Also according to the database at work , there's is a flight operating MID to EMA then positions to LGW empty 2 hours later , down as TOM965 and to be operated by a B789.

LGW-FAO-LGW today. I assume this is to drop off parts/engineers (I would hope crew have already been rescued but I don’t think they have by TOM aircraft) for G-FDZR which suffered an engine failure and diverted to FAO eight days ago. Jerhros has this aircraft down as being at DSA but I’d imagine it’s still in FAO as nothing suggests it left.

G-TAWL operated this and yes it is still in FAO. Due to return within 24 hours.

Story

https://www.travelmole.com/news_feat...ews_id=2042054

Currently I have been waiting for a total 9 hours to contact TUI to rebook a holiday.

I cannot access my booking on line to either amend or cancel

I and along with many others must be thinking 'Why bother '

Are they going bust ?

Why would they be going bust?! 🙄
Its maybe because there are thousands of people trying to rebook their holiday and with the call centres severely cut due to social distancing, they’re prioritising people that are closest to going away!

What's social distancing got to do with answering a phone? You just move the phone or link in from home .
They are busy which is understandable but they should at least get their web site working correctly.

distancing in the offices results in fewer people on site

diverting a call centre to home is not a trivial task, particularly since call centre teams are unlikely to be remote workers until now

They like everyone else in this country are trying there best in this terrible time

Think you seriously need to cut them some slack while they try and do there job under very trying times

The header on the TUI website explains that the company is giving priority to contacting customers who were due to travel before 18th April. It also asks customers not to telephone the company and thanks them for their patience in these trying times. The retail shops are currently closed and as they were used to deal with the overflow of calls to the call centres the company has lost significant capacity. To work from home you would need access to the company systems and this might be difficult as customer data needs to be protected.

On the trade side of things the majority of calls are answered by an Indian call centre which is likely to be closed now due to complete lockdown out there, not sure if that is used by direct customers too, hence long wait times.

German Govt has made 1.4bn Euro available to TUI as loans.

Tui UK is to furlough 11,000 staff in the UK, including almost 4,500 retail agents, the remaining 6,545 staff are from cabin crew, pilots, and staff in retail and head office functions.
Tui employs a total of 13,200 employees in the UK.

I wonder if their cruise division( Marella), which must be a money pit, gets closed down. Its got to be a prime candidate with an ageing fleet of old tubs, maintenance, crew and fuel hungry. That way the rest of it would be in a better position to survive.

I think you'll find the Cruise element of the business is actually far more profitable than say, the Airline which is also full of tubs (not so old), maintenance, crew & fuel hungry. :ok:

Maybe it is more profitable, maybe it isn’t. There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors going on in the TUI group to show the profit being made where they want it to appear. The source markets and airlines have always been shown to be less profitable than cruises and destination services, but without the airlines, where would the cruise ships get their passengers?

they haven’t furloughed re-entrant cabin crew, that have had two or three seasons of flying for Tui but returned ,had their refresher courses given their rosters , then told not needed now ,goodbye!!.

I think that you can only furlough those who were already employees on February 29th.

The same will be true for all multinational companies. Ensure that the profits mysteriously appear where there is little or no tax. Since the the ships operate on the high seas, particularly easy

I was due to fly with Tui (flight only) on Sunday. Should I still sit tight and wait for them to call me or should I now be trying to give them a call to get a refund?

A lonely TUI B737Max at TFS....
 

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....169f10b26a.jpg

Holidays are officially cancelled until 16 April (but it will obviously be longer than this) so your flight will not be departing.

Disappointing that they haven’t contacted you at this late stage, I know that holidays are the priority but flight only are paying customers too. I’d imagine you'll certainly get a refund but perhaps it will happen automatically and you won’t need to call them? Either way, I feel like you should have at least received an (automated) email.

I’m due to fly with them flight only in July which is still a while away so I’m hopeful but certainly not confident that it will go ahead. I understand it’s a fast-moving situation but I certainly hope we receive slightly better communication than you have.

