ABTA hit by flurry of negative reviews on Trustpilot

Monday, 28 Apr, 2020 1

ABTA has received dozens of negative reviews on Trustpilot this month, leading to the customer feedback site rating the association as ‘bad’.

ABTA’s average Trustpilot review scoring currently stands at 1.3 out of five, with the number of reviews jumping from a steady two or three a month over the past year to over 60 so far in April, as customers express frustration at ABTA’s handling of the refund process.

Reviewer Neil Smith said: "Absolutely appalled by the response to my complaint which I received from ABTA regarding my travel operator not refunding me after cancelling my holiday. They blatantly told me I should shut up and put up and if I don’t like it I can take them to court but they don’t recommend it."

Another reviewer, using the name ‘Demand refund’ said: "ABTA’s role is clear in which it merely supports the actions of its members and affords no support for the consumers."

In giving feedback, a customer called Richard said: "Can’t give zero. Wish I could. You are a pocket quango with no teeth and work for the benefit of travel companies and not the consumer."

Jim Stevenson renamed ABTA as ‘Anything But Travel Advice’, asking: "Why does your so-called association still exist? Where are you when needed?"

AB posted: "Don’t trust in ABTA to support you as a customer," adding ABTA is focused on ‘greedy travel companies’. Kathleen Mckenna said: "They are giving these companies cart blanche to rob us." Jamie Smith accused ABTA of being ‘utterly pointless for consumers’, adding: "When it really matters, and consumers needed refunds, they did nothing."

Some reviewers have said they will not actively look for an ABTA logo again when booking a holiday.

Peter Kulu said: "Don’t ever use an ABTA travel agent or expect ABTA to take a consumer’s side". Clare Turner posted: "In future I will be looking at booking my holidays with travel companies not associated with this dreadful organisation" and Kim P said: "I will never seek an ABTA member again. ABTA’s silence is deafening to the consumer."

Neil Smith added: "Don’t bother checking for an ABTA number when you book. Just use your credit card. Decades of reputation destroyed by one judgement."

ABTA declined to comment.

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Lisa

Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.

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