UK travel firm Thomas Cook has stopped trading. As of 23 September 2019, all Thomas Cook bookings, flights and holidays have been cancelled.

If you have used a Thomas Cook departing flight and are yet to return, there may be a repatriation program to assist you.

For those who departed the UK, more information about the UK repatriation program is available here.

Other repatriation programs and assistance have been announced by authorities in France and Germany. We recommended Thomas Cook customers check with the relevant aviation and government authorities in the country of departure for information about what assistance programs are available.

Can I get a refund of my unused tickets?

Depending on how you paid for your flight or holiday, there are different courses of action you can take to try and get your money back.

For tickets purchased in the UK

For tickets purchased in the UK, a refund maybe available under the UK’s financial protection scheme ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence).  More information about Thomas Cook flights and ATOL is available here.

If the ticket was purchased using a credit card

Customers who purchased their tickets via credit card may be able to get their money back by asking their financial institution to “chargeback” the transaction. 

A chargeback is a process of reversing a charge made on a cardholder’s credit card account.

Credit card schemes (e.g. Visa, Mastercard and AMEX) have rules outlining when a transaction can be charged back. One reason can be when goods or services are purchased but are not provided by the merchant, such as in this case.

Time limits do apply to when a chargeback can be raised. The time limit is usually 120 days from when the customer becomes aware the merchant will not provide the goods or services they purchased.

We recommend that you check the time limit directly with your credit card company to ensure you act within the appropriate time limits.

We also encourage all customers who purchased tickets from Thomas Cook by credit card to contact their financial institution as soon as possible to request the chargeback. Customers should note that it can take 4-6 weeks for the outcome of a chargeback to be finalised.

For customers who are unhappy with their financial firm’s response, the next step is to lodge a complaint with us online, via email or by telephone.

You may be a creditor of Thomas Cook

If you paid Thomas Cook for goods or services that you have not received, then you may be able to register as a creditor in Thomas Cook’s liquidation.

Whether creditors receive their money back will depend on the outcome of Thomas Cook’s liquidation.

We encourage all customers who paid Thomas Cook for goods or services and have not received them to complete a Proof of Debt form and submit it via the liquidator’s dedicated website.

If you have travel insurance

Your travel insurance policy may provide cover for the insolvency or collapse of travel agents. Whether you are covered will depend on the policy type and wording, including any applicable exclusions. If you have travel insurance we encourage you to contact your insurance company directly to ensure you have the correct information for your situation.

If you have raised a complaint with your insurance company but have been unable to resolve the matter, the next step is to lodge a complaint with us online, via email or by telephone.