The coronavirus pandemic has caused a real disaster when it comes to already paid travel arrangements, so it is unclear to many who have not traveled if and when they will be able to go on a trip, or if they will get their money back.
The state passed a decree according to which citizens who paid for the trip before March 15 can take a replacement trip or expect a refund after January 1, 2022, however, some citizens insist that their money be paid as as soon as possible, so he even sued some tour operators.
photo: Stefan Jokić
Slovo zakona
Recently, the first court verdict was approved, according to which the client received a refund from the agency. While Dejan Gavrilovic, president of the Efektiva Consumers Association, affirms that the verdict is based on the Consumer Protection Law, according to which agencies are obliged to return money to whoever wishes, Aleksandar Senicic, director of the National Association of Utah Travel Agencies notes that they have more judgments that reject customer appeals.
– Specifically, this verdict is not enforceable and the procedure is still ongoing. The state approved this decree because countries like Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Spain, Germany, Italy and others, where our citizens travel the most, passed laws that their hoteliers, to whom we all pay an advance, do not have to return money for the 2022. year if a substitute trip is not used – said Senicic for Kurir.
photo: Tamara Trajković
He points out that he understands citizens, but emphasizes that the only way to get their money back is for travel agencies to survive:
– Travel agencies are not to blame, they gave money to foreign partners. No agency would now have the money to pay all passengers, and if agencies fail because of that, only foreigners would benefit.
Business risk
On the other hand, Dejan Gavrilović points out that the first verdict in favor of the agency’s client is in accordance with the Consumer Protection Law, which must be above the controversial regulations.
Who did not take a replacement trip for a refund, according to the decree, must wait until 2022photo: Profimedia
– The problem erupted at the beginning, when the agencies rigidly offered replacement trips or refunds for more than a year, without interest, without any benefit to people. The money is given to foreign partners, but that is your business risk. The agency is responsible for its passenger services, and if there is no service, citizens are entitled to a refund. Maybe someone lost their job or got sick, so they urgently need that money now, Gavrilović said.
He considers that insurance companies should not be guarantors of passengers, but must be done through bank guarantees.
GORAN PAPOVIC (NOPS)
Regulation favors agencies
photo: Media Centar
Goran Papovic, president of the National Organization of Consumers (NOPS), told Kurir that the government decree on substitute travel is not in line with the Consumer Protection Law and was adopted “to calm the citizens a bit, but also to help travel agencies more. “
– Everyone who accepted a replacement trip now cannot sue the agency for a refund. The travel agency supervision sector is very bad, we have more than 2,000, while in Germany, for example, there are only five. People sought help and relief from the state, and did not pay the previous deposit for travel insurance, which is only now surfacing. I think the idea of replacement travel vouchers was not good for consumers at first, says Papović.
Kurir.rs/ Jelena Pronić Photo: Press Center, Marina Lopičić
