Super Break ceased trading on Thursday (1 August) after parent Malvern Group failed in its efforts to find a buyer for the 49% of the business owned by Cox & Kings (India).
The CAA confirmed to TTG Super Break had 254 passengers overseas across 113 Atol-protected bookings when it ceased trading, with a further 7,300 passengers due to travel on 3,100 Atol-protected forward bookings.
According to Abta, about 400 Super Break passengers were on holiday with the business either overseas in the UK when the company collapsed and should be able to continue with their holiday as booked.
A further 53,000 passengers across 20,000 forward bookings, the majority of whom are yet to travel, should be able to obtain a refund either through Abta or another financial protection scheme depending on the type of booking.
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Malvern placed itself up for sale last week after the historic Indian tour operator defaulted on its Iata billing and settlement plan (BSP) in June.
However, despite drafting in KPMG to oversee a sale, the company confirmed on Thursday it had not been able to find a buyer or secure support from the banking sector.
Cox & Kings UK has confirmed it is not affected by the news as it is a wholly separate business.
Super Break is understood to have employed about 250 people across its bases in Manchester and York.
Abta and the CAA have issued advice to help agents assist their Super Break clients, including those currently travelling with the operator overseas or in the UK, and those with forward bookings.
If you are a travel agent of Superbreak Mini-Holidays Ltd and you are currently holding consumer payments which you have not yet paid to Superbreak Mini-Holidays Ltd, you are advised not to refund consumers with these funds until you have received instructions from the Air Travel Trust.
Travel agents will be individually contacted by the CAA with specific instructions for these bookings.
If you are a travel agent or an Atol holder considering providing alternative holidays to consumers of Superbreak Mini-Holidays Ltd and wish consumers to assign their claim to you, in the first instance you should email agent.info@caa.co.uk and it will issue you with instructions.
Bookings that do not include a flight element are not covered by the Atol scheme and consumers should contact abta.com/superbreak.
A CAA spokesperson said: “We understand this will be concerning news for anyone who has booked to travel with the company.
“However, the Atol scheme exists for exactly this kind of situation and we are making immediate arrangements so all Atol-protected customers may make a claim for their Atol-protected package via the Atol scheme.”
Abta’s immediate aim is to help customers navigate through the process of either continuing with their holiday arrangements if they are away or, for those yet to travel, recovering their money or rebooking their travel arrangements.
The vast majority of holidaymakers’ arrangements will be covered through one of a number of different types of financial protection.
The majority of holidaymakers’ package bookings are covered by Abta financial protection, while a significant proportion of other arrangements are covered by other types of protection including Atol and credit card arrangements, depending on the type of booking.
These customers will either be entitled to a refund or, if they’ve booked through another travel company, they should contact them to discuss options which may include continuing with their booking, rebooking or alternative arrangements.
Abta has specific guidance for customers in relation to what kind of booking they have with Super Break, which is available at abta.com/superbreak.
Customers who are currently on holiday
Customers who are currently on holiday on Abta-protected packages (rail or other non-flight packages) should be able to continue with their trip as planned, but can contact Abta if they encounter any difficulties with arrangements.
Customers who are on holiday on Atol-protected packages (flight-based packages) should be able to continue with their trip as planned but if they encounter any difficulties should contact the CAA.
Customers who are yet to travel
Customers who have booked with Super Break should visit abta.com/superbreak where we have specific guidance on next steps and how to progress a claim through Abta, Atol, the consumer’s card provider or through another type of financial protection scheme, if required.
Superbreak Mini-Holidays Limited (trading as Super Break) has filed a notice of intention to appoint an administrator on 1 August 2019 and has ceased trading with immediate effect.
It is the company’s intention to appoint an administrator to deal with the affairs of the business in due course. We are not accepting any further bookings.
For customers with bookings for travel beyond 1 August 2019, or who are currently on a break:
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