It’s holiday misery as travel firm goes bust
DEVASTATED holidaymakers say they have lost thousands of pounds after budget holiday group lowcostholidays went bust.
Company bosses say they had made ‘exhaustive attempts’ to rescue the group but were hampered by ‘the recent and ongoing turbulent financial environment’.
Around 27,000 customers are in resorts while 110,000 are yet to travel.
Jo Plant, from Reddish, was planning the holiday of a lifetime to New York to celebrate her mum’s 70th birthday.
The 33-year-old said she was devastated after finding out she had lost £1,400 on the four-night stay and has since had to break the news to her mum Edna, who has always dreamed of a trip to New York.
She said: “I have heard nothing from the company. I only found out about it on Twitter.
“When you go on the company’s home page it just says it has ceased trading.
“I was devastated. The site suggests that your flights will be okay but your accommodation won’t be.
“However, I checked with both airlines and neither of the flights have been paid for.
“My mum had been really looking forward to it. She has always wanted to go to New York.
“Unfortunately, I paid for it on my debit card so I definitely won’t get the money back.”
Jo also forked out £2,800 for a two-week holiday to Mexico with her boyfriend Daniel, 34, in September and fears she will not be able to recoup the money.
She said: “I don’t hold out any hope that they will get back to me.”
Janet and Jim Wynn, from Rochdale, were due to jet off to the Egyptian beach resort of Hurghada for two weeks in September after paying £1,460 for the holiday.
Janet said she received an email from lowcostholidays at 10.15pm on Friday night telling her about the administration.
Though the Thomas Cook flights are safe, she has lost the hotel and transfer booking. They have since booked another holiday ‘before prices soar’.
Angie Reilly is currently at a resort in Gran Canaria after booking with the travel company and says the atmosphere is ‘crazy’.
She said: “No one knows what’s happening, the poor hotel receptionist is having to tell people to pay again or they have to leave.
“It’s bad for us but at least we are here. I feel for the people who are due to travel.”