Airline Liquidated; Difficulty getting money back from credit card

Hi

I booked a flight with Oasis Hong Kong using my credit card a few months ago but the airline has since gone into liquidation. It is very difficult to get in touch with the airline and all of their helplines just have a voicemail stating the obvious.

I was in touch with my credit card company in an attempt to get my 800 euro back but they want confirmation from the airline that they will not be refunding me.

Should I have to go these lengths to get my refund?

Thanks

Jack

Sounds like you will need to get a letter from the airline's liquidator.

When were you due to fly??
I used to work for a large credit card company and if you put in writing to them that you have not received the goods that you paid for on your card in most cases you will get the refund, they will try and contact the airline company too and it may take a few weeks but in most cases a credit was put onto the card...

Hope that helps

Thanks for the replies

The airline's HK helpline is ringing out and their voice mailbox is full. Their London helpline is just an answering machine reading a message straight form their website. My emails are going unanswered.

My credit card company wants a mail from them saying that they will not be refunding me. I need to get this sorted soon.

Is what I am doing a "charge back"? Or can i demand a charge back from my credit card? is it a separate process?

I don't know the ins and outs of the terms and conditions on my mastercard

Thanks

Angrygirl, I am due to fly in August, but that is almost certainly not going to happen

Have you found out who the liquidator is? Surely they are managing the payment or otherwise of creditors?

The liquidators are KPMG in Hong Kong.

I think my credit card company are giving me the run around. I have entered into a contract with them and they have broken that contract. Telling me to get a letter from the airline is in my opinion a delaying tactic. Calling and faxing Hong Kong is just adding to my costs.

Furthermore, am I entitled to claim the difference of re booking a flight with another airline? In the Uk, this seems to be the case.

I suppose I will be happy enough to get the price of the flights back.

J

I would tend to disagree with you pyramid. Not to cast aspersions on you or to imply that you are anything but truthful but what is so surprising about the credit card company asking for confirmation that the company has gone bust and will not be re-imbursing you? Does your contract with your credit card company say that you are entitled to refund on demand? It is up to KPMG in Hong Kong how much refund you would be entitled to, I would suggest writing to them and following it up with a phone call.
On the other point, who exactly would you be entitled to claim the difference from? I am not aware of any UK practices that allow this but perhaps this is to do with the additional cover supplied by travel agents? I would doubt if you are entitled to claim (or that there would be any money from which to pay your claim) from a company that has ceased to trade. Or from government agencies in a different country to the one which has gone out of business..

So-crates,

Well it doesn't take a genius to see that the airline has gone into liquidation... It is all over the internet. I got a generic email from the airline stating that the it has gone into liquidation but the CC company want a letter specifically telling me that I will not get my money back. But I cannot get a reply from the airline to that request.

"Does your contract with your credit card company say that you are entitled to refund on demand?"

I don't know that. That is why I put the question up here. Perhaps someone can enlighten me further. I have an issue with my CC company. I simply want my 800 euro back. I am not happy with the service here. Yesterday they told me it will take 30 days before a decision is reached even though I have asked for the chargeback on the 10th of April.

"I would suggest writing to them(KPMG HK) and following it up with a phone call"

Why should I? My CC company did not fulfill their side of the deal. I just want a chargeback from them. Simple. I have spent enough money calling and faxing documents to them.

"On the other point, who exactly would you be entitled to claim the difference from?"

Again, I am asking people here for help on that. You know you sound like the unhelpful guy in the CC company. I was reading on some of the UK message boards that some people had the difference of the price of the new flights as well as the original purchase funded to their credit cards. But I will be happy enough just to get my 800 euro back.

" I would doubt if you are entitled to claim (or that there would be any money from which to pay your claim) from a company that has ceased to trade. Or from government agencies in a different country to the one which has gone out of business.."

The dogs on the street know that I will not get a penny from the Airline or the liquidators for that matter. And my credit card company know that too. So I don't understand why they don't just do the chargeback

J

I have to say that you could be a little less rude about your requests for assistance "You know you sound like the unhelpful guy in the CC company" is not the most useful way of getting people onside.

You've stated that you don't know the terms and conditions of your Mastercard. Most banks, Ulster Bank Permanent TS etc. have copies of their credit card terms and conditions on line. You could always go into a bank branch and request a copy.

From Ulster Bank's terms and conditions:

"17.4 The Bank will credit the Account with the amount of any refund due to You on
receipt of a properly issued refund voucher or other verification of the refund
by a retailer or supplier in a form acceptable to the Bank."

The onus is on you to supply them with the correct information.

The bank has told you that it will take 30 days for a decision will be reached, that time hasn't passed yet it's still only the 6th May.

Jack,

I hate to say this since it seems to offend you but the credit card company has not asked anything unreasonable of you. That doesn't mean that it is easy or not onerous for you to fulfill, simply a valid requirement on their part. It seems silly to say but just because you know that this particular airline has folded does not in anyway mean that it is common or universal knowledge or of general concern to the vast majority of the population. It is of eminent concern to you as you are out of pocket but of limited interest to other parties. Airlines actually fold on a pretty frequent basis. It is rarely news unless they are substantial holdings.

It is up to you to prove that your claim is valid not the credit card company. As already stated, the way to go about this is to approach KPMG requesting they advise you of what return you can expect (probably nil but experience isn the same as hard fact) and then send this to your credit card company to re-imburse you. What is evident is that you don't want to hear this because it means that you have to actively do something. You want someone to agree with you that your credit card company should coming running over and pick up all the pieces for you. They won't, you need to pick yourself up first.

So-crates.