Simple Question Regarding Cancelled Golf Break

[DanFST]

Right i've had a think over lunch. Ignore covid completely.

your contract is with them, Flight has been cancelled. Ask what there suitable replacement is in order to fulfil the contract.

Decide wether that is suitable, I imagine it won't be.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Meant to be flying on Friday the 20th March, 2 days time.

Right, the way the email from YGT read, it implied it was a long way into the future.

No wonder you are peeved.

 

[Kennysarmy]

This is under their terms and conditions which they are saying TRUMPS the law - are they right?

28. Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances

28.1 In these Terms and Conditions, where we refer to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances, it means a situation beyond the control of the party who invokes such a situation and the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.

28.2 This may cover for example warfare, other serious security problems such as terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of a serious disease at the travel destination, or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the destination as agreed in the Package travel contract.

28.3 Except where we say differently elsewhere in these conditions, we cannot pay any compensation, reimburse expenses, or cover losses for any amount or otherwise accept responsibility if, as a result of Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances, we have to cancel your booking prior to departure, any refund can be issued by way of a holiday voucher.

28.4 Except where we say differently elsewhere in these conditions, we cannot pay any compensation, reimburse expenses, or cover losses for any amount or otherwise accept responsibility if, as a result of Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances, we change your booking after departure, or we, or our suppliers, cannot supply your booking, as we, or they, had agreed, or you suffer any loss or damage of any description.

 

[gmjs]

Hi, just joined up when I found this thread so go easy on me, I am in the exact same situation with YGT and though I would post what I have found out after a good few hours of research and phone calls.

I received an email to say that our break to France on the Eurotunnel was cancelled and I could change dates or have a refund. I replied saying please refund back to my credit card.

A reply came back the next day from YGT saying a refund could only be in the form of a credit note, so I responded to them saying this was no good and as under clause 10.1 of their T&C's and as per my ABTA protection rights I would like refund back to my card. Who knows if YGT will still be trading and the credit being available 6 momths down the line ?!

Final response came back saying they are only issuing credit vouchers, so I responded saying they appear to be breaching the T&C's set out when I booked so I will take up with ABTA and my CC company. I have sent an ABTA complaint off online and am awaiting a response. I have since found out ABTA are currently emergency lobbying the government due to this, to make it legal for a credit note to be offered, even though T&C's and ABTA protection states a refund will be given. Seems as if they are working in the interest of the agents and not the consumers, albeit trying to stop the agents going out of business.

If you read section 10 of their T&C's (they cancel on you), the clause 28 advice about exceptional circumstances appears to only relate to compensation and not the original holiday cost fees paid, as stated in clause 10.2 of YGT T&C's.

Spoke to my CC company about processing a Section 75 claim and their representative went away and sought advice from the legal team, who read the YGT T&C's and said they can process a section 75 if YGT do not change their advice to me, or ABTA do not respond to me within the next 14 days. They seemed sure the YGT T&C's give me the right to a full refund, let along the ABTA guarantee backing this up.

Fingers crossed that ABTA are not allowed to make this backhanded change and everyone who has paid by any method can claim their hard earned money back. It seems madness to hold credit on account with YGT, who will most likely decide to bail out of the industry and close down because of all of this.

Gaz

 

[GB72]

This is under their terms and conditions which they are saying TRUMPS the law - are they right?

28. Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances

28.1 In these Terms and Conditions, where we refer to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances, it means a situation beyond the control of the party who invokes such a situation and the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken.

28.2 This may cover for example warfare, other serious security problems such as terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of a serious disease at the travel destination, or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the destination as agreed in the Package travel contract.

28.3 Except where we say differently elsewhere in these conditions, we cannot pay any compensation, reimburse expenses, or cover losses for any amount or otherwise accept responsibility if, as a result of Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances, we have to cancel your booking prior to departure, any refund can be issued by way of a holiday voucher.

28.4 Except where we say differently elsewhere in these conditions, we cannot pay any compensation, reimburse expenses, or cover losses for any amount or otherwise accept responsibility if, as a result of Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances, we change your booking after departure, or we, or our suppliers, cannot supply your booking, as we, or they, had agreed, or you suffer any loss or damage of any description.

If this is classed as a signed agreement to accept vouchers then you may be stuck.

 

[gmjs]

Link to current ABTA stance as of this morning .......

https://travelweekly.co.uk/articles/363737/coronavirus-abta-urges-changes-to-refund-rules

 

[DanFST]

Edit: Didn't see the update whilst I was asleep. Carry on.

 

[Kennysarmy]

Even if I quote the law to them, they could still refuse to offer a refund - what then?

 

[gmjs]

Ask the bank who issued the debit card to process a chargeback as outlined below by Martin Lewis .......

