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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think people should cut the holiday companies some slack?

186 replies

sunfloweryy · 19/04/2020 17:03

I’ve had my holiday cancelled for two weeks time - fair enough. Company are offering credit plus a discount on future holidays or you can apply for a refund but it could take several months.

I get this. They are obviously experiencing massively high call volumes, don’t have enough staff and are hemoraging money.

But loads of people are on SM demanding refunds, swearing, being rude etc. AIBU to think there are bigger problems and we should lay off for a while and let things die down?

I know it’s shit, I want my money back too but the cost is already sunk!

OP posts:
timeforawine · 19/04/2020 17:06

Totally agree OP!

edwinbear · 19/04/2020 17:09

YABU. The law, for package holidays at least, is that a full, cash refund must be made within 14 days if that’s what the customer wants.

ABTA are currently lobbying Government to change the law so that the Refund Credit Note scheme they have come up with as a concept, is an acceptable alternative and remains ATOL protected. As things stand though, the law hasn’t been changed so these notes are worthies if your travel agent goes bust.

The biggest problem they have at the moment, is a) holiday companies are making out they don’t have to refund which isn’t true b) they’ve switched off their phone lines so people can’t speak to them.

I understand they are having a tough time, but lots of companies are having a tough time and bending over backwards to help clients. Holiday companies are dragging their feet in the hope that the law will be changed.

edwinbear · 19/04/2020 17:10

worthless

ScarfLadysBag · 19/04/2020 17:12

I kind of agree, although I guess for some people their financial situation might have changed quite dramatically since paying for the flights so it's not quite as simple as the money being already spent. But I do think that if we want and expect these companies to be here and operating when life gets back to normal, then if we we are able to we should show some patience now.

Hairmystery · 19/04/2020 17:13

I agree in part but i voted YABU because I think some people saved long and hard for this money, noticed it missing each month and are worried they won't see it again.

girlwithadragontattoo · 19/04/2020 17:14

As someone who works and lives on the ground at a holiday destination in Europe, i don't even know if i'll be receiving any money this money when pay comes. I have a car on finance to pay for, rent, food etc... and i don't know what I'm going to do. I have no-one i can ask for help either. The company i work for is a rental agency, we don't have package holidays, literally the property.

It's shocking the way people speak to you on both email and one the phone. I don't deserve it!

Original poster
sunfloweryy · 19/04/2020 17:14

I understand the law and I would like my money back, but I also understand these are unique times.

OP posts:
Hangingwithmygnomies · 19/04/2020 17:17

I voted YANBU as I work for a tour operator, so I know what is going on behind the scenes, so thank you for considering the bigger picture That being said, the tour ops that are not offering money refunds are giving us all a bad name. The problem is alot of airlines are not giving us the money back for the flights and only saying we can claim a voucher. My company are offering the travel voucher with additional on top to entice people to take this option, however, if customers ask for a refund we are giving them their money back as per Package Travel Regulations but obviously this is then costing us if the airline won't refund. We understand that people may have lost jobs and may well need that money back. I have had my own holiday for next month cancelled and have taken the voucher option (not booked with my company) as we definitely want to rebook for next year.

edwinbear · 19/04/2020 17:18

Problem is, if you accept a Refund Credit Note at the moment and your travel agent goes bust, you won’t get your money back. This is why people are so cross. Some of these holidays are £5-10k holidays and travel agents are not acknowledging their legal obligations.

edwinbear · 19/04/2020 17:19

@Hangingwithmygnomies I’m pleased to hear your company is acting with integrity. Hopefully that will be repaid with customer loyalty once things get back to normal.

JulietTango · 19/04/2020 17:26

If this is who I think it is it's a holiday in the UK.

Original poster
sunfloweryy · 19/04/2020 17:30

@edwinbear are they not more likely to go bust if everyone pulls their money out at the same time? Forgive me if I’m wrong but it seems backward to demand money back if you want to avoid them going bust.

Sorry you are experiencing this @girlwithadragontattoo, no you don’t deserve it!

And no its abroad @JulietTango

OP posts:
ElloElloVera · 19/04/2020 17:31

I’ve just left a long career in travel.

The bare truth is that your travel agent simply doesn’t have the cash to refund everyone. In order to do that they’d have to get it back from hotels and airlines who are in turn refusing to part with all the cash they hold.

