Families affected by the collapse of budget tour operator Lowcostholidays are turning to crowdfunding sites to appeal for money from friends and family to help save their holidays.
The travel company went into administration on 15 July, affecting around 140,000 customers, 55% of whom are British. Its collapse left 27,000 customers stranded abroad and 110,000 with worthless future bookings.
Among those turning to crowd funding are Beverly Smith, who set up a page on GoFundMe.com to save her sister’s honeymoon, an all-inclusive trip to Spain.
“Every penny they received on their wedding day last year they saved and booked a family “honeymoon” for them and their two boys,” she wrote.
“The company have effectively stolen all the money and they have lost their honeymoon.”
Another page was set up by Melanie Lewis, who wrote that she was “totally gutted” at the news of Lowcostholiday’s collapse. Their flights were still valid but the family lost their hotel and transfers.
“Thanks to Lowcostholidays going into administration yesterday we have had to tell our beautiful babies this morning we can’t take them on the holiday we have had booked since Christmas Eve,” she wrote.
“Like most people these days we have no rainy day money put aside for emergencies.”
Others turning to crowdfunding include Steph Leese, who set up a page saying that her family saved for two years to afford their break to Lanzarote this summer, while Stacey Stevens is crowdfunding to help someone who is stranded abroad without money to pay for their hotel.
On Tuesday it was revealed customers could receive as little as £7.78 compensation each. Lowcostholidays was registered and regulated in Palma, Mallorca, and was not a member of Abta or the Atol protection scheme.
In a statement, Abta said it strongly advised customers to check with their travel provider or airline to determine whether their flight seats remain available and to separately check with any accommodation to determine if their booking is secure.
Consumer travel group Holiday Travel Watch said they received 120 phone calls in 24 hours from affected customers after the collapse of Lowcostholidays.
Its consumer director Frank Brehany said the Balaeric government should be held to account. “We are calling on that government to detail how consumers can get their money back and produce a facility on their website to aide consumers,” he said.
