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On The Beach shrugs off ABTA’s refund reprimand
On The Beach insists it does not agree with the decision of the ABTA Board that holidaymakers are entitled to a full refund when the Foreign Office (FCO) advices against all-but-essential travel.
It says it’s committed to offering refunds on accommodation and transfers to customers who choose to cancel based on FCO advice, but will only refund the flight element if the airline cancels and refunds On The Beach.
ABTA’s Board confirmed on Wednesday that holidaymakers are entitled to a refund when the Foreign Office advises against non-essential travel.
On The Beach has put a statement from CEO Simon Cooper on its website in order to ‘provide clarity’.
The statement says: "Contrary to common misconceptions, ABTA is an industry body, of which membership for travel businesses is not mandatory.
"It is not a regulator or a lawmaker. Industry practice, mainly driven by ABTA’s historic guidance, has been to treat the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) as a trigger for full cancellation and refund rights for customers. Industry practice is, by its definition, "the usual thing that is done in a particular situation", but it is not law, and it is something which can and should change and evolve over time and should certainly change in response to this highly unusual situation."
Cooper said ABTA published its policy the day before the deadline it had given On The Beach to file representations.
"We are working on the assumption that notwithstanding ABTA’s statements of 12th and 13th August, they will consider our representations in good faith with an open mind, and will consider updating their policy, given the good reasons for doing so and the significant impact for any of their members who sell package holidays with low-cost flights," he said.
He added: "We remain committed to offering refunds, in cash, on accommodation and transfers to customers who choose to cancel their holiday based on the advice. If the airline cancels the flight and refunds us, we will also pass that refund back to the customer in full. We are working hard to update our customers on their options as the situation evolves and contact them before they depart."
ABTA told TravelMole it has nothing more to add at this stage.
By Lisa James, Deputy Editor (UK)
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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