Travel agents are at the receiving end of customer fury about airline vouchers but the Association of South African Travel Agents believes the anger is misplaced. It says the suppliers have locked agents out of payment systems and are refusing to refund.
“While we, as a representative of the travel agencies which have been significantly impacted by Covid-19 and the associated travel bans, are sympathetic to the issue the delay or refusal to refund passengers is in contravention of the Consumer Protection Act,” says Asata chief executive Otto de Vries, adding the final decision on whether to accept a voucher must be left to the consumer.
De Vries says airlines need to reinstate automated ticket change capabilities through the Global Distribution Systems to allow travel agencies to process refunds and vouchers. All changes, updates, cancellations and refunds must be processed through this.But the airlines have switched off the function, locking agents out of the system, to prevent refunds. This forces agents to submit refund requests manually, which delays or stops repayments.
Asata has put in an “inordinate amount” of training around the lockdown, including legal recourse, how to engage with suppliers, risk management, the voucher debacle, managing customer expectations and, more recently, how to reopen, but the industry needs something to sell. They need control over bookings and need to get their members back to work.
De Vries acknowledges that some travel agents have held onto refunds or not passed it to the suppliers, in order to manage their cash flow for their business. “It’s fraud.”Lockdown has crippled travel globally: many airlines have announced job cuts and flouted consumer protection laws that entitle customers to a full cash refund.
European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson told Euronews that member states had a duty to ensure refunds remained an option. “This is a fundamental right for consumers and we will stick to that.”
GeorginaCrouth Who can assist me to get a refund. Mango airlines
GeorginaCrouth Been waiting almost 3 months now for a emirates Vitality_SA flight refund to be done.
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