CAA extends RCNs to end of April Ian Taylor


The CAA has extended the deadline for issuing refund credit notes (RCNs) for Atol-protected holidays to the end of April and promised “a further update” on the current RCN expiry date of September 30. Without the extension, new RCNs


could not have been issued beyond Wednesday of this week (March 31). Confirmation came on March 26,


a day after Abta extended the deadline for issuing RCNs for non- flight packages to April 30 and also extended the deadline for expiry of newly-issued RCNs from the end of September to January 31, 2022.


A change to the expiry date of


Atol-protected RCNs seems likely, but it’s unclear whether this would tally with the Abta deadline. In a statement, the CAA said:


“The Air Travel Trust recognises it may not be possible for consumers to redeem their refund credit notes before this date [September 30] and is working with government to finalise a further update, expected shortly, to help address this issue.” A senior industry source said Abta


opted for expiry on January 31 “to give a bridge through to what is likely to be the key rebooking period”, adding: “Abta wants people to be able to carry forward bookings.” The source noted extension of the


Midcounties aims to open all shops ‘in some format’


Samantha Mayling


The Midcounties Co-operative hopes to reopen all its 78 branches “in some format” when Covid-19 rules allow non-essential retailers to welcome back customers on April 12. In addition to its Co-operative


Travel shops, the group includes websites, the Co-op Holidays tour operation, 165 Personal Travel Agents homeworkers and more than 140 members of the Co-operative Travel Consortium. While the shops have been closed, agents have been working from home


4 1 APRIL 2021


as a virtual contact centre, including taking phone calls, video calls and web chat enquiries. Sara Dunham, recently-appointed


chief officer of travel and leisure services, told a Travel Weekly webcast: “We’re working through scenarios at the moment. Our aspiration is that as soon as non-essential retail can open, we’ll open all branches in some format. We’re just working through the details.” She said the virtual contact


centres would remain as part of the group’s “omnichannel plan”. Phil Ponsonby, group chief


executive, said more than 90% of


One of Co-operative Travel’s 78 stores; inset, Sara Dunham


calls to the virtual contact centre were from people with existing bookings, and that 99% of calls were answered first time. Last year, some travel staff


switched to other divisions in the Midcounties group, such as food retailing, while others were furloughed. Most of those who shifted to other divisions have now returned to travel as they gear up for the reopening of shops. “It was great to see the willingness


of some of our travel colleagues to turn their hand to food retailing and


other activities,” Ponsonby said. “In the future, maybe we’ll have


a more flexible approach to our people overall.” Dunham said there was “definitely


a desire” among agents to return to work but added that there was “some cautiousness” about what the experience will be like. “Some of our retail colleagues


have been off for a year,” she said. “So from a wellbeing point of


view, we’re doing a lot of work to think about how we support them coming back into the business.”


travelweekly.co.uk Extending the


deadline for issuing Atol-protected RCNs means consumers will not be at financial risk


deadline for issuing RCNs to the end of April “gives people the freedom to deal with May-June bookings depending on the [government] taskforce and how things develop”. The extension came as the CAA


prepares to sign off on the March 31 Atol renewals. The CAA noted: “The same


conditions as previously will apply. Consumers are entitled to a cash


refund for a cancelled package holiday should they not wish to accept a refund credit note.” CAA consumer director Paul


Smith said: “Extending the deadline for issuing Atol-protected RCNs allows travel companies to offer this option, meaning consumers will not be at financial risk.” Smith told a Travel Weekly Future


of Travel forum last month: “We’re conscious the [issuing deadline and expiry] dates need to work together. We don’t want to concertina the need to use the RCNs into a very short time.” Two leading Atol-holders, On the


Beach and Trailfinders, called on the CAA not to extend the issue of RCNs last week (Travel Weekly, March 25).


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