British parcel holiday operator warns consumers about refund rights | Competition and Markets Authority

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Britain’s competition regulator has warned the holiday industry that it must inform travelers about their vacation experience. Right to refund, Because it forces Tui, Europe’s largest travel company, to clearly stipulate that customers can withdraw cash.

This Competition and Market Authority (CMA) said on Thursday that it has written to 100 travel agencies reminding them that they must provide refunds for cancelled holidays and repay customers within two weeks.

The tourism department has In the worst-hit industries During the coronavirus pandemic, international campaigns are still severely restricted, even in countries that have implemented vaccination programs (including the United Kingdom).

The online travel agency said on the beach on Wednesday that it will not sell any holidays in June, July or August this summer because of doubts about whether it will continue.

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England’s traffic signal system: what does it mean for international holidaymakers?

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Ministers said that from May 17, the earliest international leisure travel may be able to resume, countries will be placed in the traffic signal system, and the green, amber and red lists will set the rules for testing and testing. Those returning to the UK in quarantine:

green: Passengers do not need to be quarantined on their return journey (unless they get a positive result), but must undergo pre-flight tests and PCR tests before returning to the UK. Several countries and regions are on the initial green list, including Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Portugal and Falkland Island.

amber: Travelers will need to be quarantined for 10 days and undergo pre-departure testing and two PCR tests (on the second and eighth days respectively), and can choose to pay for a private Covid-19 test on the fifth day ( Test release plan), end self-isolation as soon as possible.

Red: Arrival will be subject to Current restrictions on redlisted countries, Which includes 10 days in the hosting company Quarantine Hotel, As well as the pre-departure test and two PCR tests.

Which list a country is included on will depend on many factors, including the percentage of the vaccinated population, the infection rate and the prevalence of the “variable of concern”.

Considering that travel is a decentralized matter, the authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will decide whether to follow suit or adopt other methods.

Rupert Jones with Aubrey Allegretti

The CMA warning was issued when the British government was preparing to relax restrictions on holidays.Starting Monday, May 17, travelers from England will be allowed to travel Visit more than a dozen destinations On the green list, no isolation is required. They are Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Israel and Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira, as well as two British overseas territories in the Atlantic Ocean.

However, regulators have been concerned about the repeated failure of travel agencies to inform customers that they have the right to ask for cash refunds if they are forced to cancel bookings. It said that since March 2020, CMA has received more than 23,000 consumer complaints about refund issues.

Before the pandemic began, Tui, an Anglo-German travel company that had been a member of the FTSE 100, officially promised to provide clearer information on refund rights after CMA intervention.

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CMA had previously forced Lastminute.com, Love holiday, Graphic Holiday Virgin Holidays pays customers refunds instead of just providing credit notes.

CMA CEO Andrea Coscelli said: “We want to ensure that people fully understand their refund rights so that they can make informed choices about booking holidays.

“In the past year, we have provided millions of dollars in refunds for people who were unable to participate in hard travel. Now, we call on vacation package companies to reduce the hassle of future refund procedures. We hope that all companies will give clear Cancel the selection. If we see that the company has violated the law by rejecting or delaying refunds this summer, we will consider taking appropriate measures.”

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