The collapse of holiday operator Sun4U has left 1,200 holidaymakers stranded overseas with demands of payment for hotels already booked with the travel firm.
Sun4U went into administration yesterday, announcing on its website:
“Sun
4 U Limited has ceased trading as of 11th August 2010 at 2100hrs. For
further information please contact ABTA’s claim handlers CEGA on 01243
621 500.”
Birmingham-based Sun4U is thought to have suffered from the financial fall-out of the ash cloud earlier
this year, as well as from ‘sustained poor trading’. Sun4U call centre
workers were told yesterday morning that the company had collapsed.
At
least 1,200 Sun4U customers are currently abroad, mostly in Spain, with
no way of getting home. Many have been asked to pay for hotel rooms
which they had already forked out for before the company collapsed.
Travel
organisation Abta said those with ATOL (Air Travel Operators’
Licensing) packages should be able to continue with their holidays as
planned. ATOL is a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil
Aviation Authority which steps in when tour operators collapse.
An
Abta spokesman advised Sun4U customers: “Anyone who has booked a
package holiday must contact the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or
contact the supplier named on their invoice.”
However the CAA warned that customers who used Sun4U as a travel agent simply to book flights might have trouble returning.
Last month, travel company Goldtrail went into administration, affecting 16,000 holidaymakers, including 14,000 who were abroad and 2,000 who were due to go on holiday.
If you are a Sun4U customer you can get more information here:
CAA helpline – 08445 717260 (Overseas number 00 44 (0)161 444 5810)
caa.co.uk/atol
Tags: Sun 4 U, Sun4U, tour operators, holiday operators, holidaymakers, customers, advice, travel advice, travel update
