Sharon Harvey

Ugly Refund Dispute! Travel agents are consultants - they deliver expert advice and booking capabilities. They charge a fee for their services just like any other consultant – it used to come from commissions, but due to their suppliers reducing commissions, charge a non-refundable per person fee. I don’t understand how this differs from receiving services from other industries. You don’t go to your accountant, have him do your tax return and then say you won’t pay him for his time, utilities, rent and staff, because you’re actually not lodging a tax return this year. Nor do you not pay your excess in an insurance claim. Just like the insurers, the travel consultants that still have jobs are working like crazy to cancel bookings and deliver refunds back to their clients.. As a family of 5, I do understand the $300 per person fee was high - if all us are doing the same itinerary – it was in line with how commissions were paid. But that has now been capped per booking – and rightly so. The airlines haven’t rendered any services so therefore can provide a full refund. This virus is hurting so many, six thousand FC staff have been stood down – how about doing a story on how they’re doing? How their mental health is? Or the staff who are left, working their butts off trying to cancel bookings and bring in refunds, while consoling a hurting and sometimes, angry client.