back from them after 9 when the Monarch offices open.

michelle3012


Joined: 07/11/2008
Posts: 578

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 10:49

Good Luck, let us know what the outcome is, and how they went about it, it could be useful information for others.

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 10:51

course i will michelle.



Orig Price of Flights 1261.30 GBP



Monarch now selling that flight on their own web page for 2198.22 GBP



What a joke!!!

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 12:11

There maybe light at the end of the tunnel everyone!!!!!!



On The Beach have just rang and said they believe it to be a clerical error on Monarchs part but will not be able to confirm this for 24 hours.



That may be a ploy just to buy some time but for now at least there is hope!!

cooper


Joined: 23/10/2007
Posts: 3386

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 12:25

Live can sometimes "be such a Beach !!"

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 13:08

nice one coops!!!



At least it raised a smile on a rather stressful morning!!!!!

Cyprusquest


Joined: 09/12/2008
Posts: 428

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 14:05

Hope it works out fine for you.

gates


Joined: 08/12/2008
Posts: 1096

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 14:19

your wasting your time looking to start buisenese out here it cost a fortune to start and a fortune to keep going you should read some of the postings about it but its a nice place to holiday but would not bother at those prices get an all inclusive for that spain port it would be much more relistic than flights only hope all works out well for you all

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 14:38

Gates - which wrist should i slit first then!!!!! There must be some businesses that do ok over there!!!!!



Our project would include a building project within it so if you fancied it you could quote on it!!!



Our plan is not for a tourist business but for something that concentrates on ex-pats and local born turk-cyps.

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 14:39

Crack a beer open!!!!!



Flights reinstated by Monarch!!!!!!!!!!



See you all on the 29th!!

joandjelly


Joined: 24/02/2008
Posts: 2953

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 15:29

I just wanted to say that with regard to paying with a credit card if you made your booking through an agent then you will not be able to claim against your card issuer as the agent will be deemed to have provided you with a service, i.e. made the booking and passed the payment on on your behalf (assuming this has been done).

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 15:54

You have a project in mind, have you been to NC to meet ex-pats living there and know what they like to do? I think you will need more than a week to weigh everything up about opening a business or looking for property.

NanaJan



Joined: 15/10/2009
Posts: 90

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 16:21

Glad to hear your good news Leyland Dad at least the holiday is on again.



I think with three boys though to be honest the UK is the best bet for work. In TRNC you would be looking at school fees for the older boys at least since they really could not attend a local school now due to the language problem and the curriculum at senior level. Private health insurance for the family. Wages not as good as the UK for yourself and business not being easy anywhere at present. No help with unemployment money if the business does not do well. If you then have to return to the UK you have to wait six months or so before you can claim anything to help out.



The boys will need work when they leave school and that will also prove a problem perhaps.



Not trying to be a doom monger but just trying to look at life as it is. We live in the North West like you and to be honest life is not so bad for most people. Today is sunny and bright but cold. Grandchildren all getting good educations at nice

leylandlad


Joined: 15/11/2009
Posts: 215

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 16:42

Woodspeckie - we have friends who have lived out in NC for many many years now and we have been visiting the area for 3 years now. I think between us we have a fair grasp of what people want, if we are wrong then we will fail and if we are right then we do not look to make fortunes or even an over inflated wage.



We want to provide a service to the community and in doing so earn a LIVABLE wage, enough to eat, drink and educate our children. The kids are split between 2 families so making 4 adults.



NanaJan - i no you are airing on the side of caution but i honestly believe if we get the correct location the business we set up will see us able to support ourselves for years to come. Wages etc do no need to be at the same level as we have in the UK as there are not the same living costs. Obviously we cannot survive on bread and water alone but we think we have enough financial stability to see through the first 3 years while the business gets established.

NanaJan



Joined: 15/10/2009
Posts: 90

Message Posted:
02/03/2010 19:02

Go for it then and the very best of luck to you and the group. At least you will know that you have give it a go and not had any regrets.