NEWS


Agencies close due to lockdown


Juliet Dennis


All high street travel agencies were forced to close their shops and send staff home this week following the government’s unprecedented stay-at-home lockdown. Firms went into ‘hibernation’


uling on refunds


Consumers will not see their money any quicker by enforcement


for refunds not covered by suppliers, arguing that where suppliers can’t or won’t refund “there needs to be an emergency government consumer hardship fund to fulfil payments”. Some travel firms have issued


holiday vouchers to consumers in place of refunding cash. However, vouchers would not be financially protected if the firm subsequently went bust. In guidance to members, Abta


advised: “Refund Credit Notes must be issued within 14 days of the date of cancellation of the original booking and must be redeemed against a future booking or exchanged for a cash refund by July 31. “The Refund Credit Note must not include any other value offered as a rebooking incentive or other offer [and] must expressly identify the original booking reference.”


travelweekly.co.uk Abta confirmed the extension


of its own scheme of financial protection to cover refund credit notes, stressing “the important distinction” between these and ‘vouchers’. It also confirmed an extension of the March bond-renewal process to April 28, in line with the CAA’s extension of the Atol-renewal process announced a day earlier, and suspension of Abta’s Single Payment System (SPS) which processes member payments and refunds. An industry source said: “A


relaxation of the 14-day rule would be excellent.” But regardless of whether the DfT or BEIS relax the rules, Abta will advise members the delayed refunds are protected provided businesses stick to issuing ‘refund credit notes’ tied to an Atol booking. Abta has also asked the


government to insist airlines return to refunding customers or their agents for cancelled flights as part of any


bailout of carriers. i Balance due dates shortened, page 6 i Operators offer flexible terms, page 13 i Sunak dashes airlines’ hopes, back page


Shut: Hays Travel and all high street agencies


after prime minister Boris Johnson’s Monday evening edict for all retailers selling non- essential items to close to halt the spread of coronavirus. It followed days of escalating


government advice, with many high street chains operating a closed-door policy following guidance on ‘social distancing’. Hays Travel said it had shut


all shops and set up a customer hotline number. A spokeswoman said: “We will still be contactable online, by phone or social media.” Barrhead Travel, which has


95 stores and more than 800 staff, is now working with a reduced team online and by phone. President Jacqueline Dobson said: “The decision [to close branches] was made with a heavy heart, but it has been made to safeguard our business and protect the health and wellbeing of our employees and customers.”


A core group of retail staff at


48-branch Kuoni are working at home in a virtual call centre and support team. Chief executive Derek Jones said: “By taking these actions we can see ourselves through this crisis.” Welsh miniple Tailor Made


Travel had announced on Monday that it planned to close most of its shops by Wednesday, but was then forced to do so on Tuesday. Chief executive Simon Morgan said a small team of remote staff would handle customers. “We are ‘hibernating’ to manage costs as efficiently as we can,” he said. “This is going to be the most expensive six months we have ever had.” Polka Dot Travel, which has 19


shops, has put a “critical operations team” in place, working from home. Staff at Miles Morgan Travel’s


18 shops were all due to be working remotely by Tuesday. Viceroy Travel in West Wickham,


Kent, has two staff working from home and two receiving a statutory allowance until it reopens. Manager Julie Baker said: “Agents will look to Abta to put out the message that they are still working.” Midcounties Co-operative shut


its stores last week and redeployed staff to other roles in the business.


26 MARCH 2020


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PICTURES: Shutterstock


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