PACKAGE TRAVEL REFUNDS-What is theTruth?
Thread Starter
PACKAGE TRAVEL REFUNDS-What is theTruth?
MODS - please move if on the wrong Forum.
OK - Where's the money?
Acording to 'reports', TUI are refusing to Refund Customers who require one for a YEAR.
I read the hand-wringing comments that the PT companies will go broke if they refund all the money. But that can't be true.
Isnt it the case that they DO NOT have your money anyway? Its in escrow (or whatever) at the Merchant Card Providers organisations until such time as they provide the holiday that was contracted. "Accounts Receivable"? As that Contract is now cancelled why is it a problem simply to tell the MCP's to return it to the card?
Despite ABTA telling their club members different, the Package Travel Regulations law applies. It IS the Law. Refund money in 14 days. Why would ABTA tell companies to ignore that?
If you take the offered Credit Note you have effectively thrown your Comsumer Rights to any future refund at ANY time in the Bin.
And - Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act also applies if you paid by CC. If only it wasn't so b----y difficult to do if you go that route.
Those in the 'know' might have more input.
OK - Where's the money?
Acording to 'reports', TUI are refusing to Refund Customers who require one for a YEAR.
I read the hand-wringing comments that the PT companies will go broke if they refund all the money. But that can't be true.
Isnt it the case that they DO NOT have your money anyway? Its in escrow (or whatever) at the Merchant Card Providers organisations until such time as they provide the holiday that was contracted. "Accounts Receivable"? As that Contract is now cancelled why is it a problem simply to tell the MCP's to return it to the card?
Despite ABTA telling their club members different, the Package Travel Regulations law applies. It IS the Law. Refund money in 14 days. Why would ABTA tell companies to ignore that?
If you take the offered Credit Note you have effectively thrown your Comsumer Rights to any future refund at ANY time in the Bin.
And - Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act also applies if you paid by CC. If only it wasn't so b----y difficult to do if you go that route.
Those in the 'know' might have more input.
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Uk
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What you've quoted in incorrect. Tui aren't refusing to refund.
They are automatically giving refund credit. Plus a 20% incentive to rebook. If not used within a year then it will auto refund as cash.
If refund is not suitable for you, you apply for a cash refund. But they are saying you can only apply for cash refund once you have recieved your credit refund.
More sensationalist tosh
They are automatically giving refund credit. Plus a 20% incentive to rebook. If not used within a year then it will auto refund as cash.
If refund is not suitable for you, you apply for a cash refund. But they are saying you can only apply for cash refund once you have recieved your credit refund.
More sensationalist tosh
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Dublin
Posts: 652
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is much about this issue:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52105526
Basically, they must offer a refund, and given a voucher is worthless if the airline goes bust I would choose the cash. Some stranded pax abroad made the mistake of "cancelling" this means their contract with the carrier has ended and they are on their own, one can understand if you are cash strapped. Of course the airlines would rather hang on to your cash and give a voucher. In the case of NAS it seems the credit card companies are retaining the cash rather than passing it on to the company. BA Avios booking system is being wrongly changed to direct folks to vouchers not refunds.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52105526
Basically, they must offer a refund, and given a voucher is worthless if the airline goes bust I would choose the cash. Some stranded pax abroad made the mistake of "cancelling" this means their contract with the carrier has ended and they are on their own, one can understand if you are cash strapped. Of course the airlines would rather hang on to your cash and give a voucher. In the case of NAS it seems the credit card companies are retaining the cash rather than passing it on to the company. BA Avios booking system is being wrongly changed to direct folks to vouchers not refunds.
Practically airlines would collapse if they'd need to refund all their passengers including the summer high season all together right now. So they try to avoid cash back "at any cost".
Passengers at the same time are cash strapped as well and normally any company must be able to refund services that have not taken place at any time. As some airlines will go bust in any way I understand paying customers that do prefer cash over promises.
Passengers at the same time are cash strapped as well and normally any company must be able to refund services that have not taken place at any time. As some airlines will go bust in any way I understand paying customers that do prefer cash over promises.
The airlines/travel agents will try to hold onto the money, not as though they are going to get that much interest on it, for as long as the regulators let them get away with it. Officially it should be refunded by 14 days.
