Agents ‘to reward helpful suppliers’


Juliet Dennis


Retailers will pick and choose which operators they work with in the future as they face losing customers because they cannot get through to some suppliers during the current crisis. In a Travel Weekly webcast,


three agents said one of the biggest challenges of recent weeks had been contacting certain suppliers to book amendments or claim refunds. Spear Travels group operations


director Trevor Davis warned this could play out after the crisis and impact future relationships. “After all the dust settles, each


retailer will have its own winners and losers as far as operators are concerned,” he said. “Some are clearly making an effort but some appear to be working harder than others. “We have spent years building


up relationships with customers, but it could be very easily lost in some cases. We may struggle to retain them. We are doing everything we can but it’s proving awfully difficult.” Barrhead Travel president


Jacqueline Dobson agreed. “I think we will lose some


customers,” she said. “It’s very difficult to try to retain these customers.”


Jeanne Lally


The 95-store agency group is


holding daily calls with many of its suppliers, which Dobson said was easing issues. She added: “With the rebookings


process, some operators have got it 100% right. But some have not and we have to use the phone [rather than online], although we have furloughed staff and it’s extremely difficult to get through to suppliers.” Jeanne Lally, joint managing


director of Travel Bureau, said suppliers could be split into three camps: those that are busy but organised and able to speak to agents; those doing what they need to do but overwhelmed, leading to misunderstandings over policy; and those that agents cannot get through to at all and are only offering Refund Credit Notes, which she said had “caused us the most angst”. Davis said the problem had led to


some customers accusing his staff of “being compliant with operators in withholding monies”. “In some cases I’ve had to write to


customers and say ‘I’m very sorry, we cannot take this any further’,” he said. “I’ve made the operator aware and asked if they want to intervene and


they have completely ignored that.” i Travel Weekly webcasts, page 10


Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley


Jacqueline Dobson


Trevor Davis


Abta acts as go Ian Taylor


Abta has issued fresh guidance on Refund Credit Notes and confirmed deferred Atol bookings will be protected as ministers continue to balk at offering the legal clarity the industry needs. The association also


extended the expiry dates of Refund Credit Notes issued by most members beyond July 31 as it continues to press the Department for Business (BEIS) for a temporary suspension of the requirement to pay refunds for cancelled package bookings within 14 days. That would bring the UK into


Alan Bowen, advisor to the


Association of Atol Companies, said: “The CAA is pushing the Department for Transport and BEIS to say Refund Credit Notes are a ‘reasonable’ solution. Without that, the CAA can’t say ‘We support Refund Credit Notes’.” Bowen insisted: “[Business


STORY TOP


secretary] Alok Sharma is doing nothing. We need action and we need it now. Other European governments have made temporary changes to the


regulations. This is not a game. Sharma needs to act.” He added: “I’m surprised we


line with most of Europe and with guidance from the European justice commissioner who has recommended allowing credit notes in place of immediate refunds. However, BEIS remains frozen by


what an industry source described as “UK consumer politics”.


4 16 APRIL 2020


haven’t seen failures. We’re beginning to see customers claim chargebacks and that will finish people off.” The Greek government this week


became the latest to allow agents, airlines, hotels and ferry firms to refund cancelled bookings with vouchers, delaying entitlement to a full cash refund for 18 months, while


travelweekly.co.uk


Business secretary Alok Sharma: Abta and the CAA are pushing the government to provide a legal basis for delaying refunds


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