0:00:02 > 0:00:05We save up all year for our two weeks in the sun.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09But, like anything, holidays can go badly wrong.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12No-one wants their holiday ruined by substandard accommodation,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16poor customer service or hidden small print.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Completely mis-sold and no support and no contact.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23And nor do we want to fall victim to any of the scams, tricks and cons
0:00:23 > 0:00:26that are waiting to catch unsuspecting tourists.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29They know exactly who they can approach and who they can't approach
0:00:29 > 0:00:32and if you look vulnerable, then they'll keep pushing it.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34But if you know what to look out for,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36you can avoid these holiday nightmares.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40- So we're here to make sure you... - ..don't get done in the sun.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54Coming up on today's show, holidaymakers who wish
0:00:54 > 0:00:57they hadn't put their trust in their high street travel agents.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00I said, "No. I will pay no more money."
0:01:00 > 0:01:02I'll be hitting the streets of Spain, finding
0:01:02 > 0:01:06out about the last things you think will get stolen on your holidays.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Well, don't you know all your bank details?
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Gosh, you know all his details as well?
0:01:13 > 0:01:16There's a holiday out there for everyone,
0:01:16 > 0:01:18so whether you want to spend your two weeks
0:01:18 > 0:01:21immersing yourself in culture,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23sampling the local specialities,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26or discovering secluded beaches,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29you can tailor-make your holiday to suit you.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33And, when booking a holiday, we've never had so many choices
0:01:33 > 0:01:34and options.
0:01:34 > 0:01:35The Internet, especially,
0:01:35 > 0:01:40has opened up independent travel to exotic locations like never before.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43But as more and more of us book our vacations online,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46the high street travel agent has suffered.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48There are still some of us, though,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52who want that good old-fashioned face-to-face contact and expertise
0:01:52 > 0:01:55to know your holiday will go as planned.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58I went to Co-op Travel in the village.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59And the reason I went there was
0:01:59 > 0:02:02because I booked the last holiday through them,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and they knew all the details of what I wanted.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Meet Tony Baker and his sister-in-law, Sue, from Liverpool.
0:02:11 > 0:02:16In 2011, Tony, his wife Jan, daughter Katie, and Sue
0:02:16 > 0:02:19spent a wonderful ten days in Nice in France.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21In fact, they loved it so much,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24they decided to do it again the following year.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29I wanted the Kyriad hotel, which we had the previous year.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32He booked in the same local travel agent he'd used last time,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34the Co-operative Travel in Formby,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37giving them all the details of what he wanted.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39The agent was happy to oblige.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Tony paid the £3,686
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and, as he expected, everything ran smoothly.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49When I got all the papers through, all the details,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53I just saw the flights, the times from Liverpool,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56Kyriad Hotel, and next to it, it said, "Nice".
0:02:56 > 0:02:59So, to me, that was enough.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02All the family had to do now was hold their breaths
0:03:02 > 0:03:04until they could enjoy the treat.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06And, come September 2012,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08they finally arrived in their favourite hotel,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10the Kyriad in Nice.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Walked in, said we were booked in.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17And the concierge says, "No, you're not. We're fully booked."
0:03:17 > 0:03:21We were absolutely dumbfounded and we said, "Well, you know,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25"we must be booked in here! There must be a hitch with the paperwork."
0:03:25 > 0:03:27It was devastating news.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30But the hotel suggested they may be booked into another hotel
0:03:30 > 0:03:33that used to belong to the Kyriad chain.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36So they jumped into a taxi.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Get there, we weren't booked in that hotel.
0:03:39 > 0:03:40But good enough,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44the lady at the desk had the sense to look on the computer.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48She found the Kyriad hotel that we should be in.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53She phoned them up to confirm it, and it was in Aix-en-Provence.
0:03:53 > 0:03:58Aix-en-Provence, a different city over 90 miles away.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01And, in Nice, all the other hotels were fully booked.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Desperately needing a bed for the night,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07the family reluctantly paid for and took the two train journeys
0:04:07 > 0:04:11needed to travel the near 100 miles to their hotel.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Well, I thought, "Somebody's made a bad mistake.
0:04:14 > 0:04:15"And I know it's not me,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19"cos I asked for the same holiday from the previous year."
0:04:19 > 0:04:20So what had gone wrong?
