The sudden collapse of Ickenham Travel Group has left holidaymakers facing uncertainty, the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed last month.
Passengers with valid flight tickets may still be able to travel, but a shadow hangs over the rest of their arrangements. The crucial detail: many services, like hotels and airport transfers, likely haven’t been paid for.
This means travelers are now faced with a difficult choice – proceed with their journey and bear the financial burden of re-booking essential services, or seek a full refund and abandon their plans.
If choosing to travel, reimbursements for replacement services are possible, but there’s a catch. ATOL stipulations require these replacements to be of a comparable standard to the original booking, adding another layer of complexity.
However, opting to utilize the existing flight ticket comes with a significant risk. The comprehensive protection afforded by the original booking – covering potential disruptions like cancellations – is now lost.
Essentially, travelers become solely responsible for any issues that arise during their trip, a stark contrast to the security they initially had. Each element of the journey now carries individual risk.
For those who prefer not to navigate this uncertainty, a full refund is available. This offers a clean break, but sacrifices the holiday itself.
Those whose holidays were cancelled *before* Ickenham Travel Group entered administration are entitled to claim reimbursement through ATOL, offering a lifeline to those already impacted by disruptions.
