TTNG boss vows to 'pull up' suppliers over refund delays
Tom ParryTravel Network Group boss Gary Lewis has warned it will come down on suppliers offering “unacceptable” refund time frames – some as late as 2022.
Lewis told TTG’s latest Keep Your Business Alive seminar that date was “simply not fair” on agents or customers.
“We haven’t publicly named and shamed any of our business partners, [but] we are having really strong conversations with them privately to say this is not reasonable.
“We’re saying we’ll enforce our code of conduct against them and make sure they get pulled up on it.”
He admitted there were “very few” giving the 2022 date, but slammed suppliers for what he called “a lack of real clarity” surrounding policies, claiming only three operators had given clear guidance.
SPAA president and Love To Travel boss Joanne Dooey called for greater communication between operators and agents to fight mainstream media messages that “the whole industry is living off customers’ money”.
John Bevan, chief executive of dnata Travel Europe, said he believed firms “overreacted too quickly” at the start of the coronavirus crisis and should have “closed ranks” to get an understanding of the situation each company was in.
He said the sector should have united to speak with government on the issue of refund credit notes (RCN) and “tried to buy time and give customers reassurance their money was safe”.
“If the government had got behind [RCNs], then the consumer would’ve relaxed a bit more,” said Bevan.
Lewis called on the CAA and the government to “come out with a clear statement” confirming RCNs’ financial protection after giving “verbal assurances” to Abta and the TTA.
“The government has to buy us credibility where we’re losing social capital with customers," he stressed.
Never has travel needed more cohesion and arguably never has it been more at odds – from agents to operators, trade bodies to regulators. Perhaps closing ranks isn’t such a bad idea and could help create more collaboration as, despite best efforts, the sector’s message has so far seemingly left Westminster unmoved. Maybe a rethink in strategy is needed to win back the credibility and respect the trade so deserves.
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