MORE holidays have been cancelled after one of Europe’s biggest tour operators went bust.
Earlier this month, tour operator FTI went into administration.
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This has affected Youtravel, a UK-based bed bank used by holiday package companies such as Loveholidays, as well as Meeting Point.
Youtravel.com initially confirmed that all bookings up to June 11 were cancelled. It was later extended this to July 5.
They have now confirmed that holidays up until July 26 would be cancelled.
Youtravel said: “Over the past three weeks, our management has been actively engaging with the appointed administrator of the FTI group and undergoing the M&A process to secure our future,” said Youtravel.
“While we are hopeful for a positive conclusion to these talks soon, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all bookings until and including the 26 July 2024.
“We understand the inconvenience this may cause and sincerely apologise for any disruption.”
It is thought as many as 30,000 hotel bookings have been affected across resorts in Cyprus, with 30 resorts in Spain affected too.
Holidays across Malta, Morocco and Turkey also face cancellations.
The main tour operator affected in the UK by the cancellations is Loveholidays.
Earlier this month, tourists found themselves without hotel rooms while on holiday, or forced to pay for their holiday again.
Annie Cox, 24, was forced to pay another £900 when she arrived on holiday in at Labranda Targa Club Aqua Parc in Morocco.
She said: “They let us check in and then they kicked us out our room, cut our wristbands off and left us to rot in reception for seven hours.”
Another holidaymaker said they were forced to pay £1,500 extra, as the hotel was £200 a night.
However, a loveholidays spokesperson previously told Sun Online Travel that a “small portion” of holidaymakers were affected and they would be getting in touch to offer alternative accomodation.
How does the FTI collapse affect Brits?
The Sun’s Head of Travel Lisa Minot has explained what this means for British holidaymakers.
“THE collapse of Germany’s third largest tour operator may not seem at first to be something that would concern British holidaymakers.
“But the group’s many subsidiaries included a UK-based bed bank called youtravel.com – this company would have been used by travel agents in the UK like loveholidays.com to package up holidays.
“Called dynamic packaging, the travel agents would pair accommodation from youtravel.com with flights.
“Any dynamic package would need to have ATOL protection as the travel agent is selling you flights and one other element, in this case, hotels.
“Many UK holidaymakers will also have no idea that their trips are impacted as the travel agents like Loveholidays would have packaged up youtravel.com hotel rooms with flights.
“For all those impacted, the situation could be serious as finding alternative hotel accommodation at this busy time of year is going to be a challenge.
“UK holidaymakers should make sure to have very good travel insurance and check the ATOL certificate that they should get by law when they buy a package holiday with a tour operator or travel agent.
They said: “We are very sorry to hear of the insolvency of the FTI Group, the parent company of our accommodation and transfer partners youtravel.com and Meeting Point.
“Only a small portion of our customers are affected by this news and we’re working hard to ensure there is no disruption to their holidays.
“This is a fast-moving situation, so we will remain in touch with affected customers as the situation progresses and are very sorry for the inconvenience.”
They added: “We are aware that a small number of hotels are asking our customers to pay for their rooms again.
“Loveholidays is absolutely committed to covering these costs and we are working with affected customers, and the hotels involved, to make sure this happens.”
Loveholidays are ATOL-protected which means anyone being forced to pay extra for their holidays will be refunded.
Here’s what to do if you ever find your flights have been cancelled.
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