EDIT
Just checked their website and they don’t mention refunds for customers departing before 16 April so you may not get one (whether or not they are actually allowed to deny you one I’m not sure, someone else will likely know)...

If your booking is for a flight or a hotel stay – not as part of a package – you’ll be able to move your booking to a later date for free.

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/i...avel-suspended

Thanks very much for the reply. Yes I'd seen that on their website but I was under the impression that in law they had to give you a refund if you wanted it.

If they have cancelled your flight or holiday then yes you are legally entitled to a refund. If you know you are going to go away again and you don’t need the money now what I would say is rebook you’re flights or ask for a voucher, this will keep the money in the company then and keep companies a float. Some companies are offering extra money if you rebook or take a voucher. Not sure what TUI are doing but I know EI are giving you an extra 10% and LS an extra £100 off.

Yes, I understand all of that and if I was a regular Tui customer I'd go for the voucher. They just happened to be the only airline flying from BHX to Heraklion this weekend when we planned to meet up with my brother-in-law and his daughter coming over from Germany. There is absolutely nothing wrong with Tui but this would have been the first time using them in 5 years (previous was again flight only).

We have tickets booked with Eurostar and Deutsche Bahn this summer and if we still can't travel then, then I'd take a voucher as I use both every year and appreciate that these are tough times for all travel providers 👍

I should be on a TUI holiday now. I tried to call them a couple of times a few weeks back but couldn’t get through. Then I found that they had reimbursed my credit card without telling me. I would have accepted vouchers as I will certainly need a holiday when this isolating is over.

I to want to defer my holiday .

After 15 hours on the phone without anyone answering i'm now in the mind ( if I ever get through) to ask for my money back.

Its no way to treat customers.

I know - there's an ongoing, global, fatal pandemic ravaging the world, and you can't get through to TUI about your holiday. Disgraceful.

Really, just thought it was TUI being awkward 🤔

This from a facebook post, can't verify authenticity but it might help.
"For anyone in the UK that booked through Tui, and booked in a store, the online staff cannot access your details as it's a different system. however, a friend of mine who works in store for Tui has told me that from this Wednesday, 200 staff will start contacting customers to rebook etc. More staff will be available once they receive laptops that are set up for them to work from home. They will be doing it in order of peoples travel so be patient."
aka TUI customer service cannot just pick up their office systems and work from home. I'm sure the IT guys at Wigmore Place in Luton will be busy putting in infrastructure for the direct bookings employees as well.Hope that helps.

The banner headline on the TUI website is still asking people not to telephone so anyone attempting to do so can surely expect a long and unproductive wait. If you want to rebook and are worrying about missing out on what you really want, I would suggest booking want you want online as, at the moment, you only require a small or even no deposit. There will then be plenty of time to transfer anything you have paid on your current booking to your new booking.

Sunwing
 

3 x Sunwing B738s pond hopping at the moment, one due into Luton, 2 others to Prague.

This is G-FDZX being returned, which means all are now back for storage in the UK.

Well said Richard, l had a gentleman screaming at me yesterday because l could not 100% confirm his holiday would operate on the 12th July. Apparently his two children and wife were devastated... Its a worldwide problem and most companies are working on reduced staff, please have compassion for those who are still working trying to help - screaming and statements like its no way to treat customers do not help, or change the situation we are all in.... Thanks you again

Why would anyone take a voucher, unless it is underwritten to be converted into cash, should an airline or tour operator fail?

I just accepted a voucher with EI (with the additional markup) because let's be honest... the Irish aren't going to let that fail.

If you are worrying about accepting a voucher from a package tour operator consider transferring your booking to a later date. You would then have ATOL protection should the unthinkable happen.

I wonder what state the aircraft is in given the proximity of TFS to the sea?

The engines are fully covered which will help.

BOH is close to the sea, hasn’t bothered BA