ABTA has launched two new Member advice helplines providing 30 minutes of free advice from leading financial experts on how best to dispute a chargeback, and how to protect yourself from data breaches and other issues relating to cybersecurity.
The two new helplines join existing ABTA helplines on Mergers and Acquisitions & Finance, Employment Law, Crisis Support, Training & Recruitment, and VAT. All of the helplines are operated by ABTA Partners, who are leading experts in their respective fields.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, many refunds have been severely delayed mainly due to suppliers not issuing refunds swiftly, some customers have now turned to their card provider and asked them to raise a chargeback. In some cases, ABTA Members have been receiving chargebacks from their merchant provider even when a customer has already received a refund. The chargeback helpline will help clarify contracts or misrepresentation under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, advise when a chargeback can be challenged as well as the correct processes for doing this successfully.
Travel providers often hold sensitive customer information offering a tempting target for cyber attackers, which can have very serious legal, financial and reputational consequences. The Cybersecurity helpline will advise on current threats in the industry, technology available to mitigate attacks, correct processes to prevent attacks or breaches, how to assess company data, as well as a plan for investigating attacks and establishing a response plan to maintain your business.
The two new helplines join the following five existing helplines on a range of issues to help ABTA Members run successful and healthy businesses:
- Employment Law. Assistance on issues such as discrimination and diversity, redundancy, collective consultancy, Tupe, absence management, statutory holiday management, maternity rights, discrimination, trade unions and disciplinary and grievance.
- Mergers and Acquisitions & Financing. Guidance through difficult decisions about finances, investing, selling or expansion plans.
- Crisis Support Helpline. Provides trained staff that can assist with sensitive or traumatic issues that require specialised support or counselling.
The VAT Helpline covers support relating to specific VAT issues within the travel industry.
Training and Recruitment. Provides support on how to recruit good staff across all areas of your business, and guidance on how to make the most out of apprenticeships.
Alice Catterall, ABTA’s Director of Partnerships and Events said: “The ABTA Partner Helplines provide an invaluable resource for our Members with 30 minutes of free, expert advice on a wide range of issues. The two latest additions on how to dispute a chargeback and cybersecurity have been chosen as both areas can have very serious implications for our Members’ businesses and I would strongly recommend that all our Members take the time to access the helplines to put processes in place to safeguard their businesses.”