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Tony, understandably, got straight on the phone to the Co-op helpline
0:04:24 > 0:04:28but was told nothing could be done until after the weekend.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32On Tuesday, Tony was told he could be moved back to Nice,
0:04:32 > 0:04:37but he'd have to pay for the holiday again, another £3,500.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41So I said, "No, I will pay no more money."
0:04:41 > 0:04:45They seemed to be trying to fob me off to say it wasn't their fault,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48I had actually booked in Provence.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51But things were finally looking up.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55After four nights in the wrong hotel and the wrong city,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58the Co-operative Travel told the family they'd found them
0:04:58 > 0:05:01a hotel in Nice that they wouldn't have to pay for again.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Fantastic, right?
0:05:03 > 0:05:07The hotel we ended up in was, um...
0:05:07 > 0:05:09at the airport.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11It was at least three miles away.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14There was nowhere around, no restaurants.
0:05:15 > 0:05:21No bars. We were waving to the pilots taking off at the end of the runway.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25- We were that close.- Yeah. It was totally unsuitable.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Back in the UK, after their 14-day let-down,
0:05:28 > 0:05:32Tony went back to the travel agent with compensation on his mind.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34But he was in for a shock.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36The Co-operative Travel told him
0:05:36 > 0:05:39the hotel booking wasn't their responsibility
0:05:39 > 0:05:42but a tour operator called flexibletrips.com,
0:05:42 > 0:05:45which is a trading name of Thomas Cook Retail Ltd,
0:05:45 > 0:05:50and, like the Co-operative Travel, they're also ABTA bonded.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53I was surprised to hear of a third party because, automatically,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57if I go into a travel agent's and book a holiday with them,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00I would expect them to sort everything out.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Never heard of Flexibletrips.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05But he was about to hear a lot more.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07Over the following months, the Co-operative Travel
0:06:07 > 0:06:11and flexibletrips.com seemed to be blaming each other
0:06:11 > 0:06:13for booking the wrong hotel.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16It looked like neither company wanted to pick up the tab.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Flexibletrips did offer Tony vouchers for a discount
0:06:20 > 0:06:24on a future holiday or his 300-euro train fares to be refunded.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26He rejected both.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30So who exactly is to blame for this still dragging on?
0:06:30 > 0:06:32How does this kind of thing happen?
0:06:32 > 0:06:35It shows the way the industry has developed over the years.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37So you have lots of different companies,
0:06:37 > 0:06:41some which are officially aligned to others, like Flexibletrips is owned
0:06:41 > 0:06:44by somebody else, and it may have been booked by a particular agent.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49So invariably, when things go wrong, it's difficult, initially,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52to determine exactly whose fault it is.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Fair enough, but both companies are members of
0:06:55 > 0:06:58the Association of British Travel Agents, or ABTA for short.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02And this means they have to stick to their code of conduct and...
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Tony's dispute has lasted nearly six months with no resolve.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15I put this directly to ABTA.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21How do you feel, though, about the fact that two ABTA members have this
0:07:21 > 0:07:26unseemly squabble about a consumer who clearly deserves compensation?
0:07:26 > 0:07:29I think you can very clearly see that if a mistake has been made,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32it's kind of human nature to say, "Well, actually, it wasn't us,"
0:07:32 > 0:07:35particularly if it isn't necessarily very clear at the time
0:07:35 > 0:07:36who made that mistake.
0:07:36 > 0:07:37In this case, though,
0:07:37 > 0:07:42are you satisfied that your code of conduct was adhered to here?
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Clearly, there was a dispute between the two ABTA members involved
0:07:45 > 0:07:47about, you know, who made the error in the first place.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49There's nothing in the ABTA code of conduct that says
0:07:49 > 0:07:51"If it's not very clear who is at fault
0:07:51 > 0:07:54"that somebody must straight away take responsibility for this."
0:07:54 > 0:07:56But I think the point is, at the end of this,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59if it wasn't very clear straight away who was responsible,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03inevitably, there was going to be a period of negotiation.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Yes, but a period of negotiation shouldn't take nearly half a year
0:08:07 > 0:08:09with the consumer stuck in the middle
0:08:09 > 0:08:11while the big boys squabble.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14What's the point in a code of conduct that's seemingly being
0:08:14 > 0:08:18ignored yet undermines everything travel agents should be about?
