The newly re-launched business had initially refrained from committing to 14-day refunds (as stipulated by the Package Travel Directive) amid fears it wouldn’t be able to reimburse huge numbers of customers should a destination suddenly be removed from the UK’s travel corridors.
However the company has now said it had amended this as a result of issues raised during TTG’s latest debate, which explored: Are the glory days over for OTAs? and Cook said it would now always refund customers whose holidays are cancelled within 14 days.
Speakers included Alan French, CEO, Thomas Cook, Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel and Jo Kolatsis, director, Themis Advisory, with much of the debate focussing on the issue of refunds and regaining consumer confidence.
Following the discussion, Alan French, CEO for Thomas Cook told TTG: “Following our launch, and the successful delivery of our policy on only selling holidays to destinations that are on the government’s travel corridor list, we have been able to test the speed of our contact centre team to change and cancel holidays where government advice has changed. In light of that, we are now confident that we will be able to provide cash refunds to customers within 14 days of their holiday being cancelled.
“We know that customers want to go on holiday not to have to get a refund and so if the government advice changes for a destination, we will contact customers at least two weeks before their departure to help them find an alternative date or location. If we are unable to find something that suits the customer we will organise a full refund for them within 14 days.”
