Latest news with #CharlieCoyle
Wales Online
25-04-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Travel company announces 'all future holidays cancelled' with immediate effect
Travel company announces 'all future holidays cancelled' with immediate effect The British travel company has ceased all trading All future holidays planned and booked by the company have been cancelled (Image: GETTY ) Travel firm Balkan Holidays has announced it will be closing with immediate effect. Customers who had holidays planned through the travel company will be notified and refunded in due course. However, people currently on a holiday planned through the company do not need to cut their trip short. A spokesperson for the company confirmed: 'We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK. 'Clients currently on holiday will be unaffected. The company remains solvent, but has ceased trading, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled. Article continues below 'All clients will be notified and refunded in full. May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience." Bookings due to take place before June 1 will be handed over to Trafalgar Travel according to the Sun. Manager Charlie Coyle told the outlet: "As you can imagine this has been very difficult for staff at this time, however we all remain 100% committed to ensuring a very smooth transfer of bookings to another agency.' Customers that booked directly with the company are encouraged to email the operator for their refund using refunds@ People who booked through a travel agent will need to contact this third party to get their money back. Holidays with the earliest departure dates will be prioritised in this process so holidaymakers still have a chance of salvaging their getaway plans. Disgruntled customers took to social media to share their frustrations and sympathies. Some shared their past memories of excellent service with the companies and others admitted they were 'gutted' by the news. One upset client added: 'Absolutely devastated - we WERE going in 36 days time! How are we meant to book anywhere now at this notice.' Article continues below The industry has reacted to the sudden news as well, with Gary Lewis, chief executive of The Travel Network Group telling Travel Weekly it was a "heartbreaking" announcement. He added: "It's sad for the industry to see the loss of a strong specialist operator. The fact that they have taken responsible action to close their doors while still solvent to ensure partners do not lose money is really commendable.' The company specialised in trips to the Balkan region of Europe including Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus. The award-winning establishment had won awards for its performance in the past, and served around 130,000 holidaymakers in just one year in its prime. Balkan Holidays also offered departures from 17 UK airports, more than any other tour operator in the UK. Its closure follows Jetline Holidays' shut down last month which affected 5,000 holidaymakers.
Daily Record
25-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Holiday chaos as British travel company shuts down with ALL future trips axed
A major British travel firm has gone bust, cancelling all future holidays and leaving customers furious and scrambling to make alternative arrangements. Balkan Holidays , established in 1966, said it "regrets to inform" customers it has closed down with immediate effect, reports the Mirror. A spokesperson for the company, which specialisied in trips to the Balkan region of Europe said: "We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK. Clients currently on holiday will be unaffected. "The company remains solvent, but has ceased trading, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled. All clients will be notified and refunded in full. May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience." The company offered holidaymakers trips to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus. Those who booked holidays to these destinations and others should expect refunds in the coming weeks. Those with the earliest departure dates, including this week, will be prioritised. The tour operator was licensed to carry nearly 28,000 Atol-protected passengers until March 2026 and previously flew from 17 UK airports - more than any other British holiday firm. At its peak, it served around 130,000 customers a year. Holidaymakers have been left furious by the collapse, with many turning to social media to share their anger. One person said on X: "Absolutely devastated we were going in 36 days time! How are we meant to book anywhere now at this notice? Its closure is the latest blow to the struggling travel industry, which was decimated during the Covid-19 pandemic and experts say has largely struggled since then. Prices nowadays are impeding families, in particular, it has been argued in recent months. And in March, Trafalgar Travel , a Guernsey-based travel agents, shut down after 42 years of trading. Bosses blamed the 'very sad and tough decision' on rising costs and the shift to online holiday bookings. "As you can imagine this has been very difficult for staff at this time, however we all remain 100% committed to ensuring a very smooth transfer of bookings to another agency," said manager Charlie Coyle. Bookings before June 1 will be handled to Trafalgar Travel as usual – while those afterwards will be transferred. The number of UK travel agencies has dropped by nearly 18 per cent in the past five years. According to Statista, there were over 4,200 travel agency shops in March 2019, but that number fell to just 3,500 by June 2023.
