The following article was last edited in September 2019 and has been kept here for reference purposes only. Head over to Guides for Brides for the latest ideas and advice on honeymoons.
Today we're sad to hear the news that Thomas Cook has ceased trading, effective immediately. Not only has this left many holidaymakers and honeymooners stranded, but it's also spelled disaster for brides and grooms who have booked honeymoons or weddings abroad. This situation is constantly changing, but we'll give you the latest details below...
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If you had a honeymoon booked with Thomas Cook
If you've booked a package honeymoon, you should receive a full refund thanks to ATOL and ABTA schemes. However, if you've booked separate flights and accommodation, these may be unprotected. Unfortunately many travel insurance providers don't protect travel company liquidation as standard, so you may not be able to claim back. Check your policy thoroughly, and contact your provider if you're unsure.
You may also be able to claim back via your credit card or bank. According to Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert:
"Those who paid more than £100 on a credit card get Section 75 legal protection – which means the card firm is jointly liable with the retailer, so you can get your money back from it. However this may not work if you booked via an agency, or via certain Paypal transactions, as that break in the direct transactional relationship can stop it working.
"If that happens, or you paid by debit card, instead ask your bank to do a ‘chargeback’. This isn’t a legal protection – it is a Visa, Mastercard and Amex rule where your bank gets your money back from Thomas Cook’s bank as you didn’t receive what you paid for. It should work for most people. Those who paid by other methods such as cheques or cash have very little protection sadly."
Guides for Brides statistics demonstrate that couples spend an average of £3800 on their honeymoon. Less than 35% of our couples book their honeymoon as a package with companies such as Thomas Cook, Tui or Kuoni. The most popular honeymoon destinations for UK couples in 2019 have been Greece, Italy and Cyprus.
If you had a wedding abroad booked with Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook have made the following statement, confirming that wedding packages booked all at once are ATOL-protected. According to Thomas Cook:
“If the wedding package element is on the booking confirmation invoice and was confirmed at the same time as making your package holiday booking, it will be ATOL-protected.”
Your ATOL certificate should appear on the last page of your wedding booking documents. However, if you or your wedding guests have booked flights separately, these may be unprotected.
Companies such as Perfect Weddings Abroad have offered couples alternatives to try and protect wedding bookings. According to Perfect Weddings Abroad:
"If you have not booked through Perfect Weddings Abroad and have got a wedding booked with Thomas Cook, please contact us and we will help in protecting your wedding date and venue and ensuring your plans are affected as little as possible.
We will be offering low deposits and monthly payment plans to try and help customers financially during these difficult times. If you have any queries or concerns regarding your wedding/travel arrangements please do not hesitate to contact us."
If you have wedding insurance, we recommend contacting your provider immediately. This way you can ascertain if you're eligible for refunds for any wedding suppliers you've booked. We also recommend speaking directly to your suppliers where possible to see if your date can be moved.
Image credit: Ole Simon