I had an expensive holiday booking to tour Vietnam with a well known UK based TA. After they cancelled the booking, - we would not be allowed in to Vietnam - the very nice agent on the phone said that refunds might "take months".
I told her I would use the UK law of section 75, as I had booked via Amex.
I put all this up on Trustpilot. The TA likes 5 star reviews on Trustpilot, and does not like 1 star reviews.
An hour or so later, a Supervisor rang me back. Lots of drivel ensued. Pleas of poverty, etc. etc. (Owner of TA is multi-millionaire).
Amex were very understanding.
My money is now safely back with me.
Trustpilot makes an interesting read. A lot of UK based TAs are trying to duck the refund issue.
I told her I would use the UK law of section 75, as I had booked via Amex.
I put all this up on Trustpilot. The TA likes 5 star reviews on Trustpilot, and does not like 1 star reviews.
An hour or so later, a Supervisor rang me back. Lots of drivel ensued. Pleas of poverty, etc. etc. (Owner of TA is multi-millionaire).
Amex were very understanding.
My money is now safely back with me.
Trustpilot makes an interesting read. A lot of UK based TAs are trying to duck the refund issue.
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Warwick
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Regulators are going to sit on their hands, the travel trade has no customers so it has no cash, it owes lots of preferential creditors already so they are not going to advance more.
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Seoul
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I am having the same issue with Westjet for a ticket Calgary to London. They are only giving travel bank credit. Currently have a complaint in with the CTA (who have conveniently suspended all investigations until June) and with Mastercard. I have had significant communication with Westjet including senior people in customer service. The answer was a polite forget it - despite their own terms of service explicitly stating they refund if they cancel. I am very angry at them. I am not a shareholder, not a bond holder and this is just a forced loan. If my credit card company does not confirm the refund then I will take them to small claims court.
What I will not do is ever fly with them (or Air Canada due to them having the same policy) again. Period. I go to Seoul and to the UK about once a year for professional conferences. From now on I will be happy to pay more to fly with an airline that is not a bully so that means KLM (or BA if they come back to YYC) to Europe and driving to Vancouver to fly direct to Seoul.
Maybe it is only a few people who will do this, which is unfortunate that so many are sheeple, but airlines must learn to respect passengers. Those who treat peope with respect will come out a little ahead. Maybe only a little, but a little.
(And as a side note, my three hotels in the UK for my trip have already refunded my money)
TME
What I will not do is ever fly with them (or Air Canada due to them having the same policy) again. Period. I go to Seoul and to the UK about once a year for professional conferences. From now on I will be happy to pay more to fly with an airline that is not a bully so that means KLM (or BA if they come back to YYC) to Europe and driving to Vancouver to fly direct to Seoul.
Maybe it is only a few people who will do this, which is unfortunate that so many are sheeple, but airlines must learn to respect passengers. Those who treat peope with respect will come out a little ahead. Maybe only a little, but a little.
(And as a side note, my three hotels in the UK for my trip have already refunded my money)
TME
Thread Starter
What you've quoted in incorrect. Tui aren't refusing to refund.
They are automatically giving refund credit. Plus a 20% incentive to rebook. If not used within a year then it will auto refund as cash.
If refund is not suitable for you, you apply for a cash refund. But they are saying you can only apply for cash refund once you have recieved your credit refund.
More sensationalist tosh
They are automatically giving refund credit. Plus a 20% incentive to rebook. If not used within a year then it will auto refund as cash.
If refund is not suitable for you, you apply for a cash refund. But they are saying you can only apply for cash refund once you have recieved your credit refund.
More sensationalist tosh
OK, Yeehaw, tell us what the refund time is IF you accept the voucher which then kills off your Rights and then decide on a Refund?
My money is on 1 year.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I had an expensive holiday booking to tour Vietnam with a well known UK based TA. After they cancelled the booking, - we would not be allowed in to Vietnam - the very nice agent on the phone said that refunds might "take months".
I told her I would use the UK law of section 75, as I had booked via Amex.
I put all this up on Trustpilot. The TA likes 5 star reviews on Trustpilot, and does not like 1 star reviews.
