As #refundpassengers trended on Twitter this afternoon, Steve Witt, co-founder of homeworking firm Not Just Travel, gives his message to angry customers demanding full refunds.
Throughout the whole Covid-19 pandemic we have been told to ‘do the right thing’ as individuals.
We’ve been told to think how our actions have ramifications on the wider society in all walks of life. This is true of the current situation, where customers are demanding refunds for their cancelled trips.
If everyone was given a refund, it would be like a run on the banks and the operators or airlines would go under very quickly. It would mean thousands of customers would not be going on their booked holiday at any time in the near or far future.
It has taken the big players such as Tui, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic many years to get to where they are, and they can’t be replaced quickly. It would take years for another player to step into their role.
These are exceptional times. Travel operators and airlines aren’t being dishonest, it’s that they are in very difficult situation and need to survive. The sheer number of people contacting the companies is overwhelming. A lot of their staff are furloughed and so with much smaller customer service teams customers aren’t getting responses.
Abta has issued guidance to companies to offer interim Refund Credit Notes. Customers have a legal right to their money, but travel companies are holding firm, simply for survival. Parliament should be changing the law to protect the industry, but it isn’t currently meeting and so is unable to pass new laws.
By accepting a Refund Credit Note or rebooking, the customer may be forfeiting their legal rights, but they are doing the right thing for themselves, other customers, travel companies and their thousands of staff. By holding the line, the customer is helping the supplier to survive the crisis so they can take that holiday at a later date. We saw around 54% of our customers rebook last week, and that figure has only gone up.
Obviously, this is a really tough time for people and we are sympathetic to that. Looking after loved ones and their health and personal finances are priorities and there will be some people who are not financially able to rebook or accept a Refund Credit Note – in which case we would of course say ask for a refund and we have a dedicated team helping customers do just that. We appreciate that in the current climate this is not an easy process or as quick as it usually would be, and we try and provide clients with an unbiased and transparent view of their options which, in some cases, means accepting Refund Credit Notes can be more financially appealing with certain operators giving more than 100% back in credit notes.
We support both sides as we can see what is best for everyone. We are finding that, once we explain the situation to our customers, the large majority of them are happy to be issued a voucher or rebook as they know their money is protected and it’s the best solution for them and the industry.
It’s a tough time for everyone, but we are working round the clock to try and help both our customers and the wider travel community to get the best advice and support.