Beware the Balkan Holidays Scam !
Merlin
with Balkan Holidays.
He chose his holiday but when they discovered his wife was from the Far
East although living in England for many years they insisted on a visa.
"Book your holiday first," they said.
"With your receipt you should get a visa!"
This he did, unfortunately with his debit card as he doesn't
own a credit card.
He applied for the visa and three weeks before the holiday
they informed him = rejected. His wife has a good job in the UK.
Why?
"We are a sovereign nation and can refuse who we like !"
He asked for his money back or another holiday.
They said in as many words "F**K OFF!"
No money.
This has to be a SCAM !
Both the Visa section and the hliday company were 'sheepish' about the
whole issue.
My friend is very concerned that other people will be caught in
this trap as there are quite a few people who originate from other
parts of the World living in England.
The moral of this rotten experience ?
Always book with a credit card &
DON'T USE BALKAN HOLIDAYS !
DDT Filled Mormons
wrote:
>A good friend of mine went to book a holiday to Serbia-Montenegro
>with Balkan Holidays.
>
>He chose his holiday but when they discovered his wife was from the Far
>East although living in England for many years they insisted on a visa.
Interesting. Just which country did she come from?
That part of Europe is particularly sensitive about Muslims for some
reason.
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DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
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Merlin
but she is obviously either Buddhist, Christian or Taoist !
Looks very Chinese. He husband is a Catholic.
Thanks for your observation.
My friend has lost £800 !
007
Why don't they refund the £800 of offer an alternative.
Usually the visa is applied for at the same time as the holiday. No
visa , no holiday ,no pay.
End of story !
Well dodgy - Sharp practice or total incompetence ?
Give the man his money back or a holiday.
I am going to chat to my friends in the travel business about this one
its appalling.
007
Enki
Why would anybody refuse a Chinese who has lived in
the UK for a long time. Anywhere with this attitude
the country in question is hardly worth visiting but
these things do happen.
I remember working many years ago as a courier.
I took some documents from one airline to Saudi
airways to prove that Yang Bok Ik or whoever from
South Korea was not a Jew !
Crazy World !
But it doesn't get that chap his £800 back ?
One company I will be avoiding !
I think you said it yourself about the credit cards?
You generally have protection when purchasing whereas
with a debit card it comes straight out of the account.
Some people are cautious and don't like credit cards but
they are there to be used sensibly.
Enki
I found it here :-
rec.travel.europe
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.travel.europe/browse_frm/thread/9e8bde95d4dcf65a/052b1585c604fbf1#052b1585c604fbf1
ALAN HARRISON
"Merlin" <museum...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:1128525377.9...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
Of course ! She is from a country that has a large Muslim population
but she is obviously either Buddhist, Christian or Taoist !
You've lost me, Merlin! If someone's "obviously" one of those three, she
could equally obviously be Jewish, Shintoist, Muslim, atheist....
Seriously, though, I assume that your friend's wife is from Malaysia or
Indonesia and has suffered from prejudice against people from Muslim
majority countries, but if she has acquired British nationality there can be
no possible excuse for demanding or refusing a visa.
Alan Harrison
ALAN HARRISON
"Enki" <excali...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:1128527940.7...@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
I remember working many years ago as a courier.
I took some documents from one airline to Saudi
airways to prove that Yang Bok Ik or whoever from
South Korea was not a Jew !
Similarly, back in the mists of time around 1970, I remember a stranger
coming into the church where I worshipped after a weekday service wanting a
statement from the priest that he was a Christian. He could get a statement
that he had been baptised, although he hadn't darkened the door of a church
since. He was going to work in Saudi Arabia, where for immigration purposes
"Christian" means "not a Jew".
Alan Harrison
DDT Filled Mormons
wrote:
>Of course ! She is from a country that has a large Muslim population
>but she is obviously either Buddhist, Christian or Taoist !
>Looks very Chinese. He husband is a Catholic.
>
>Thanks for your observation.
>
>My friend has lost £800 !
Well, they are on my shit list then!
It would be interesting to know the real reason they refused her visa
though. I mean, there can't be all that many people wanting to go to
Montenegro on holiday to cause trouble.
Here are the conditions, but I could find nothing about the visa
refusal situation.
http://www.balkanholidays.co.uk/s05/summerbookingconditions.htm
mad...@starmail.com
tickets before granting a visa, since they want proof that you intend
to leave their country (and -everybody- thinks that their country is
the best in the world, and can't understand why people wouldn't try to
stay forever).
And a country can deny entry to whomever it wants, but the holiday
company owes your friend 800 pounds.
Merlin
But unlikely to be Jewish ? Shintoist(normally Japanese)
Muslim(possibly) atheist(N/A)
I have checked and she is a Buddhist.
All very strange and as another poster says Balkan Holidays
owe my friend £800. Which to him is a lot of money.
It is certainly not a destination I would have chosen and I
am quite well travelled.
Cheers