Tour operator
RTI bankruptcy: 125,000 applications for compensation so far
FTI filed for bankruptcy at the beginning of June. (archive image) photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa/dpa-tmn
More than 200,000 package holidays were canceled in the wake of the FTI bankruptcy in early summer. Numerous customers have now received compensation. But many have not yet submitted an application.
After the bankruptcy of the tour operator FTI, the German Travel Insurance Fund (DRSF) already has more than ten million euros Compensation paid out. In total, a mid-double-digit million euro amount has been reimbursed to affected customers so far, the fund said. Around 125,000 applications have been received since the reimbursement process started two months ago. The majority of them have already been processed or are currently being processed.
In total, the fund wrote to 180,000 beneficiaries. However, many of you have not yet submitted an application. “We see that a significant proportion of the consumers contacted have either not yet started processing their refund request or have started but not sent it,” said DRSF Managing Director Ali Arnaout, according to the statement. “At the same time, there are many specific cases in the reimbursement requests that require clarification or queries.”
Applications will soon also be possible by post
Applications can currently only be submitted online. In addition, the fund will soon also accept paper applications. “Our data shows how quickly and efficiently online applications work for most consumers,” said second DRSF managing director Stefan Mees. “However, we will soon also be creating an opportunity for those who prefer to submit an application by post. Everyone who is eligible will receive their reimbursement – they can rely on that.”
According to previous information, 215,000 package holiday bookings were affected by the FTI insolvency. The third largest German tour operator after Tui and DER Touristik filed for bankruptcy at the beginning of June and shortly afterwards canceled all trips that had already been booked. Anyone who had made payments for this can apply for the repayment of these monies from the Travel Insurance Fund since August 8th.
Payments already made for package tours are protected against insolvency of the organizer via the German Travel Insurance Fund. The protection does not apply to individually booked travel components such as pure hotel bookings. There is also no reimbursement from the fund for flights or rental cars booked individually.