The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) wants the government to “adequately compensate” consumers for disrupted bookings under current travel restrictions. Current advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) is that “all non-essential foreign travel should be avoided,” and the ITAA is concerned that there isn’t adequate protection for consumers who opt to cancel bookings as a result of the restrictions.
Highlighting the fact that a large number of flights are currently being advertised by airlines, the ITAA strongly advises all customers to tread carefully and carefully review all terms and conditions before proceeding with a booking, as most of these offers don’t come with a guarantee of a cash refund should customers choose not to proceed with their holiday. Should they want to book a flight or a holiday, the ITAA advice is to book with a member agent to ensure that they’re protected should any issues arise.
Pat Dawson, ITAA CEO, stated, “We are warning people when booking travel to ensure that they thoroughly read all terms and conditions before making a booking. If you are unsure, consult with your travel agents who will ensure that you don’t run into the same difficulties as last year and lose money on travel bookings. The current guidelines have had a huge impact on Irish consumers, as the non-essential travel ban is not covered by insurance.”
He continued, “The current travel restrictions provide no relief to either inbound or outbound travel, which will have a knock on effect on the Irish travel industry well into the future. We are calling on the Government to make a clear decision on the current guidelines so that we can begin to rebuild our industry.”
