Originally Posted by
dhuey
Yes, but I have no idea how the various schemes in the UK and EU handle failed air carriers. It sounds like there are special provisions for those who are stranded right now, but I don't know if there is anything helps those with future flight-only bookings.
In the meantime, I'm looking to do as you suggest: Book a replacement.
There is no "help" for people having only air tickets.
The focus for now is to help people get home; not to help people get away on their now invalid tickets. The ATOL protection scheme only covers package holidays, not flight-only bookings. In the case of ATOL-covered packages, those people whose booked holiday packages have not yet started should get their money back, or perhaps an offer of a similarly-priced replacement, though obviously the former is more straightforward to provide than the latter.
I doubt, however, that ATOL would have covered any "package" sold with an origin in the USA (I doubt Thomas Cook ever really sold any such packages, probably only seat-only tickets on flights)
You should attempt to get a refund via your card issuer or via your travel insurance; you will have to stump up for the costs of any new ticket - unless you - or the intending passenger - have some kind of insurance via your card or their travel insurance that covers this specific set of circumstances.