OFT holiday code call
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• Long-distance coach operators pass the buck to often over spoiled holidays, and tourists find it difficult too take legal action when things go wrong, says a new report from the Office of Fair Trading.
In it's hard-hitting report, The Package Holiday Codes, the OFT says that tour operators should stand behind the performance of suppliers such as hotels or carriers.
It wants the Association of British Travel Agents to amend its tour operator's code of conduct to force coach operators to accept responsibility when things go wrong.
A spokesman for the Bus and Coach Council said that the report was being looked at in detail, but pointed out that its current code of practice had been put together in consultation with the OFT.
The BCC's bonded coach holiday scheme was approved by ABTA and there had been very little criticism of it, says the BCC. Complaints against coach-based inclusive tours are proportionately lower than with other types of holiday, and coach firms running shuttles for large tour operators did not come under the BCC scheme, maintains the Council.
The BCC also has an arbitration and conciliation service for unresolved disputes.
Because of the personal service and type of customers on coach holidays, disputes are rare and there is a high degree of passenger loyalty.
Most of the complaints listed in the OFT report were about accommodation, poor food, late changes to arrangements ind poor tour representatives.