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Balkan Holidays is forced to shut from today - with all future holidays CANCELLED
An award-winning British travel company has confirmed it has ceased trading - and all future holidays have been cancelled. Balkan Holidays customers are now scrambling to make alternative arrangements as their breaks everywhere, including long-awaiting summer getaways, have been axed. The firm, established in 1966, said it "regrets to inform" customers it has closed down with immediate effect. "We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK. Clients currently on holiday will be unaffected," a spokesperson for the company, which specialised in trips to the Balkan region of Europe said. "The company remains solvent, but has ceased trading, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled. All clients will be notified and refunded in full. May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience." Have you been affected by the closure of Balkan Holidays? Contact webnews@ Balkan Holidays offered holidaymakers trips to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus. All those who had booked holidays to these places and others should refunds in the coming weeks. Those with the earliest departure dates, including this week, will be prioritised. The tour operator was licensed to carry 27,817 Atol-protected passengers in the year to the end of March 2026 – and at its peak, served 130,000 holiday makers in a single year. It offered departures from 17 British airports, more than any other UK tour operator. Balkan was given the bronze award for "Best Medium Holiday Company to East and South East Europe" at the British Travel Awards 2019, and scooped the same gong in 2015. For three consecutive years; 2011, 2012 and 2013, it won that category. But now holidaymakers affected by the collapse have been left frustrated. They have shared their anger on social media. One customer said on X: "Absolutely devastated we were going in 36 days time! How are we meant to book anywhere now at this notice?" It is another blow to the travel industry, which was decimated during the Covid-19 pandemic and experts say has largely struggled since then. Prices nowadays are impeding families, in particular, it has been argued in recent months. And in March, Trafalgar Travel, a Guernsey-based travel agents, shut down after 42 years of trading. Bosses blamed the 'very sad and tough decision' on rising costs and the shift to online holiday bookings. "As you can imagine this has been very difficult for staff at this time, however we all remain 100% committed to ensuring a very smooth transfer of bookings to another agency," said manager Charlie Coyle. Bookings before June 1 will be handled to Trafalgar Travel as usual – while those afterwards will be transferred. The number of UK travel agencies has dropped by nearly 18 per cent in the past five years. According to Statista, there were over 4,200 travel agency shops in March 2019, but that number fell to just 3,500 by June 2023.
Business Mayor
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
UK travel company forced to close with ALL future holidays cancelled
A UK travel company has been forced to close – with all future holidays cancelled. In a shock announcement, Balkan Holidays revealed that it had ceased trading as of today (April 24) – after nearly 60 years in the business. 2 Balkan Holidays made the shock announcement via its website and Facebook page Credit: Balkan Holidays Ltd While those currently on holiday will be able to complete their travels, those with upcoming bookings will be forced to instead get a refund. The tour operator was licensed to carry 27,817 Atol-protected passengers in the year to the end of March 2026 – and at its peak, served 130,000 in a single year. In a statement shared to its Facebook and website, the tour operator offered its 'sincere apologies' over the news . It said: 'We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has, as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK. 'The company has not gone into liquidation, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled. 'All clients will be notified and refunded in full. 'May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding. 'Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience.' Direct customers have been urged to email the operator for a refund. However, those who booked via a travel agent will need to contact the third party for a refund. The operator said it would process refunds as fast as possible – working in order of departure date. Can you get your money back when a company goes bust Balkan Holidays was launched almost 60 years ago – initially specialising in Bulgarian holidays. Clients could fly out to Burgas, on the country Black Sea coast, for a beach holiday. Or, alternatively, they could visit the capital Sofia for skiing or snowboarding trips. The company then expanded to holidays across the Balkans – including Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus. The operator offered departures from 17 UK airports – more than any other UK tour operator. The news comes after Trafalgar Travel, a Guernsey-based travel agents, shut down last month after 42 years. Bosses blamed the 'very sad and tough decision' on rising costs and the shift to online holiday bookings. 'As you can imagine this has been very difficult for staff at this time, however we all remain 100% committed to ensuring a very smooth transfer of bookings to another agency,' said manager Charlie Coyle. Bookings before June 1 will be handled to Trafalgar Travel as usual – while those afterwards will be transferred. The number of UK travel agencies has dropped by nearly 18 per cent in the past five years. According to Statista, there were over 4,200 travel agency shops in March 2019, but that number fell to just 3,500 by June 2023. Last month, Jetline Holidays, a major UK-based travel agency, also went bust – leaving nearly 5,000 British holidaymakers stranded. Many of those affected had booked cruise holidays with Princess Cruises, Cunard, and Holland America, which were cancelled due to a 'breach of contract.' Some travellers were forced to pay again for their holidays or risk having their trips cancelled altogether. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued warnings to affected customers, advising them to check their flight e-tickets, as only some packages remained valid. However, those who booked only cruises or accommodation without flights found themselves without ATOL protection, meaning they may not get their money back. 'We understand that Jetline acted as an agent for other ATOL holders, so not all bookings are covered,' the CAA confirmed. Holidaymakers affected by the collapse took to social media to voice their frustration. One customer said: 'Our holiday, including flights, hotels, and a cruise, has completely disappeared. We can't get hold of Jetline at all.' Another added: 'I was told I had 48 hours to pay again, or my holiday would be cancelled.'
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex-Bruins forward on hot streak with new team heading into playoffs
It took Charlie Coyle a while to get going with the Colorado Avalanche, but the former Bruins forward is heading into the playoffs on a hot streak. After registering a goal and two assists on Sunday night against Anaheim, Coyle is on a six-game point streak and has 11 points — two goals and nine assists — in those six games. Advertisement Coyle, who was traded at the deadline as part of the Bruins' large-scale sell-off, had just two assists in his first 13 games with Colorado before heading up. The Bruins dealt Coyle to the Avalanche for a package that included 26-year-old center Casey Mittelstadt, prospect Will Zellers and a 2025 second-round pick. Colorado is getting Boston's 2026 fifth-round pick. The Avalanche, who are locked into the No. 3 seed in the Central Division, will face the Dallas Stars (Central No. 2) in the playoffs beginning next week. More Bruins content
