Love Holidays and On the Beach Resign From ABTA

[YorkshireT]

breakingtravelnews/n...ta-membership/

Reason given by Love Holidays is they disagree with ABTA that refunds should be given.

Amazing really given the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regs are clear as is the Law Reform (Frustration of Contracts) Act.

Suppose they have shown their views on refunds.

Dibbers may wish to consider companies that they use very carefully.

[neilhd]

I can actually see their point of view (I am possibly somewhat biased working in the travel industry for many years).

If they sell a flight + hotel as a package and then the FCO advice changes - as it does, frequently, with little warning - they are expected to refund. This is fine if the airline cancels the flight. If the airline does not, they are on the hook for the entire flight cost.

It's just far too much of a gamble, as the decision as to whether the flight runs is not in their hands, like it is for a tour operator like Tui who are using their own planes.

The better solution would be for Abta to allow the refund of a flight if FCO advice changes but the airline runs it anyway.

[magickate]

After many years of happily using LoveHolidays we had terrible trouble with them regarding a holiday that should have happened in May, we will be staying away from them in the future regardless of price.

[shack69]

Sorry I disagree as a business they should be ensuring their contract with the airlines covers this possibility. If they can not get that agreement then as a business they have to make a decision on if to accept the risk or insure themselves against the risk. Or even decide not to offer the flights at all.

[YorkshireT]

I suppose you have a choice- On the Beach and Love Holidays who disagree about giving refunds or an ABTA bonded travel agent who has to agree about giving refunds.

You pays your money and takes your choice. I know which retailer I would use personally. Will Love Holidays and On the Beach be much cheaper due to this competitive advantage? Or same price?

[neilhd]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

I suppose you have a choice- On the Beach and Love Holidays who disagree about giving refunds or an ABTA bonded travel agent who has to agree about giving refunds.

You pays your money and takes your choice. I know which retailer I would use personally. Will Love Holidays and On the Beach be much cheaper due to this competitive advantage? Or same price?

See more...

Oh I totally agree. I would not be using them either, even given what I posted above.

Funnily enough I know someone over at Love Holidays in finance (supplier payments side, having worked with him at a couple of other travel firms). Don't envy him right now!

My previous employer has now shut up shop completely. They also resigned from ABTA a while ago, but because ABTA's refund stance was not strong enough for them - they refunded everybody without hesitation and without question, even if they could not recover the money from airlines or other suppliers. The CEO put in his own money to do so (it helps being very rich!).

But they had to close. As he put it - trading is essentially reduced to gambling for such a small firm.

My current employer is more about luxury vacation home rental so no ABTA. We have been pivoting the business from oversea city breaks to domestic rural/seaside breaks. Was all going well but the rule of 6 is another blow...

[Guest]

Stanleycamel started a thread on same yesterday.

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/sho... php?t=1180291

There is some really useful stuff on both threads, posted link so both could see ...