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shopping/visa-mastercard-chargeback/

 

[Kennysarmy]

***** Part of this reply or comment has had to be deleted *****

 

[Kennysarmy]

Latest from your golf travel...

Following on from our previous communication , we are unable to offer you a cash refund of your holiday costs.

To explain the reasons for this decision, ABTA (which YGT is a member) recently released a statement regarding the COVID-19 outbreak:


ABTA has advised the government to immediately implement emergency legislation to:
Introduce an emergency government fund to assist where tour operators are unable to retain funds back from suppliers
Remove the obligation to make refunds (including holiday vouchers) within 14 days
To allow holiday credits as an alternative form of payment
In light of this development Tour Operators have been advised that they are justified in these situations to hold back on making any refunds (of any kind) until such a time, pending feedback on further development on this approach from ABTA to the government.

At this point in time, I would like to reiterate that the three options detailed below are still available should you wish to reconsider:

1) Move your booking to another date 'free of charge'. (This would be subject to availability and any supplier price changes).

2) We will issue a 'holiday voucher' to be used against future travel. (Where we have not already incurred charges from our suppliers).

3) If you choose to cancel your booking you may be able to make a claim through your travel insurance company. In this case please contact us at your earliest opportunity so we can provide you with the necessary documents.

 

[Kennysarmy]

***** Part of this reply or comment has had to be deleted *****

 

[Neilds]

Should this be played out on social media? Seems dirty and tacky to me

 

[DanFST]

Good reply!

 

[Kennysarmy]

I'm just trying to give others in the same boat as us some hope should we get offered a refund through our persistence...

 

[DeanoMK]

Should this be played out on social media? Seems dirty and tacky to me

Who's put it on social media? A golf forum is not social media.

It might go against what you think, but these days the best way to get this sorted is to go on Twitter, you're basically guaranteed a resolution.

 

[Neilds]

Who's put it on social media? A golf forum is not social media.

It might go against what you think, but these days the best way to get this sorted is to go on Twitter, you're basically guaranteed a resolution.

Disagree that a forum is social media and also , whilst I support the OP’s initial postings, I don’t think it is right to publish the email trail on here.

 

[Old Skier]

Disagree that a forum is social media and also , whilst I support the OP’s initial postings, I don’t think it is right to publish the email trail on here.

As someone who is in the same position as the OP I can understand his frustrations.

I have been organising golf trips for my mates for the last 8 years all with the same company. I have always gone with them as they are ABTA protected. To find out now that it basically means absolutely nothing comes as a bit of a kick in the teeth.

I have 18 friends who have in good faith given me the money to book them a holiday with. For a company now to say sorry you'll have to sort it puts all the stress and worry on me the organiser. Offering a credit note means absolutely nothing as if the company goes bust or changes its trading name it becomes worthless. Half of the group are in the forces and cannot guarantee when or if they will b available again.

Company's have there insurance and should claim on it along with the ABTA bond, unusual circumstances yes, my problem, no.

 

[howbow88]

1) A golf/movie/pineapple/etc forum is social media.

2) I don't see anything wrong in posting about it on here or any other social media platform.

On the subject itself, you're not alone in this - check out Twitter for several people in the same boat. I had tickets booked for the Augusta National Women's Amateur, held the weekend before The Masters. Some things to consider:

Coronavirus isn't YGT's fault.
YGT like most travel companies are probably going to be completely screwed by this situation, and will be lucky to survive it.

Also worth considering:

Coronavirus isn't the customer's fault either.
I've now paid for a service/product that I'm not going to get.

The world does seem to be falling apart at the moment, but it also seems to me that YGT are simply not fulfilling what is required of them in pretty much all of these scenarios - a full refund if one is requested.

Taking a voucher seems like madness, in my opinion. As said earlier, they will be lucky to survive this. The timing for them couldn't be much worse either - at a guess, March-April must be the most popular time of the year for British golf travellers.

I will probably end up going through travel insurance, which I don't want to do - my premiums will probably go up, I would guess without checking that there will be some sort of excess involved, and YGT will have my cash for doing pretty much nothing.

However, I will almost never use them again, and I will also make sure I leave a review on every platform available to let people know that if things turn sour, YGT won't help you out. One bad review won't impact them, but if everyone who has been caught up in this leaves a negative review...

 

[howbow88]

I should add that I also have the option to attend the event if it is rescheduled, or go to next year's event. This doesn't work for me unfortunately (long story but I get very cheap long-haul flights currently, after September I won't). There also comes back again to the question of whether YGT will still be in business by October.

I had a trip to Gdansk this weekend. Expedia have refunded hotels already, and budget airline Wizz Air are currently in the process of doing the same.

For my Augusta trip, Hotels.com have made it clear that all hotels will be refunded and both Virgin Atlantic and BA are refunding for the flights.

It's only YGT who come out of this looking bad.