0:08:18 > 0:08:23I mean, the whole idea of us having this super-duper holiday
0:08:23 > 0:08:25booked through a travel agent's
0:08:25 > 0:08:29was in order for everything to run smoothly.
0:08:29 > 0:08:30Later on, we'll find out
0:08:30 > 0:08:34if one of the companies will put this case to bed for Tony,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37and that, unfortunately, he isn't the only person having trouble
0:08:37 > 0:08:38with their high street travel agent.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Things to keep safe on my holiday.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Wallet, of course. Camera, check.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Phone, yup.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Name? Phone number?
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Driver's licence details?
0:08:57 > 0:08:59They'd be no use to anyone!
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Or would they?
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Unfortunately, yes.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Identity theft whilst we're on our holidays is a growing problem
0:09:06 > 0:09:10with a cost to our economy rising to over £80 million a year.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13So are we easy targets abroad?
0:09:13 > 0:09:14I think it's very easy,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and particularly in environments like this, where people aren't
0:09:18 > 0:09:23as much on their guard as they would be if they were back home in the UK.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24For the overseas criminal, though,
0:09:24 > 0:09:27personal information like names, addresses, dates of birth
0:09:27 > 0:09:30can be used to obtain anything from credit cards
0:09:30 > 0:09:33to mobile phone contracts in their victim's name.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36So are these holidaying Brits aware of the dangers?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39To find out, I've come up with an experiment.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41I'm posing as a representative from
0:09:41 > 0:09:43the EU Fraud and Scam Prevention Authority
0:09:43 > 0:09:46or, to my friends, the FSPA.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50We are a pan-European initiative to protect consumers against fraud.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Now, I have my official logo,
0:09:53 > 0:09:55my lanyard,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and I've also got some forms here for your personal details.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Fill them in and I'll be on my way.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Obviously, the FSPA is not real, but these guys don't know that.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09How likely are they to give me their personal details?
0:10:09 > 0:10:11There's a new thing starting up, FSPA.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12We're based in London
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and it's a central database that protects people.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19All you're required to do is put your details down,
0:10:19 > 0:10:21you then get registered in a central database,
0:10:21 > 0:10:23it's all completely confidential.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25There is a bit of personal information,
0:10:25 > 0:10:26but there is just things on you,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29then you can constantly be called saying, "Is this you?"
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Someone will call you back, and go, "Are you trying to buy that car?
0:10:32 > 0:10:35"Are you trying to get that loan?"
0:10:35 > 0:10:37But even with an official-looking costume and clipboard,
0:10:37 > 0:10:41this lady is too street savvy. All I got there was the basics.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46Name, address and it's time to come clean, let them know what I'm up to.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Oh, Stephanie, one more thing. Sorry! I know, I did lie.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53You know what, I didn't put my full postcode or my right mobile.
0:10:53 > 0:10:54What you did do was brilliant
0:10:54 > 0:10:57because you didn't give us any of your really serious...
0:10:57 > 0:11:00- I didn't give you my postcode. - You didn't give your postcode.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02You haven't given us your next of kin's address,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05you haven't given us your passport number.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- I did all right.- You did all right!
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Let's see if the next person is as clued up.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12We have all your details on a database,
0:11:12 > 0:11:15it's to protect people so people aren't scammed.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17I think the only problem is
0:11:17 > 0:11:19because of the information you're asking for,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21it's all the information you don't want to give out altogether.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24She's one streetwise lady and having none of it,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26despite my best efforts.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28As you go through the questions you think,
0:11:28 > 0:11:30"I'm not going to hand over my passport number,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32"my national insurance number,
0:11:32 > 0:11:33"all of the things you need
0:11:33 > 0:11:37"in order to obviously steal someone's identity, basically."
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It kind of went against what she was asking.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41Good on you. But I'm rehearsed now
0:11:41 > 0:11:44and I think my sales pitch is perfected.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46We're trying to protect you.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48It doesn't cost anything, it's a database,
0:11:48 > 0:11:49it stores your information.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53- Would you be interested in filling it out to get on? - Yeah, that's fine, I'll do that.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57You've got your address, your phone number, e-mail.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59But on page two of my form
0:11:59 > 0:12:03is the really crucial information criminals need.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05You know all your bank details.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Gosh, you know all his details as well!
