Trade praised for Rhodes response Ian Taylor


Operators handled last week’s wildfires in Rhodes “as well as anyone could expect”, according to Abta director of legal affairs Simon Bunce, although industry lawyers expect some disputes over refunds and warned firms to be aware of chargebacks. Bunce noted: “We had very few


calls from customers – generally a sign members are dealing well with an issue. We get calls if customers are unhappy.” Travlaw senior partner Matt


Gatenby agreed, saying: “Companies seem to have done what they should.” But he added: “There are some unhappy people who had to leave


hotels at short notice, leave belongings and sleep in makeshift beds.” Farina Azam, partner at law firm


Fox Williams, explained: “Where clients were evacuated, they would be entitled to a partial refund, and a full refund if they had none of their holiday.” Where customers lost belongings


in an evacuation, she said: “We would refer people to their travel insurance.” For those due to travel to Rhodes,


Bunce pointed out: “A wildfire is an ‘extraordinary and unavoidable’ circumstance. It doesn’t give a customer a right to cancel if their holiday could carry on with minor changes. A customer who chose to cancel [in those circumstances] wouldn’t have a right to a refund. But


Agents report benefits of first meetings with MPs


Juliet Dennis


Agents have hailed the benefits of the first face-to-face meetings with local MPs following joint lobbying by The Advantage Travel Partnership and Aito. Thirty-five MPs have registered


an interest in meeting members of Advantage or Aito, The Specialist Travel Association. More than 330 invitations were


issued in the joint MP Engagement Programme as part of the UK Outbound Travel Think Tank initiative, which estimates the sector drives pre-holiday consumer spend worth £51 billion annually.


4 3 AUGUST 2023 Althams Travel and Dawson &


Sanderson were among the first to receive MPs’ visits while more are being confirmed for the coming weeks. Althams Travel business travel


manager Paul Foster told Andrew Stephenson, MP for Pendle, who visited its Clitheroe branch, about agents’ benefits for the local economy. “I explained what customers buy


locally in the run-up to their holiday, from transport to the airport to sunscreen, and how the pandemic has brought people back to high street agencies because they want reassurance,” said Foster. He added: “The more agents that speak to their local MPs, the more


We had very few


calls from customers – generally a sign [Abta] members are dealing well with an issue


if the holiday couldn’t go ahead and an alternative wasn’t acceptable, they would be entitled to a full refund.” Azam agreed: “It would not be


enough for a customer to cancel on the basis of what they saw on the news.” Gatenby noted only part of


Rhodes was affected and said: “If an operator can deliver the services contracted, there is no reason a client can’t go.”


Bunce warned: “There will be


customers who didn’t want to go and argue to get their money back, and cases may end in alternative dispute resolution (ADR).” He said negotiations over refunds where holidays were cut short could also end in ADR, adding: “I would expect to see disputes come through in September-October.” Azam also expects “claims from


some customers wanting to cancel after seeing media reports of wildfires and expecting a refund”. Gatenby noted: “We’ve been


advising clients to keep an eye on chargebacks. Customers might be booked to travel, not fancy going and initiate a chargeback [to reverse a card transaction].”


Dame Rosie Winterton MP (left) meets Dawson & Sanderson’s Sue Davies in its Doncaster store


word gets back to the powers that be.” Dawson & Sanderson hosted


Dame Rosie Winterton, MP for Doncaster Central, in its Doncaster branch and Chi Onwurah, MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central, in its Newcastle store. Regional manager Donna Jobling


called the meeting “really beneficial”, adding: “Having that relationship moving forward ensures we will have a voice and will be heard.” Winterton said: “Travel agencies


play a big part in getting people into the city centre and the knock-on effect that has on other shops.” Idle Travel director Tony Mann, who is part of the Advantage Policy


Althams Travel’s Paul Foster (left)


welcomes Andrew Stephenson MP to the agency’s Clitheroe branch


Advisory Group, said meeting MPs would also help agents solve other problems, adding: “It means you have someone to contact.” Aito director Noel Josephides


said the joint effort was already “delivering well”, adding: “The time has come for MPs to rate the travel industry as hugely important in terms of economic delivery to the country.” Advantage chief executive Julia


Lo Bue-Said reported “a notable increase” in engagement with government and other policymakers since launching the programme. She said the think tank was in talks


with “a number of travel brands and associations” keen to join the group.


travelweekly.co.uk


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