Major holiday company goes bust as thousands of Brits have their holidays cancelled

Balkan Holidays said all forward bookings had been cancelled and the company has ceased trading in the UK after nearly 60 years in the business

Brit holidaymakers have been hit with an “all future holidays cancelled” bombshell after Balkan Holidays went bust. The travel company, which had been in business for nearly six decades, announced it had ceased trading as of April 24.

The firm, which offered getaways to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta, and Northern Cyprus, had a licence to carry 27,817 Atol-protected passengers until the end of March 2026. In its heyday, it catered to a whopping 130,000 holidaymakers in a single year.

In a statement, the company said: “We regret to inform you that Balkan Holidays Ltd has, as of 24th of April 2025, closed for business in the UK.

“The company has not gone into liquidation, however all forward holiday bookings have been cancelled. All clients will be notified and refunded in full.

“May we kindly ask for patience as we process the refunds and appreciate your understanding. Thank you for your past business and please accept our most sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience.”, reports Birmingham Live.

This latest blow comes hot on the heels of Trafalgar Travel, a Guernsey-based travel agency, shutting up shop last month after 42 years. Jetline Holidays, a major UK-based travel agency, also went bust last month, leaving nearly 5,000 Brit holidaymakers stranded.

Balkan Holidays’ manager, Charlie Coyle, confessed: “As you can imagine this has been very difficult for staff at this time, however we all remain 100% committed to ensuring a very smooth transfer of bookings to another agency,” The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) dropped a bombshell, stating: “We understand that Jetline acted as an agent for other ATOL holders, so not all bookings are covered.”

In the wake of this revelation, disgruntled customers have come forward with their holiday horror stories.

One fuming traveller revealed: “Our holiday, including flights, hotels, and a cruise, has completely disappeared. We can’t get hold of Jetline at all.”

Adding to the chorus of complaints, another customer shared their ticking time-bomb scenario: “I was told I had 48 hours to pay again, or my holiday would be cancelled.”

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