As you are aware that due to the ongoing crisis of COVID19, travel Industry in the world was the first business victim of the virus as abrupt travel restrictions caused closure of almost all Airports and cancellation of millions air tickets, umrah pilgrimage, tours, corporate and other traveling across the globe.
Travel/ Tourism sector facing colossal financial losses and are at much higher risk of closure/ bankruptcy where hundreds of thousands of jobs are in danger because of predatory, unilateral and unfair policies adopted by IATA and Airlines, wherein the travel agencies on one hand are under acute pressure from passengers/clients demanding cash refunds whereas on other hand airlines are denying to give refunds of un-used tickets to travel agents. Moreover airlines are trying to issue travel vouchers to passenger for future travel, which is not acceptable as payment to IATA made by travel agents and not by passengers.
IATA airlines have unlawfully suspended the option of claiming refund from Airlines through the system, which means travel agencies cannot claim the amount rightfully owed to them by the airlines.
TAAP demands the following action from IATA & Airlines operating in Pakistan immediately.
- To open their auto refund system thru GDS and release full amounts of their refunds of all un-utilized air tickets booked without deducting any penalties/cancellation/charges/ fees/local & other taxes, without further delay as the flight cancellation was by Airlines under force majeure and not by passengers. This is the right of the agency in view of the Airlines unlawfully and abruptly cancelling the GDS refund.
- Airlines must account for all pending refunds in the payment date due on 17th April 2020 (considered Lockdown is not extended)
- Re-issuance of tickets/vouchers is not acceptable, as passengers are demanding cash refunds only.
- Government of Pakistan is requested to put immediate restriction on any remittances (outflow) by the airlines from Pakistan to their parent countries until the refund is adjusted as requested above as this money actually belongs to Pakistani Businesses (Travel Agencies etc) and Passengers.