0:12:07 > 0:12:09With a good enough cover story,
0:12:09 > 0:12:12I've just been given not only both people's bank details
0:12:12 > 0:12:15but their whole identities as well.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18These details could be used to take out loans, credit cards,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22open new bank accounts or clear out existing ones,
0:12:22 > 0:12:23and all in the victim's name.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Time to break the news.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29- Stacey and Sean.- No.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31OK, you have done the wrong thing.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- Everything I said to you is true. - Yeah.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36About people coming out and their identities being stolen.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38More and more in peak season,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40people grab you and they'll have a chat with you
0:12:40 > 0:12:42and will take your details.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Now, don't. I have got a lanyard, I have got T-shirt.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Just because I've made myself look professional,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51do not think that they are honest.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55So you need to be as aware as you would be at home.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Our victim is understandably a little put out that I duped her,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02but is happy to know that she's helping people see how easy it is.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Now all the details I've gathered today have been securely destroyed
0:13:06 > 0:13:08so no-one can abuse them.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13The rain has called time on my scamming, but whilst I was out there
0:13:13 > 0:13:16chatting to people, everyone was really worried about identity theft.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Some so worried they were willing to give their personal details
0:13:19 > 0:13:21to me, a complete stranger.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24But some were a little bit more savvy, they've been burnt before
0:13:24 > 0:13:27and wanted to keep their personal details safe.
0:13:27 > 0:13:28But it does go to show,
0:13:28 > 0:13:32you can easily become a victim of identity theft.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35So keep your details safe, especially on holiday.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41Although many of us now book our holidays ourselves,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44a good travel agent is still worth their weight in gold,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48especially if you have very specific requirements.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52But the personal service doesn't always deliver.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54As we've already seen.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56People put their precious two weeks in the sun at the hands
0:13:56 > 0:14:00of the travel agents because they want expertise, knowledge,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03but, above all, they want protection should the worst happen.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05And if you want a package holiday,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07the high street is the place to head to.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09It's a local travel agent.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11My daughter is a bit old-fashioned like that,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13she says you should keep the high street going.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Meet Michael Fresco, from Essex.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19A retired grandfather with a passion for keeping fit
0:14:19 > 0:14:20and foreign holidays.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23In July 2012, he wanted to treat his daughter, Nicole,
0:14:23 > 0:14:27and her two children to a week away in the sun.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30Holidays with the kids are more important because they're fun.
0:14:30 > 0:14:32They're going to grow up and disappear.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36But they'll always remember their holidays with their grandfather.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40When it came to booking the holiday, the family wanted a package deal.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43So daughter Nicole pointed her father in the direction
0:14:43 > 0:14:45of their local high street travel agent,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48a small company called Felton Travel Limited.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Not to be confused with any similar sounding companies.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54He knew about flights, hotels,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56he knew what you were looking for and what you wanted.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59He was a very experienced travel agent.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Michael decided on a week in Majorca.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05He committed to flights, accommodation, a hire car
0:15:05 > 0:15:10and a meet and greet service for a total of £4,533.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15Felton Travel booked his package with tour operator Thomson Holidays.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19So, should anything go wrong, Thomson would sort it out.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24It was a hooray for the high street and the family couldn't wait.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26We were heading to the airport and singing,
0:15:26 > 0:15:28"We're all going on a summer holiday."
0:15:28 > 0:15:33We got to Gatwick at 4am and checked in.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36It was then we were told the tickets were not valid,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38they are not a Thomson ticket.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41They tried to sort it out but they said, "These are not valid
0:15:41 > 0:15:43"tickets whatsoever, I don't know where you've got them from."
0:15:43 > 0:15:48Not valid - how can that happen? And it's 4am!
0:15:48 > 0:15:52The Thomson reps tried their hardest to help Michael travel that day.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56But, after exploring every avenue to get a last-minute holiday sorted,
0:15:56 > 0:15:58in the end it proved hopeless.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02Michael's situation was extremely rare and extremely upsetting,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05especially for his grandchildren.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08When they realised they weren't going on holiday, they were very upset.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10Fortunately they were very tired as well,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14so when we got the car back they fell asleep in the car on the way home,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17which was probably the best thing for them.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20It was a massive letdown for everyone.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24As it turned out, Thomson hadn't even been paid by Felton Travel
0:16:24 > 0:16:26for any part of Michael's holiday.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28In fact, they had no record of his booking,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31meaning he had no contract with Thomson.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Meaning they held zero responsibility.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37After getting back to Essex and dropping the children off,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40there was only one thing on Michael's mind.
