More Thomas Cook misery as customers face refund payment delay

The holiday firm collapsed in September, leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded abroad and around 9,000 staff without a job.

Holidaymakers who were set to jet off with Thomas Cook before the firm’s collapse are now facing more misery, with around a third of them facing repayment delays.

Customers were encouraged to fill out an online form after the company went under in September, in order for them to get refunds as part of the Atol protection programme.

However, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has revealed that 22,000 people who filled out the form will now not receive their refund within the 60-day target period – due to fall on Friday.

The CAA said this is because they need to provide extra information about their claims and added that it wants to issue refunds “as soon as possible”.

Thomas Cook customers are being urged to check their junk mail and spam email folders if they have not heard anything by the end of the week

The CAA says that two-thirds of the 67,000 valid claims that were made on 7 October – the first day of the scheme – will be paid out by the weekend.

The amount of money paid out to Thomas Cook customers so far has reached almost £160m, after around 90,000 direct debit customers were repaid in October.

The CAA said it has not received claims for around 40,000 of the eligible 300,000 cancelled holidays, but customers have until September 2020 to complete their claim.

CAA chief executive Richard Moriarty said: “We thank consumers for their ongoing patience as we continue to do all that we can to work through the UK travel industry’s largest ever refunds programme.

“I appreciate that this is a concerning time for Thomas Cook customers who are waiting for their refunds, particularly at this time of the year.

“We will have already paid out more than £160 million by this weekend and will continue to pay claims as soon as possible.

“Where we have had to request further information, we encourage those consumers to respond at the earliest opportunity so that we can finalise these payments.

The Colourful History of Thomas Cook

“I would like to reassure consumers that all valid Atol-protected payments will be refunded.”

Thomas Cook went bust on 23 September, leaving thousands of holidaymakers stranded overseas, and 9,000 staff without a job.

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