Ex-Thomas Cook chief executive Harriet Green has backed Kane Pirie’s ‘Right to Refund’ campaign.
She joined other former travel executives including Terry Fisher, formerly managing director of Gold Medal and Thomas Cook Scheduled Businesses and Richard Carrick, formerly a director at Airtours and Hoseasons, in support of the VIVID Travel boss’ consumer rights campaign.
The campaign, launched last week, now has more than 6,000 followers.
Webcast: Right to Refund campaign’s Kane Pirie
It was originally launched with the intention of blocking a “complicated change to the law” in the form of credit refund notes, as called for by Abta, but has since pivoted to focus on tour operators choosing to act outside both the PTRs and Abta’s proposed alternative.
Abta’s campaign, Save Future Travel, had 13,500 backers in its first day and 21,000 before the start of the Easter weekend.
Green said: “The future of brands and businesses are being defined right now by what we all stop, start and continue. We all have our lists of the good, the bad and the ugly businesses based on how they react right now in the moment. Consumers, customers and many people are struggling as they are made redundant, furloughed and feeling lost in the vortex of financial ruin and extraordinary debt. It is easier for businesses to raise money than it is for many individuals to stay solvent over the upcoming months, and based on what I understand to be the fundamental ethos of the ‘Its Right to Refund’ campaign, I think monies should be returned to folks as soon as possible both for the survival of good-will in the industry and the well-being of customers.”
Fisher added: “It’s fundamentally wrong to withhold client monies and vouchers are not acceptable. Everyone who asks for a cash refund should be given one. If businesses can’t afford to refund it shows that they’re not properly run businesses, and more like a Ponzi scheme. Business owners need to treat clients’ money as exactly that – clients’ money. Not cash to fund their business. This is totally unacceptable.”
Martin Lock, chief executive of Silversurfers, also backed the campaign. He said: “Most would like the payment for their holidays refunded, and there were a lot of very positive comments about Jet2holidays and P&O Cruises, which are offering immediate refunds. But many of our members are upset they either have struggled to get in contact with their travel companies or are not being refunded which they do not expect. The over 50s take 58% of all holidays in the UK and are very experienced and frequent travellers and expect high levels of customer service.”
Carrick said: “Consumer trust will be paramount in rebuilding our industry and it is imperative that we carry our customers with us at a time when finances are tight for both them and us. Travel companies cannot be seen to be openly breaking the law with blatant disregard for such trust, when we will be dependent on these very people for our recovery.”
Pirie said “the tide is turning on the debate within the industry”, adding: “I am pleased to have leading lights fully endorse that customers need their cash back, and share my concerns that the long-term impact of this situation on the market will be a lack of trust between consumers and holiday companies, which isn’t in anyone’s interest.
“Everyone knows that the industry needs support right now, but there are loans and other powerful new government initiatives to help with this. Customers need their money back and need it back without unnecessary delay. Let’s play fair.”
