Holidaymakers owed nearly £600,000 after travel agency shut down

A travel agency has been shut down after failing around 300 customers.

On 2 July, Felix Travels and Tours Limited (FTT) was taken to the High Court in London as part of a fraud investigation.

A partner travel agency that worked with FTT reported them to Action Fraud after terminating their contract with them.

Set up in 2020, FTT was found to have cancelled holidays at short notice and failed to provide everything customers had paid for in their package.

Some holidaymakers were forced to secure services they had already paid FTT for from other companies in order to enjoy the trips they had planned.

The company also falsely claimed customers’ money was protected under the ATOL scheme.

A number of holidaymakers who had monthly payment plans with FTT were advised not to make any further payments because the company couldn’t honour its commitment to them and supply the holidays they’d booked.

The agency also owes trade suppliers about £7,000.

When investigations into FTT started in August 2023, the company failed to provide up-to-date accounts. The insolvency service concluded that FTT had stopped trading by the end of February 2023, when it stopped paying suppliers and the expenses needed to run its call centre.

If you’re out of pocket because of FTT, contact the Official Receiver of the Public Interest Unit to see where you stand: 16^th Floor, 1 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London E20 1HZ or [email protected].

Your rights if your holiday company goes bust

If you’ve booked a trip with a travel agency that’s gone bust, there are a few ways you may be able to get your money back.

ABTA and ATOL protections

If your trip is ATOL protected, you may be able to get a refund or help retuning home if your holiday company stops trading.

When you book a holiday that’s ATOL protected, you’ll receive an ATOP certificate. This certificate tells you what’s covered and who to contact if you need to make a claim.

Some travel agents are members of the ABTA association. If you have an issue with a travel company that is an ABTA member, the association can help you register disputes and give you advice.

Travel insurance

You might be able to get a refund if you bought travel insurance – but this will depend on your specific policy. Not all policies cover companies going out of business.

If you paid with a credit or debit card

If you bought your holiday with a credit card, you might be able to claim money back if it cost you more than £100 and you booked directly with the holiday company or airline.

If you paid with a debit card, you could try claiming through the Mastercard and Visa Chargeback scheme if your bank is signed up to it.