If everyone with a cancelled holiday asked for a full refund, the travel industry in this country will be decimated. Many many firms would go into liquidation and then getting refunds would certainly be harder too.

If you can at all afford it (not applicable to those who genuinely can’t afford it), please please please, move dates or accept a credit note. I implore people to do this if they can.

Lala241280 · 19/04/2020 17:32

Thank god someone that is making sense when it comes to holidays / refunds
I work in an agents and I am desperate to get back to work but currently on furlough
Many travel staff are on furlough hence the reason why it is taking so long to get through to tour operators and refunds organised
If people who were travelling later in the year eg sept/ Oct hang fire just now the people who are travelling on dates that are affected can be helped we wouldn’t have half the problems we have

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 19/04/2020 17:34

I feel sorry for them for sure. However, lots of people now have lost incomes, or are conscious that everything is about to cost more- they need that money to be accessible - many won’t have a holiday next year.
I also have friends who’s children start school in September, they can’t afford the holiday next year during school holidays, so a credit note is pointless.

Parmavioletmum · 19/04/2020 17:35

We know our holiday in june is going to be cancelled and we're just waiting for them to do so. I completely get that they're under pressure etc etc but the problem is the lack of communication and the atrocious way of handling it all. If they were holding their hands up going right atm we havent got the funds just sat there to refund immediately. Here's the alternative options, refunds are available but will take longer then that would be different. But telling people they can have refunds then not giving it and being impossible to speak to someone is horrific and quite honestly pissing people off. After at least 50 attempts I finally got to the on hold queue, to only get an automated message an hour later and then hung up on! Was not impressed.

Itsjustmee · 19/04/2020 17:36

Tui are doing this at the moment
Offering a credit note and 20 percent off on another holiday in which the prices are far higher
From what I have read you have to accept the credit note in order to get the refund at a later stage.
Meanwhile they have millions and millions of people’s money and it’s taken them ages to even clarify what they are doing
You can’t just change lobby to change the law because your business might go bust

The law is that if they cancel your holiday they have to refund you in 14 days not offer you a credit note
If they were a bit more transparent then maybe people wouldn’t be so worried
I was lucky I went on holiday with them in Feb and can back 1St March
My friend was cancelled 22nd March and she still hasn’t had a refund yet

hm246 · 19/04/2020 17:37

100% agreed. Had a holiday booked for 27th March, had a few generic emails from the company saying they are processing refunds/rebooking ect. More than happy to wait to be contacted.

MT2017 · 19/04/2020 17:38

I understand the travel companies' view but that money is money that if we are not using to go away with, we would like to use for other things eg on the house.

But I am keeping my fingers crossed, ours is booked for mid August so hopefully we will be able to go...

Itsjustmee · 19/04/2020 17:39

ElloElloVera
I thought holiday operators don’t pay for the rooms in advance .They pay afterwards or is this wrong

JulietTango · 19/04/2020 17:40

Fair enough

Lala241280 · 19/04/2020 17:42

It’s taking 50 attempts on the phone because staff are furloughed they don’t have the man power to answer the calls/emails
P&O normally take 3000 email queries in a week are now taking over 10000
Most companies websites and Facebook pages have regular updates

It is not legal that companies give you a re fund within 14 days
Certainly Travel Agents cannot give a refund of money when they paid it to a tour operator who in turn have paid it to a hotel / airline

Bojheybuddy · 19/04/2020 17:43

Where does travel insurance fit in here?

vanillandhoney · 19/04/2020 17:43

Forgive me if I’m wrong but it seems backward to demand money back if you want to avoid them going bust.

But if they go bust before they get to go on holiday, they lose out anyway. I'd rather get my money back and not risk losing it altogether.

Holiday companies need to follow the law.

Hangingwithmygnomies · 19/04/2020 17:46

@edwinbear thank you, we have had some great customer feedback, as we took a very proactive approach and cancelled holidays way beyond the FCO advise, which most of our affected customers appreciated. We also have a policy in place for passengers travelling for the rest of the year, who may now not feel comfortable to travel. One thing I must clarify though, is that the Refund Credit Notes being offered, retain their financial protection but the extra incentive offered is not (as it's a "goodwill" thing) and should be on a separate voucher