The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about uncertainty to everyone. The unprecedented crisis has infected the livelihoods of millions across the globe and brought a major impact on the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
While some companies are faced with bankruptcy and termination, others are taking desperate measures to withstand this rough seas and survive in the market.
At this point, the time has come for consumers to be abit more flexible. To think back and review on the actions it may cause. To put customer’s rights into a new context and start thinking about the implications of what is currently happening to the travel industry.
Instead of taking bookings, checking in guests and organizing travel arrangements, all these travel companies are now having to spend all their efforts handing money back. This threatens their future directly.
In addition to this, most these companies were built to trade online and they do not have enough staff to cope with a sudden and extreme shift in the way they have to work. To top that off their employees are stressed, in fear of their jobs and livelihoods. What’s more, as the virus spreads, more and more of them are falling sick and leaving companies even more short-staffed.
Customers are usually entitled to a cash refund in such circumstances. But many companies, in their struggle to survive, are calling out the holiday makers to accept a postponement – rebooking for a later date – or an offer of a credit for a future holiday.
The more customers do this, the more travel companies will be able to survive long enough to arrange holidays in future.
If we want to travel even after the COVID-19 crisis, more customers should take note of this and be reasonable during unpredictable times like this.
