Brittany Ferries refuse refunds

squirrelit

Can we please have some advice and publicity around Brittany Ferries refusing to give refunds. There is lots about this area for flights but what about ferries?

jonesMUFCforever

When are/did you travel?
Are the ships sailing (even with nobody on them) - if so they can claim you can travel - even if government advice says otherwise? In that case try a travel insurance claim.
If the sailing has been cancelled get in touch with whoever processed the payment either to chargeback the transaction or a S75 claim. 

sheramber

Brittany Ferries  terms state they give a voucher for future travel. I suspect that is what the OP means by 'refusing to give refunds'.
 

pogofish

What did you make of this?
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6116453/read-before-posting-coronavirus-related-posts#latest

GMNN

I had booked a sailing in early May which Brittany Ferries has cancelled, and last week sent me a voucher for the full amount paid.
I contacted them by email (they closed their phone line) asking for a refund instead and quoting Article 18 of EU Regulation No 1177/2010, and a few days later they provided a long reply, talking about lots of irrelevant details (e.g. "we have to look after our staff and their families...") but essentially confirming that they are refusing to issue a refund. 
I was surprised about one thing they mentioned, which was:

"We need to adopt some considerable, exceptional changes to our business model [...].  Your refund voucher is one of those changes, acknowledged as necessary at this time by ABTA and other organisations.  Emergency legislation permitting the same and encouraging customers to accept credit notes to try and lessen the considerable strain on all operators and to protect the vital services some of us provide."

What is this "emergency legislation" they are referring to? Did I miss something?? I think any new legislation superseding EU regulations with regards to travel rights would have been all over the news... But just wanted to check to be sure..

jonesMUFCforever

GMNN said:

I had booked a sailing in early May which Brittany Ferries has cancelled, and last week sent me a voucher for the full amount paid.
I contacted them by email (they closed their phone line) asking for a refund instead and quoting Article 18 of EU Regulation No 1177/2010, and a few days later they provided a long reply, talking about lots of irrelevant details (e.g. "we have to look after our staff and their families...") but essentially confirming that they are refusing to issue a refund. 
I was surprised about one thing they mentioned, which was:

"We need to adopt some considerable, exceptional changes to our business model [...].  Your refund voucher is one of those changes, acknowledged as necessary at this time by ABTA and other organisations.  Emergency legislation permitting the same and encouraging customers to accept credit notes to try and lessen the considerable strain on all operators and to protect the vital services some of us provide."

What is this "emergency legislation" they are referring to? Did I miss something?? I think any new legislation superseding EU regulations with regards to travel rights would have been all over the news... But just wanted to check to be sure..

I don't think any emergency legislation has been passed - IMO they are trying it on.
Go to your debit/credit card provider and ask for a chargeback or if it has been over 120 days since booking a S75 claim (if booking was on a credit card and between £100 and £30000).

Thomas_Crown

jonesMUFCforever said:

When are/did you travel?
Are the ships sailing (even with nobody on them) - if so they can claim you can travel - even if government advice says otherwise? In that case try a travel insurance claim.
If the sailing has been cancelled get in touch with whoever processed the payment either to chargeback the transaction or a S75 claim. 

As of Friday 20th March, Brittany Ferries stopped transporting passengers, because as of Wednesday 18th March, French government regulations closed the border to everyone, except 1) French nationals, 2) People resident in France, 3) Transportation of goods, 4) Medical personnel / supplies. A limited ferry service is still operating, a freight only service. President Macron has stated that the French border will remain closed, until the end of October 2020.

sheramber

ABTA has details here 
https://www.abta.com/news/coronavirus-outbreak
Britanny Ferries ia  French company so will come under French legislation
The reality is  companies do not have the money to refund everybody so would end up going Bankrupt  and nobodY would get anything

jonesMUFCforever

Which is why we strongly advise on here that you pay using a credit card. S75 does apply to foreign company transactions.

bashful

A very practical problem I have is in terms of being unable to submit their online contact form. I get the message "The form has become outdated. Copy any unsaved work in the form below and then reload this page." but despite repeatedly reloading the page, trying different browsers, PCs and my phone, I cannot get any further. 
Is there anything I can do other than perhaps printing the form and posting it please - anyone know?
Brian

bashful

That's weird. I spotted that there was a live link in my post so just clicked on it to see what occurred. I got a blank form up which I completed and was able to submit! The problem only seems to occur when logged into a user account on their website. How bizarre!
I will leave my post in case anyone else looks here with the same issue.