Imagine being without income for four months and having to deal with three formal notices: this is what a travel agency in Saint-Apollinaire experiences.
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Several customers, furious at not having obtained a travel credit, sued the owner Annie Caron.
However, it is not she who holds the money from her customers, but the airlines.
“The conversations got worse and the customers said” We’re going to sue you Annie “! I replied that I was going to defend myself, but it is a shame to get there, because it was customers who were satisfied at the start! ”Explains Annie Caron, owner of Agence Car On Voyage.
The agency estimates its loss of income at $ 65,000.
“We still have to ensure fixed costs like our premises, our telephone and our internet … and in addition we have to pay our lawyers to defend ourselves. How are we going to be able to survive this crisis? ”Wonders Annie Caron.
The Car On Voyage agency has had to cancel 1,500 trips since the start of the pandemic. The company understands the frustration of its customers, but it received no response from the Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC), even after several attempts.
“Travel insurers like Manulife, Desjardins and even the Blue Cross send the ball to the OPC, and the OPC sends the ball to the insurers! They have been passing the buck for four months and it is still not settled! I would like an answer please so that I can reassure my clients! ”, Indignant Annie Caron.
The consumer protection office did not return calls from TVA Nouvelles and ditto regarding the Compensation Fund for Customers of Travel Agents (FICAV).
“The FICAV has already received 30,000 claims for compensation and at the level of the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), we are talking about more than 20,000 complaints that have been made (…) There is no a clear position as to whether the airlines should reimburse or not. All of this brings a huge problem for customers, ”says Jacob Charbonneau, CEO of the specialized website VolEnRetard.ca.
Even though the European Union has reopened its borders to Canadians, the situation is not improving among travel agencies.
The rising price of plane tickets and the uncertainty of coverage of certain insurance companies are curbing the desire to travel of many Quebecers.
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