‘Travel companies must come clean on complaints’

Monday, 20 May, 2004 0

Travelcare has urged all travel companies to be more upfront about customer complaints.

The Co-operative group-owned independent agency chain particularly called on web-based travel suppliers to ‘come clean’ on customer satisfaction levels.

The company, releasing its 2003 Holiday Report, admitted its complaint levels were ‘slightly up’ last year, but still represented less than one per cent of all passengers booked.

Travelcare said Argo, Crystal, Knoni and Inghams all withheld their offocial complaints figures for its report. Complaint levels dropped for 24 out of the 30 operators featured in the report.

Travelcare general manager Amnada Williams claimed that no one in the UK had “the foggiest idea” of how well consumers are being served in the holiday sector.

“This simply can’t be right – people expect a lot from their holiday and they deserve these facts to help them make an informed choice,” she said.

Ms Williams added: “The industry has consistently shot itself in the foot on this issue. Our independent study shows clearly that tour operators at least are doing an excellent job in meeting customer needs – yet by not beong more open and assertive on the issue, the industry as a whole is only adding to the impression being created, particularly in the media, that service is poor.”

The Travelcare call coincies with new BBC TV consumer series Brassed Off which says holidays are among the top ten most frustrating purchases.

Ms Williams warned: “The fact is that with the growth of independent travel and the thousands of travel and holiday suppliers offering their services on the internet, it will be even more difficult for holidaymakers to judge service standards and get complaints resolved.

“Now is the time for all holiday companies who are proud of their service record – and even those who aren’t but who are working on it – to stand up, be counted and be upfront about the complaints they receive.”

The Travelcare call was backed by the Institute of Trading Standards, whose principal officer Bruce Treleor said: “When people choose a holiday company, be it a tour operator, airline or accommodation provider, they put a lot of trust in them to deliver. Being aware of a company’s service record should play an important part in helping consumers make the right choice.”

Report by Phil Davies

Phil Davies

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