An hour or so later, a Supervisor rang me back. Lots of drivel ensued. Pleas of poverty, etc. etc. (Owner of TA is multi-millionaire).
Amex were very understanding.
My money is now safely back with me.
Trustpilot makes an interesting read. A lot of UK based TAs are trying to duck the refund issue.
I told her I would use the UK law of section 75, as I had booked via Amex.
I put all this up on Trustpilot. The TA likes 5 star reviews on Trustpilot, and does not like 1 star reviews.
An hour or so later, a Supervisor rang me back. Lots of drivel ensued. Pleas of poverty, etc. etc. (Owner of TA is multi-millionaire).
Amex were very understanding.
My money is now safely back with me.
Trustpilot makes an interesting read. A lot of UK based TAs are trying to duck the refund issue.
If airlines and TA's can't provide the service paid for on the scheduled date they need to refund in full, in cash; not some "credit" which goes down in smoke if the airline goes bust. Absolute cheek of these companies to delay and refuse refunds.
Perhaps when they were taking in record profits they should have set some aside for a rainy day fund instead of spaffing it up the wall (in the case of US airlines for example, huge stock buybacks).
Punters are not banks.
What you've quoted in incorrect. Tui aren't refusing to refund.
They are automatically giving refund credit. Plus a 20% incentive to rebook. If not used within a year then it will auto refund as cash.
If refund is not suitable for you, you apply for a cash refund. But they are saying you can only apply for cash refund once you have recieved your credit refund.
More sensationalist tosh
They are automatically giving refund credit. Plus a 20% incentive to rebook. If not used within a year then it will auto refund as cash.
If refund is not suitable for you, you apply for a cash refund. But they are saying you can only apply for cash refund once you have recieved your credit refund.
More sensationalist tosh
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Uk
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
That is NOT what the Law ststes. It us UNCONDITIONAL Refund if contract can't be met . And they can't. No-one can.
OK, Yeehaw, tell us what the refund time is IF you accept the voucher which then kills off your Rights and then decide on a Refund?
My money is on 1 year.
OK, Yeehaw, tell us what the refund time is IF you accept the voucher which then kills off your Rights and then decide on a Refund?
My money is on 1 year.
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Uk
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
very true. Agree 100%. However a lot of people who are online kicking off are people who have holidays booked later in the year. Where there's no certainty one way or another whether the product, in this case a holiday, will be able to be provided. Once the government travel advice changes as we get through the year that will obviously change.
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: sussex
Posts: 613
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yehaw 22
I would have more faith in TUI if they offered
A refund in full ( if you want one) immediately your holiday was cancelled
Or a future voucher plus 20% or another Holiday- in that order.
I would have more faith in TUI if they offered
A refund in full ( if you want one) immediately your holiday was cancelled
Or a future voucher plus 20% or another Holiday- in that order.
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Uk
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
TUI and jet2 have been far more transparent in this process than many other airlines.
Thread Starter
Even my fave PH company Jet2, with whom we were due to go May12, have what I imagine to be Refund as the last option - 'don't call us, we'll call you' - on Manage My Bookings.
So, NOT so up front and straight.
So, NOT so up front and straight.
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Uk
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Last edited by Yeehaw22; 18th Apr 2020 at 17:20.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Uk
Posts: 242
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So you started a thread about tui which was factually incorrect and now your complaining about Jet2 because you haven't had a refund when you aren't due to travel for 3 weeks?
You do know all these call centres are working on reduced manpower levels at present?
Just be grateful you're not trying to get a refund from Easy or BA.
You do know all these call centres are working on reduced manpower levels at present?
Just be grateful you're not trying to get a refund from Easy or BA.
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: North England
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So you started a thread about tui which was factually incorrect and now your complaining about Jet2 because you haven't had a refund when you aren't due to travel for 3 weeks?
You do know all these call centres are working on reduced manpower levels at present?
Just be grateful you're not trying to get a refund from Easy or BA.
You do know all these call centres are working on reduced manpower levels at present?
Just be grateful you're not trying to get a refund from Easy or BA.
What are you really after Flying Hi ?