THE FINNISH TRAVEL COMPANY DETUR HAS DECLARED BANKRUPTCY

The firm, which reported financial difficulties back in September, also published a press release on its website. The reason for the bankruptcy in the company is called the growth of operating costs and the dynamics of jet fuel prices that defies rational forecasts.

The tour operator experienced problems last year, repeatedly getting into scandalous situations. So, in September last year, the Finnish edition of Iltalehti ("Evening Newspaper") wrote that the company did not pay for the booked hotel rooms for its customers.

Finnish citizens who came to rest in Antalya, Turkey, were forced to re-pay for their vacation, conflicting with the hotel administration. As a result, the National Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (KKV) took up the investigation.

Local experts emphasize that the bankruptcy of the company may affect not only residents of Finland, but also other Scandinavian countries. KKV has already appointed an ombudsman dealing with consumer protection several times to investigate the situation around the company's activities. In particular, the company was asked for data on compensation obligations and the repayment schedule of debts to customers.

Currently, KKV advises citizens on the prospects in case the tour operator is finally declared insolvent. Consumers still have a chance to get a refund of the cost of the previously paid package. However, given the deplorable state of business and the cancellation of trips for 2023, there may also be difficulties with compensation payments.

According to the published press release, travelers whose trips were previously paid with a bank card and canceled can challenge the payment through the issuing bank. According to experts, this is the fastest way to return money.

A more difficult alternative would be to request a refund at the expense of an insurance company or appeal to a bankruptcy trustee in the event of bankruptcy. Given that the procedure can take many months, it will not be possible to get money promptly in this case.