Watchdog : operators’ standards are falling

Watchdog : operators’ standards are falling

Exclusive by STEVE JONES

THE BBC’s flagship consumer programme Watchdog has launched a blistering attack on operators and told them: “You’re getting worse.”

It said complaints during the peak summer months this year doubled to 2,000. Weekend Watchdog editor Mark Killick will make a controversial speech at the ABTAconvention in Kos and tell delegates that the industry needs to stop promising what it cannot deliver.

The fresh criticism will reignite the feud between the industry and Watchdog, which has constantly accused operators of delivering sub-standard holidays.

Killick will tell the convention: “The industry continues to talk the language of improving customer service but on the ground, where it matters, they are not doing enough.

“In reality things are getting worse, not better. Our complaints have doubled which tells its own story. This strikes me as alarming.”

He said some operators are treating customers with contempt.

“It can take five letters before a customer who has a genuine case gets offered vouchers as a way of compensation,” said Killick. “That is not good enough.”

Most complaints to Watchdog centre on poor accommodation, customer service and flight delays.

Killick, who is certain to face a hostile reception at the convention, will also reopen the controversy created by Airtours Holidays and UKLG distribution managing director Richard Carrick, who hit out at “holiday whingers”.

Speaking exclusively to Travel Weekly on October 9, Carrick said he is instigating a crackdown on payments to holidaymakers who whinge about trivial matters.

Killick said: “It appears the industry is going backwards with comments like this.”

His attack comes on the back of recent figures released by Watchdog which revealed 499 complaints were made against the top four operators in July, August and September.

Of these, 233 were against JMC, although many relate to the Club Aguamar hotel in Majorca, where 31 holidaymakers contracted gastric illness. JMC subsequently dropped the property in August for the rest of this year. Some 120 complaints were against Airtours, 76 against First Choice and 70 against Thomson.

Killick stressed the vast majority of complaints it receives are genuine and denied it was responsible for promoting a complaint culture.

“Most of the letters we receive are from people who have already tried, and failed, to address the issue with the operator concerned,” he said.

&#42 Anite to rebrand, see page 3; Bath attack; Nightingale out, see back page

THE BBC’s flagship consumer programme Watchdog has launched a blistering attack on operators and told them: “You’re getting worse.”

It said complaints during the peak summer months this year doubled to 2,000. Weekend Watchdog editor Mark Killick will make a controversial speech at the ABTAconvention in Kos and tell delegates that the industry needs to stop promising what it cannot deliver.

The fresh criticism will reignite the feud between the industry and Watchdog, which has constantly accused operators of delivering sub-standard holidays.

Killick will tell the convention: “The industry continues to talk the language of improving customer service but on the ground, where it matters, they are not doing enough.

“In reality things are getting worse, not better. Our complaints have doubled which tells its own story. This strikes me as alarming.”

He said some operators are treating customers with contempt.

“It can take five letters before a customer who has a genuine case gets offered vouchers as a way of compensation,” said Killick. “That is not good enough.”

Most complaints to Watchdog centre on poor accommodation, customer service and flight delays.

Killick, who is certain to face a hostile reception at the convention, will also reopen the controversy created by Airtours Holidays and UKLG distribution managing director Richard Carrick, who hit out at “holiday whingers”.

Speaking exclusively to Travel Weekly on October 9, Carrick said he is instigating a crackdown on payments to holidaymakers who whinge about trivial matters.

Killick said: “It appears the industry is going backwards with comments like this.”

His attack comes on the back of recent figures released by Watchdog which revealed 499 complaints were made against the top four operators in July, August and September.

Of these, 233 were against JMC, although many relate to the Club Aguamar hotel in Majorca, where 31 holidaymakers contracted gastric illness. JMC subsequently dropped the property in August for the rest of this year. Some 120 complaints were against Airtours, 76 against First Choice and 70 against Thomson.

Killick stressed the vast majority of complaints it receives are genuine and denied it was responsible for promoting a complaint culture.

“Most of the letters we receive are from people who have already tried, and failed, to address the issue with the operator concerned,” he said.

&#42 Anite to rebrand, see page 3; Bath attack; Nightingale out, see back page

Hard hitting: Killick will attack operators in a controversial speech at the ABTA convention