0:16:41 > 0:16:47I drove straight round to Felton Travel, where I noticed on the door
0:16:47 > 0:16:49it had a sign saying basically,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52"We're sorry but we've gone out of business."
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Michael was furious and over the following days he discovered
0:16:58 > 0:17:02from other disgruntled customers the business was in insolvency.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04But Felton travel were ABTA bonded,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08something we're told offers protection.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11So when you book a holiday that is through
0:17:11 > 0:17:15an ABTA-affiliated company, what does it mean for the consumer,
0:17:15 > 0:17:16what are you being offered there?
0:17:16 > 0:17:18I think the most important thing is
0:17:18 > 0:17:21when you are booking with an ABTA member is you can be reassured
0:17:21 > 0:17:24they will provide you with high standards of service,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27high levels of care. And one of the reasons they do that
0:17:27 > 0:17:30if we have a very strict code of conduct which they have to abide by.
0:17:30 > 0:17:31And if things do go wrong
0:17:31 > 0:17:35we have a low-cost arbitration scheme that people can use,
0:17:35 > 0:17:38which is faster and cheaper than going to the Small Claims Court.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42What do ABTA members have to do each year to keep being members?
0:17:42 > 0:17:44We will do checks on our members' accounts,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47to ensure they are clearly financially solvent.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51They also, in many cases, have to provide financial protection
0:17:51 > 0:17:54for their customers and we will keep a close eye on that as well.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57ABTA don't seem to have been keeping a close eye
0:17:57 > 0:17:59on Felton Travel's accounts.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02And codes of conduct and level of care are all well and good,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06but what about facilitating customers getting their money back?
0:18:06 > 0:18:09ABTA is a very useful badge.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12It means the travel agency has fulfilled the requirements
0:18:12 > 0:18:17of the main travel trade association, and that is a good thing.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21However, it's no longer the absolute guarantor of last resort
0:18:21 > 0:18:25that whatever happens, if it's an ABTA travel agent,
0:18:25 > 0:18:28you will get all your money back.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31We spoke to ABTA about this and they assured us,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34if you book a package holiday with an ABTA-bonded travel agent
0:18:34 > 0:18:38and they go bust, your holiday would be honoured by the tour operator.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41But if the tour operator goes bust...
0:18:46 > 0:18:49But, in Michael's case, no booking was actually made
0:18:49 > 0:18:52with tour operator Thomson, so according to ABTA
0:18:52 > 0:18:55he was left with one option to get his money back.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03What's a traveller's best friend?
0:19:03 > 0:19:07Well, after a passport, it's probably a credit card.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Not just because it enables you to buy flights and holidays
0:19:11 > 0:19:13and not pay for them for weeks afterwards,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17but because it confers protection under the Consumer Credit Act.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21And this was exactly what the disgruntled customers
0:19:21 > 0:19:25who'd lost out to Felton Travel were told to use.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29Obviously I contacted my credit card company immediately
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and they paid out. It wasn't a problem.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39So the only loss was the petrol to and from Gatwick
0:19:39 > 0:19:41and the loss of the holiday.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44But for customers who'd paid cash to Felton Travel
0:19:44 > 0:19:48and had received no holiday, they were left with nowhere to turn.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Michael is philosophical about his experiences.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57If it happened again, you'd think twice about doing it.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Coming up, with ABTA membership
0:20:01 > 0:20:04unable to provide any protection in this case,
0:20:04 > 0:20:08I'll be asking them what the ABTA brand really means to consumers.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16I've been looking into the crimes we least suspect on our holidays,
0:20:16 > 0:20:18like identity theft.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21But another thing we can take for granted
0:20:21 > 0:20:23is the security of our plush hotel.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27So I've come to meet a security expert.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31David Thomas has worked for both the Hong Kong police and Interpol.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34He has a fascinating insight into the world of hotels
0:20:34 > 0:20:37and the crime that can come with them.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39When you're looking at your holidays,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43is it going to be safer to stay in a one-star or a five-star?
