Friends left £11,000 out of pocket and 50th birthday holiday to New York is cancelled when travel company goes bust
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A dream 50th birthday trip to New York for 15 life-long school friends into a nightmare after they lost £11,000 when her travel agent went bust.
Organiser Mandy Weston, 50, saved for three years to go to New York with her friends to have a joint birthday celebration.
But she was left seething when Kent-based Blue Skies Travel (UK) Ltd went into liquidation - and the Big Apple trip looked doomed.
The 15 friends eventually made their trip to New York, but only after being loaned the money by a friend
The trip to New York was supposed to be a 50th birthday celebration between friends - but the travel company 'lost' their money causing stress and worry
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The friends - all born in 1964 and 65 - had each forked out £750 for the three-day trip.
But they were left heartbroken when the travel company registered with ATOL collapsed just weeks before they were set to fly to America.
Organiser Mandy Weston was left devastated when Blue Skies (UK) Ltd failed to honour their booking
Mandy, who booked the trip, had paid for flights, hotels and theatre tickets - but the company had not booked anything or paid a single penny to any firm.
The group from Caerphilly, South Wales, had paid their deposit on protected Visa cards.
But the majority of the holiday was paid by bank transfer after the company claimed that if they paid quickly, they would receive £70 worth of vouchers to use on the trip.
It looked doomed - until a friend loaned them the cash to rebook the holiday despite it costing double the original cost.
The company went under owing consumers almost £415,000 in un-booked holidays.
Mandy said: 'I am seething. What breaks my heart is how they can get away with ripping off £415,000 from people.
'This was a holiday of a lifetime, but some people lost their weddings. I can't believe that suspicion wasn't raised.
'I don't think there's a hope in hell of us getting money back from the creditors.
'We had a great time in New York but it has cost a lot - in money, worry and pain.'
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority - of which ATOL is a part of - said: 'We can confirm we have received a number of complaints from customers who have booked with Bright Skies Travel, which we are looking into.'
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: 'We are investigating a travel company based in Kent relating to a number of allegations of fraud against that company. At this stage we've made no arrests and inquiries continue.'
It should be made clear that the company, though of similar name, is not connected to Blue Skies Travel in Cardiff.
Although Mandy Weston's group eventually made it to New York, many other customers have been left high and dry by Blue Skies Travel (UK) Ltd
MailOnline Travel have previously tried to contact Clive Allard without success. The company's office in Kent is believed to have closed, and the website is no longer active.
It's not new news concernign complaints about the company.
Online review site TripAdvisor has been flooded with furious holidaymakers who have received poor treatment at the hands of Blue Skies Travel (UK) Ltd, which also shares its phone number with Bright Skies Travel and Fly Vacations.
On the most recent discussion thread about the company on TripAdvisor, started on September 7 2014, there have already been 117 posts, few of them positive.
Thomas D from Belfast says, 'Do not book with this Travel Agents!!!!!! We are due to leave on Sunday 26th October and we still have no holiday booked! When querying with Clive he sent us over a confirmation of a reservation for flights.
'I spoke directly to United airlines who confirmed that infact all he did was reserve it and not paid for our flights!!! and after numerous calls and emails Clive is ignoring us and we are now getting from trading standardas [sic]'
Bernadette C from Blackpool added, 'I have not received any paperwork and have left countless messages with Clive Allard and his 'team'.
We have been advised by the police to take further action which is what I will be doing as Jet2.com have no record whatsoever of our flights....and I too am completing a form with the Fraud Squad immediately - Jet2.co were very interested too in wanting all his details and I will certainly not be fobbed off any further!!!!!!!'
Kirb80 equally despairs, 'Like all of the previous postings, I have tried numerous different ways to try and contact him. He is not currently answering his mobile and you cannot leave a message as it is full.
Both my hotel and flight had reservation numbers but last Wednesday the flight reservation was cancelled due to Clive not paying for it.'
Have you been left out of pocket by Blue Skies Travel (UK) Ltd? If so, contact John Hutchinson at john.hutchinson@dailymail.co.uk
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