XL Leisure customers have today to claim compensation

Customers who had booked holidays through the stricken tour operator, XL Leisure, have until today (Friday) to make a claim for reimbursement of holidays they booked with the company before they went into administration. The firm went bust back in September of 2008, which left tens of thousand of people stranded overseas and left around 200,000 who still had holidays to take.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have said to date, all they have dealt with is a little over 65,000 customers, which means there is still almost three quarters that have not made a claim against the company. It is thought that many people are not aware of the deadline or even the fact that they can claim for a part or full refund. The collapse included their subsidiaries of Kosmar Villa Holidays, Freedom Flights and Travel City Direct.

The Air Travel Trust Fund has already paid out an estimated £37.5 million which included some refunds and to pay for the return of guests that were stranded overseas with no way of getting home. Those customers that are still yet to receive compensation are being urged to come forward otherwise they will not be able to after today.

The company was also the sponsors of West Ham Football Club when they went bust, leaving the top Premiership team with no sponsor logo for most of the season.