The Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) has requested Go First, a crisis-hit Indian airline, to refund passengers using the funds deposited in a credit shell with the carrier. TAFI has also requested that the refund amount be directly credited to the bank accounts of agents since many passengers are seeking refunds.
The airline has suspended flights due to uncertainty caused by the ongoing crisis. TAFI, which has over 1,400 members, has sent a letter to the CEO of Go First, Kaushik Khona, stating that thousands of tickets need to be cancelled, and passengers need to be refunded.
The credit shell is a new mechanism introduced by airlines to manage the large number of cancellations due to the pandemic. Airlines provide passengers with a credit shell, which is a form of credit note that can be used to purchase a ticket at a later date. Passengers can redeem the credit shell for a new ticket within a certain period. However, many passengers are now seeking refunds instead of using the credit shell, which is leading to difficulties for travel agents.
TAFI has stated that the airline has a significant amount of funds deposited in credit shells with it. These funds have been deposited by travel agents on behalf of their clients who had booked tickets with the airline. TAFI has requested that Go First refund passengers using these funds to ensure that refunds are processed efficiently.
The pandemic has had a severe impact on the aviation industry, with many airlines struggling to stay afloat due to a lack of demand for air travel. Go First has been facing financial difficulties for some time, and the suspension of flights has only worsened the situation.
The airline has also faced criticism from passengers and travel agents for its handling of cancellations and refunds. Many passengers have complained that they have been unable to get in touch with the airline’s customer service representatives to request refunds. Travel agents have also faced difficulties in processing refunds for their clients.
TAFI has requested that Go First take immediate action to refund passengers using the funds deposited in the credit shell. The association has also requested that the refund amount be directly credited to the bank accounts of agents to ensure a smooth and efficient refund process.
The airline has yet to respond to TAFI’s request. However, the travel agents’ association is hopeful that the airline will take prompt action to address the concerns raised by passengers and travel agents.
