Still too early to know why online booking company failed

Creditors of a failed online booking company have met for the first time today as hundreds of angry clients remain out of pocket and want answers about why it collapsed.

Rachel James at Bestjet in the Brisbane. Photo: Annette Dew

CREDITORS of failed online booking company Bestjet Travel met for the first time on Wednesday as hundreds of angry clients remain out of pocket and want answers about why it collapsed.

Nearly 30 creditors attended the meeting at the offices of accounting firm Pilot Partners, where they officially appointed Nigel Markey and Bradley Hellen as administrators.

They also voted to form two committees to assist with the ongoing investigation, with Pilot Partners saying it is still too early to say why the business fell over or how much money creditors might recover.

A second meeting will take place later this month, when creditors will decided whether or not to put Bestjet in liquidation.

New Bestjet owner Robert McVicker tapped Pilot Partners on December 18 to serve as voluntary administrators. They were also appointed over subsidiaries Wynyard Travel and Brooklyn Travel.

More than 700 customers have vented their fury on a dedicated Facebook page about allegedly chronic failures to receive refunds, cancelled bookings and other problems.

McVicker had only operated the business for about six weeks after acquiring it from founder Rachel James.

She is the wife of disgraced aviation identity Michael James, whose Air Australia carrier collapsed owing nearly $100 million in 2012. Mr James is understood to be listed as a creditor of Bestjet.