Holiday-makers grounded (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Holiday-makers grounded

8:23am Monday 15th September 2008 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

Customers of grounded holiday firm XL are struggling with disappointment after their dream holidays were left in tatters when the company went into administration.

All its flights have been cancelled and aircraft grounded.

Becki Murray, 29, of Parklands Road, Old Walcot, and husband Lee had booked a trip to Egypt and were among many Swindon people who have lost their eagerly-anticipated break.

"I thought I'd save up for a holiday and it cost over £1,000 in an all-inclusive deal," said Mrs Murray.

Her travel company has told her they can give a refund on the flights, but it would take several months to come through.

However, if there were any alternative flights the company said she would have to pay for them herself, costing her about £500 a ticket, almost as much as the original holiday.

"I can't just pull that money out of thin air," said Mrs Murray.

"I did really want to go and although there are flights, they aren't coming up on the same dates."

She still does not know whether she will get all her money back.

The couple have not had a proper holiday for two years and this was their opportunity to relax and celebrate Mrs Murray turning 30.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said 85,000 people could be stranded abroad and a further 200,000 who have made advance bookings with the company will also be affected.

Another family from Swindon believe they will be left £1,600 out of pocket by the company's collapse.

Karen Payne said she had paid with a debit card for her family of six to go on holiday to Tenerife.

She said: "My five-year-old son is gutted that he can't have a holiday as we won't be able to afford new flights to this destination."

A group of nine people who had won a luxury diving holiday to the Red Sea were forced to return home to Calne.

Ted Weeks, 58, said he and his friends at Calne Divers had won a holiday to El Gouna, Egypt, for eight, but had clubbed between them to pay for the ninth person.

He said: "We're a bit miffed. We've been looking forward to this trip for 11 months. It's been really hard for the nine of us to find a week that we could all get off work so it's taken this long to go."

He said he had seen that XL had gone into administration on the news before he left but had decided he would go to the airport anyway.

David Clover, a spokesman for the CAA, said package deals were covered by its Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) scheme and stranded customers would be offered flights home while those with advance booking would get their money back.

However, those who booked directly with the airline or XL.com will face a fee. He advised those with future flights to check their insurance policies, and with their banks or credit card companies about refunds.