Maxjet - RESULT!

[removalman]

For the last year I've been saving to take the Missus to Las Vegas for our 25th Anniversary in Feb 2008.

As an extra treat, I also decided to book the US based business class only airline Maxjet. So in November, I duly paid £1300.00 via my debit card.

You may be aware that Maxjet have just filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in the US. (In effect the equivalent of Creditors Voluntary Liquidatin in the UK).

I have no recourse to a credit card as I used a Debit Card. My Travel insurance doesn't cover an airline actually ceasing to trade. As they are a US based company they don't appear to have the ATOL/ABTA bond/security requirements.

To say the wife is a bit upset woud be a massive understatement.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to what I should do to try and get my money back?

[Rob S]

You should try and find out if Maxjet were ATOL protected, as you may be covered under that scheme.

 

Have you contacted Maxjet directly regarding the situation? They have a contact number on their website of 01279 216 428 , which appears to have been set up to deal with enquiries from passengers such as yourself who have booked and paid for flights but have not taken them.

[freakyleaky]

ATOL Information.

 

Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL)

 

Also under the auspices of the Civil Aviation Authority, ATOL is the largest travel protection scheme in Britain. It covers almost every flight and holiday sold by travel firms in the UK. If the company that sells you a holiday or flight goes out of business, the ATOL scheme will refund you in full.

 

Tel:

020 7453 6430 or 020 7453 6360

 

Web Site:

http://www.caa.co.uk/cpg/atol/default.asp

Consumer Action Group is not responsable for the content of external websites.

 

email:

advice@cpg.org.uk

 

Postal address:

Civil Aviation Authority

ATOL

Consumer Protection Group

CAA House

45-59 Kingsway

London WC2B 6TE

[removalman]

As Maxjet were a US based carrier they don't appear to be members of ATOL or any other UK regulatory authorities. I booked direct with them and not via a Travel Agent.

The phone line on the website is just a recorded message with no further real help and the email address just sends an unhelpful auto-reply.

Very frustrating.

[Guest 10110001]

Silverjet, a low cost all-J service from LTN may honour your maxjet booking as far as NYC subject to conditions, you can connect to LAS cheaply on JetBlue or American.

[removalman]

Thanks for that.

 

Will defo explore that possibility.

[Guest 10110001]

Do let us know how Silverjet's promise stands up.

[removalman]

Has anybody heard of the Visa Debit Card Chargeback scheme?

I've read that this little known scheme in effect offers the same protection as a credit card would to someone who uses a debit card and then for some reason the supplier fails to deliver.

Anyone know anything?

[Guest 10110001]

It works the same as credit cards but there is no legislative joint liability with supplier and bank under Section 75. Phone your bank for a chargeback form.

[removalman]

Spoke to my bank this morning (Barclays). Suffice to say that the Customer Service guy I spoke to had never heard of it but managed to escalate it up to a level where there was some acknowledgement of its existance. They won't actually embrace any claim until such time as the date I was due to take the flights has elapsed (6 Feb) but will process the claim then.

This is quite an encouraging step (I think).

Amazing how little is known about this scheme. Its almost the same level of protection as a credit card potentially yet its not widely publicised. Why is that?

[Guest 10110001]

Its a delay tactic, keep all written correspondence on file. If the delay is made by phone, then write to yoor bank asking for a chargeback. Cover yourself.

[honeymooner]

We have also fallen foul of the Maxjet demise and have paid for our honeymoon trip to Vegas and Los Angeles in April by Lloyds Premier Debit Card.. Any info would be useful

[removalman]

Hello,

Have a look at this separate thread I started about this subject last week. There is some useful comments that hopefully will assist you.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/general-consumer-issues/125992-via-debit-card-chargeback.html

 

Best of luck.

[Douglas52]

Honeymooner

 

check out this link-

Lloyds TSB - Debit cards

 

it seems the card has some kind of travel insurance.

Also get a copy of the card Terms & Conditions and read all the small print.

[Douglas52]

Here's the American DOT advice document on MaxJet http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/cessations/Maxjet.DOC

[removalman]

Update time:

Managed to finally track down "Debit Card Services" at Barclays who sent me a form for signature which was pretty much just a disclaimer giving them certain rights if we're making a fraudulent claim etc.

Form duly signed and returned to them together with supporting documentation.

So hopeful of resolution over the next 10 days.

Fingers crossed...

[removalman]

After several weeks of phone calls and providing more info my bank account was fully credited today!

 

So a after a bit of perseverance it would seem that in some circumstances the Visa Chargeback scheme actually provides some protection akin to that of a credit card.

 

I'm very happy with the outcome.

[barracad]

Well done