Couple's thanks to The Gazette after flights cost finally refunded

Keith and Lynne Milnes planned to travel to Thailand last April to visit a relative, but when the relative had to go into a nursing home, and Keith’s son died around the same time, they cancelled the trip.

With private accommodation already arranged, the return flights cost around £2,000 – money the retired couple could ill afford to lose.

But after booking the flights with World Travel Lounge in Cleveleys, it took until a few days ago for the cost to be refunded, despite repeated approaches by the couple, in person, by phone and in writing – and then minus an £800 cancellation fee.

"The cancellation fee we can accept, but we really can’t believe it took so log to get the money we were owned back,” said Keith, 63, who lives with Lynn, 67, in Queens Promenade.

The couple approached The Gazette to tell us of their plight when they felt they might never see the money – and World Travel Lounge came good and issued the refund.

"The ironic thing is we decided to shop locally for the flights to support local business,” added Keith.

"It we’d done the booking through an airline direct, I’m sure we would have had the money back long ago.

"We were looking forward to the trip and had only the flights to buy as we were planning to stay with family.

"But when the circumstances changed over there and my son died around the same time, we had to cancel.

"We explained the situation and at first it looked as though we would be sorted out pretty quickly but it just went on and on for months.

"We made contact galore and were put onto a financial company we were told was looking after it but we got nowhere.”

"We couldn’t write off that money – we were owed it – so we turned to The Gazette in the hope of it being resolved and we are so grateful for your help.

World Travel Lounge could not be contacted for comment.