The sudden closure of online travel agent lowcostholidays.ie is expected to disrupt the travel plans of thousands, especially given the fact that the peak holiday season is now in full swing.
Those affected by the website’s demise are now being urged to make claims to attempt to recoup any monies paid.
It is understood that claim forms will be made available via the Commission for Aviation Regulation’s website, www.aviationreg.ie
The Director for Legal Affairs at the commission, David Hodnett, has said that people who are currently abroad claim money back if they are forced to fork out for accommodation again.
Mr Hodnett said: “Persons who have yet to travel should try to ascertain from lowcostholidays.ie if their booking will be honoured.
“If not, they should make a claim to the commission for a refund of monies paid to date.
“There may be people who are abroad and they find they have to pay a second time for accommodation that they’ve already paid for via lowcostholidays.ie.
“In that situation those persons should also claim for reimbursement from the Commission for Aviation Regulation.”
Mr. Hodnett added that the commission is only liable to cover customers who have booked both overseas travel and accommodation, and will not refund customers who may have just booked a hotel room or accommodation abroad. In this situation, it is up to the customers to find the money themselves.
Lowcostholidays.ie shut down without warning on Friday afternoon, leaving thousands of customers perplexed and potentially out of money.