A "holiday cursed" couple due to fly to Gran Canaria two weeks to celebrate their birthdays have lost their package deal following the collapse of Thomas Cook.
Chloe Underwood and her boyfriend Harry Key were due to fly out for an all-inclusive one-week trip.
They paid £1,200 for flights, accommodation and food as a birthday present to one another.
But they have been left with no holiday after the Civil Aviation Authority announced in the early hours of this morning that Thomas Cook had "ceased trading with immediate effect."
The couple from Desborough, Northamptonshire were also caught out two years ago when Monarch airline collapsed just two days before they were due to fly out on holiday.
Lack of communication
Estate agent Underwood said she knew nothing about the problems with Thomas Cook until a friend mentioned it in a WhatsApp group over the weekend.
"We have had nothing from Thomas Cook, not an email or anything.
“I have the Thomas Cook app on my phone with the holiday on it and it has a countdown. It still says I am going in 14 days."
Although they are entitled to a refund, the couple are now desperately trying to find another holiday package so their plans are not completely ruined.
"Everything else on the dates we had booked is more expensive.
“We are having to see if we can get different dates off work and find another holiday to book but it is still going to cost us more," said Underwood.
Fortunately, the couple paid for the holiday with a credit card meaning they can claim a refund through Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.
It’s worth adding that package holidays booked through Thomas Cook are protected under the Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) scheme, so the couple would also be able to claim a refund through that organisation.
Compare 0% new purchase credit cards on loveMONEY
Burned a second time
In the meantime, they have to find the money for another holiday.
"We might not get a refund for up to two months so we will be out of pocket all that time.
“Fortunately, we hadn't booked the airport parking as we are going to have to fly from a different airport," said Underwood.
Two years ago, the couple were left £400 out of pocket when airline Monarch collapsed and they had to book new flights two days before travelling.
The airline collapsed in 2017, leading to more than 1,800 workers being made redundant and the flights and holidays of about 860,000 people being cancelled.
Underwood explained: "We had booked the flights separately to the holiday and then Monarch went bust two days before we were due to fly out.
“We got a refund really quickly but ended up paying £200 more each for new flights.
“We feel like we are holiday cursed!"
‘Why haven’t they told us anything?’
Underwood says the most frustrating thing this time round is the lack of information from Thomas Cook.
"When will they actually tell us? We should receive something official to tell us what is going on. We booked with someone like Thomas Cook because they are a good company. You think nothing is going to go wrong."
The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed this morning that all UK companies in the Thomas Cook group had ceased trading including Thomas Cook Airlines.
This means all holidays and flights provided by these companies have been cancelled and are no longer operating.
All Thomas Cook retail shops have also closed.
The Government and Civil Aviation Authority said it is now working to repatriate holidaymakers stranded abroad.
The company entered compulsory liquidation in the early hours of this morning after last-minute negotiations to save the holiday firm failed.
More than 22,000 jobs are now at risk worldwide including 9,000 in the UK.
Compare travel insurance policies on loveMONEY
Your rights
If you are already abroad, new flights will be provided for you up until 6 October 2019.
After this date, passengers have to make their own travel arrangements.
Those scheduled to return to the UK within the next 48 hours or who are having problems with their accommodation or need special assistance can ring 0300 303 2800 in the UK or +44 1753 330 330 from abroad.
Future holidays and flights booked with Thomas Cook are cancelled as of today.
If your flights are ATOL protected by Thomas Cook or any company in the Thomas Cook Group, you can make a claim for a refund via the ATOL scheme.
If your Thomas Cook flights are not ATOL protected you may be able to claim from your travel insurance, your credit card issuer or current account provider.
If, however, you booked an ATOL-protected holiday with Thomas Cook but your flights are with an airline unrelated to the Thomas Cook Group, your flights may still be available, but your accommodation and transfers may not be.
For more information visit https://thomascook.caa.co.uk/