Fantasy Tours may face a class action suit by furious customers after cancelling nearly €400,000 worth of paid-up holidays in the middle of summer.
As the police continue their investigation into the sudden closure of the travel company three weeks ago, disappointed customers – some of who had been saving up for years – are seeking legal avenues to get their money back.
The company axed its tours via text message just hours after urging those who had booked holidays to also pay in advance for their excursions.
The police say more than 250 official complaints against the travel agency have been received and the losses amount to €374,058.
Sources close to the investigation said police were still looking into each report, so they could not yet officially indicate whether they could proceed against anyone in connection with the case.
The law on class action was only enacted last year, giving a group of complainants the possibility of obtaining justice through a single court case rather than each seeking a remedy individually. The measure may only be used to seek compensation or to request that an illicit action be halted.
It was yesterday discussed in a meeting between some of those who feel conned by Fantasy Tours and lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri.
The meeting was organised by one of the many Facebook groups created to bring together those who had paid for their holiday but remained high and dry.
Not many turned up for yesterday’s meeting but those who did were anxious to hear the lawyers’
views on how they could get a refund of the money they had put aside through so much sacrifice.
According to the company register of the Malta Financial Services Authority, the person responsible for Fantasy Tours – which also operates under Golden Travel Club Limited – is Karl Azzopardi, of Mellieħa. Times of Malta reported last week that Fantasy Tours’ licence to operate was renewed for three consecutive years even though the company had not paid its Malta Tourism Authority fees amounting to nearly €4,000.
The Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority had warned customers against Fantasy Tours last October but it was not seen or heeded by many.
One disappointed holidaymaker, Joyce Borg, who attended yesterday’s meeting, said she had never seen any warning about Fantasy Tours.
“If there were warnings, they did not have the desired effect because many people were still buying their holidays from Fantasy Tours,” she said when asked why she had chosen Fantasy over so many other travel agents in Malta.
One of the Facebook groups uploaded correspondence it received from the MTA which confirmed that reports from customers are being investigated by the Enforcement Unit within its Quality Assurance Directorate.
It said it was working hand in hand with the police and the Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority (MCCAA).
Joyce Borg said her children gave her and her husband money for Christmas, birthdays, mother’s and father’s days and their anniversary so they could have enough money to pay for a holiday in Croatia. She said they paid more than €1,460 for their trip.
Four days before they received the cancellation through a text message, she got a call at home from the travel agency asking her to pay for the whole holiday in cash.
She said she had not seen any of the warnings issued by the authorities on Fantasy Tours and questioned how no one had seen this coming.
Matthew Pace said that in April he paid €1,400 for his honeymoon in Corfu. He also paid €190 for excursions. He said Fantasy Tours demanded full payment in cash. “What should have been the best time of my life after getting married ended up with us remaining in Malta. We are still settling down so we do not have enough money for our honeymoon yet,” he said.
Joseph and Carmen Borda put aside every cent they had for four-and-a-half years to collect €1,400 for a holiday to Greece. With tears in his eyes, Mr Borda recounted how he had saved every little bit they had and stayed home to have enough money for their holiday. Photos: Matthew Mirabelli