TUI customers rage at the holiday firm after being refused refunds under the ‘snow guarantee’ for ski trips despite only a handful of runs being open in ‘snowless’ resorts
- Crystal Ski, part of Tui, secures alternative slopes for its clients if resort closes
- Says this does not apply to Bulgarian resort of Borovets where 4 runs are open
- One 27-year-old man and his friends spent £4,250 on a trip to Borovets
- There is currently one ski lift operating and no intermediate or difficult runs
TUI customers are enraged at the holiday firm after being refused refunds under the ‘snow guarantee’ for ski trips despite only a handful of runs being open in the ‘snowless’ resort.
Crystal Ski, which is part of TUI, has a policy of securing alternative slopes for its clients if a resort is entirely closed – arguing this does not apply to the Bulgarian resort of Borovets where four pistes are open.
According to The Telegraph, one 27-year-old man named George Gilfoyle and his friends spent £4,250 on a trip to Borovets, but are now terrified they will be paying full-price for a third-rate holiday.
In a message to the holiday firm, Mr Gilfoyle said: ‘You are sending us to a resort with 3.5km of 58km of runs open.
Crystal Ski has a policy of securing alternative slopes for its clients if a resort is entirely closed – arguing this does not apply to the Bulgarian resort of Borovets, pictured, where four pistes are open
‘Surely allow us to change our holiday to another time/destination.’
Meanwhile, for holidays commencing tomorrow, customers were told on Wednesday that their trips would go ahead.
There is currently just one ski lift operating and there are no intermediate or difficult runs open at all.
However, customers have been told that if they amend or cancel their booking they will not be granted a refund.
‘We are being forced to go to a resort with no snow,’ said Mr Gilfoyle.
There is currently just one ski lift operating and there are no intermediate or difficult runs open at all
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Crystal Ski said: ‘We’re aware that resorts in Bulgaria aren’t seeing the snow conditions we’d expect at this time of year.
‘For customers travelling to Bulgarian resorts this weekend, ski trips will be going ahead as planned as the weather is set to improve over the coming days, with snow forecast during the week and temperatures expected to drop.
‘Whilst we know it’s disappointing that the ski area will not be fully open, our standard terms and conditions apply for amendments and cancellations.’
Customers who were due to travel to the destination at the end of December fee-free amendments as hardly any slopes – besides the beginner’s area – were open.
Daily lift passes are currently running at a reduced rate. Crystal Ski customers have been told that they will not see a reduction in fees unless suppliers give out refunds.
Another customer, 36-year-old James Weston, paid £3,900 for a trip to the resort with four of his friends.
‘They said we’d receive free amendments and a £50 compensation per person on the trip,’ he said.
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