Iconic holiday company ‘returns' after going bust three years ago with angry holidaymakers still out of pocket

The Sun

2 days ago

TELETEXT holidays is back three years after going bust.
The much-loved travel agent went into administration at the end of 2021 leaving thousands of customers owed refunds.
The brand, which has been bought by new owners, is not connected to the old company - but its return has sparked anger with travellers who lost out.
The company struggled during the pandemic, when flights were grounded and overseas travel cancelled.
The new website reads: "Now in 2025, we are pleased to announce that Teletext Holidays is under the new ownership and management of Teletext Travel Ltd.
"We have acquired the necessary intellectual property (IP) from the liquidators of Teletext Ltd, ensuring that the legacy of Teletext Holidays continues with us."
Community support worker Andy Bardsley never got his money back for the £3,300 he spent on two holidays to Egypt in 2020.
Andy, 59, from Oldham, told The Sun he rang the company to try get a refund when he heard it had gone into administration.
He said: "All they kept saying was that they would get back to me, but they never did.
As he paid using his credit card, he tried claiming the money back from his credit card provider under Section 75 - a powerful consumer protection shoppers can use if they bought anything worth more than £100.
But his claims were rejected because he didn't have a receipt for his holidays, Andy said.
He didn't apply for a refund through the Travel Trust Association, which is a trade body that was responsible for issuing refunds, because he thought his chances of getting money back were slim.
"It's frustrating, I've lost a lot of money.
"I work really hard for the money I have. I want to go back on holiday, but I'm nervous about this happening again."
Other out-of-pocket customers have also complained on social media.
One disgruntled holidaymaker said: "Still owed and they are back trading."
Another said. "£600 they took of us never got back."
Another posted: "Have you all had your money back? Or just given up..."
How is the new Teletext Holidays different?
Unfortunately, just because Teletext Holidays is back does not mean that you will be able to claim an outstanding refund from it.
"The old company and new company are two separate and distinct legal entities, so the old customers won't have any legal claim against the new owners of the brand - as they would never have had a contractual arrangement with them," James Daley from Fairer Finance said.
It is normal for companies which have gone into administration to be bought by new owners.
Administrators will try and find a new buyer for the company and the brand.
The new Teletext Holidays site is only accepting bookings over the phone - you can't book your trip online.
What can affected customers do?
After Teletext Holidays' collapse, the Competition and Markets Authority told holidaymakers to submit a claim to the Travel Trust Association, which is a trade body that was responsible for issuing refunds.
The Sun has asked the TTA if affected customers can still put in a claim.
It may be too late to claim back money back via Section 75 if you used a credit card.
That's because you only have 120 days within making the purchase to put in a claim.
Teletext Holidays said: "As an independent entity, we want to clarify that we have no affiliations with the previously known Truly Travel Ltd or Teletext Ltd."
What happened to the old Teletext Holidays?
Teletext Holidays ran into difficulties in the run-up to its collapse.
In May 2021, Teletext Holidays promised to refund £7million to customers who were still owed cash from coronavirus cancellations by August 31, after thousands complained.
But in October it faced court action over claims it had not done enough to refund customers for cancelled holidays during the Covid crisis.
In November, the TTA revoked both firm's memberships, citing financial concerns.
Consumer watchdog the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched the legal battle against the company to secure refunds for customers.
How to protect your holiday booking
GOING on holiday can be expensive - so make sure to protect your booking for when things go wrong
Consider a package holiday, which offers better consumer protections.
The tour operator must legally offer a refund or fix the problem, such as putting you up in another hotel if the one you booked is not as advertised.
Many people buy travel insurance just before they're due to fly away, but you should buy a policy as soon as you book.
That's because you're only protected from the moment you buy your policy.
It may be tempting to skimp on a policy, but it's really important to get yourself covered.
If something goes wrong, you'll be faced with expensive bills, which could include thousands of pounds in medical fees or costs to get back home if there are travel issues.
Always pay for your holiday using a credit card if you can.
Credit cards provide powerful consumer protections. You can claim the money back from your credit card provider under Section 75 if anything goes wrong, as long as the holiday was over £100.
Make sure to pay your credit card off in full at the end of the month if you can afford to. This is so you can avoid paying any interest.