0:20:43 > 0:20:47It's nothing to do with the star rating. That is for sure.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50You would assume that all five-stars
0:20:50 > 0:20:54would have much higher security than, say, a budget hotel.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Yes, you can generalise to some extent and say that would
0:20:57 > 0:21:00normally be the case, but that's not ALWAYS the case.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03As David's next shocking story highlights,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06the criminals target one of the key things we think are secure.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10There was a very interesting example of the problem with key cards,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13which surfaced in the USA.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16A laptop had gone missing from a hotel room.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18This was a five-star hotel.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23There was no indication at all that that room had been opened
0:21:23 > 0:21:27using the key card, and the rest of the room was totally secure.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29So there was an investigation into this
0:21:29 > 0:21:33and, a few days later, somebody was arrested with that particular laptop.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39What they found is that this person, using a home-made hacking device,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42had actually managed to hack into the room lock.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46And what they'd done, this device had fitted into the slot.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48It wasn't just that particular door,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51it was a whole string of rooms in this particular hotel.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55It turned out that the company that has supplied the locks,
0:21:55 > 0:22:00that the software which they had used was particularly vulnerable.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05And this amounted to over 4 million hotel room locks worldwide.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07My goodness!
0:22:07 > 0:22:08And now the company concerned
0:22:08 > 0:22:11obviously had to take action in this respect.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15A lot of the locks have been reprogrammed or replaced.
0:22:15 > 0:22:16That's a lot of locks!
0:22:16 > 0:22:20What kind of information is on the hotel key cards?
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Well, the information on hotel room key cards these days
0:22:24 > 0:22:28is basically an encrypted serial number.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32And that includes the access code, the room number
0:22:32 > 0:22:35and the duration of when you're going to be there.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38No personal information is stored on that card.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Secondly, those cards are very difficult to read.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44What happened in the USA shouldn't happen again,
0:22:44 > 0:22:48but criminals also update their technology.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50It's best to take very good care of these cards
0:22:50 > 0:22:54because, if they get stolen, any criminal can go to the hotel
0:22:54 > 0:22:57and try and get access to your room.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01But that's not the only trick crafty crims have up their sleeves.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05I think one thing to be aware of also is when you check into a hotel room,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08if you receive a phone call maybe a few minutes later
0:23:08 > 0:23:11purporting to come from the reception desk saying,
0:23:11 > 0:23:15"Oh, when you checked in, we didn't take your credit card number down properly,"
0:23:15 > 0:23:17or something like that,
0:23:17 > 0:23:20be very, very aware because it may not be the reception desk.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22It could be somebody else.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Plus, if you get a phone call saying,
0:23:24 > 0:23:28"Oh, we're sending somebody up to attend to your room."
0:23:28 > 0:23:32It's always best to phone back the reception desk and say,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36"Have you just phoned us? Is there somebody coming up to my room?"
0:23:36 > 0:23:39And don't give out that information, particularly regarding credit cards.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41It could be anybody.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42Sound advice,
0:23:42 > 0:23:47but David is keen to stress a little common sense can go a long way.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50I always say, to get the maximum enjoyment from your holiday,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53you should also include a little bit of attention
0:23:53 > 0:23:55to your safety aspects as well.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Then you can really sure that you reduce the risk
0:23:57 > 0:24:00of becoming a victim of crime and you really enjoy yourself,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02and that's what it's all about.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03I couldn't agree more.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10Most of us put a lot of time into planning our holidays
0:24:10 > 0:24:14and with good reason, because the last thing anyone wants
0:24:14 > 0:24:18is for something to go wrong and ruin our two weeks in the sun.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22That's why a lot of us still put weight in the face-to-face contact
0:24:22 > 0:24:25and experience of the high street travel agent.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29But in this internet world, we can all be our own travel agent,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32as we have access to the same flights and hotels as they do.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34But is it the same?
0:24:34 > 0:24:38Online travel guru Kevin May is just the man to tell us.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42There are many people who still think that the safest way
0:24:42 > 0:24:44to book a holiday is to go to a travel agent.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47And they think perhaps the internet is best avoided.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49I think that's a misconception
0:24:49 > 0:24:53because take, for example, an organisation like Expedia,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56which is one of the biggest online travel agencies on the planet.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01The way it sells its holidays, or its hotel rooms,
0:25:01 > 0:25:05means it is protected in exactly the same way as if I walked into
0:25:05 > 0:25:10a high street travel agent that says it is a member of ABTA.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11And its holidays are protected by ATOL.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14There's no difference at all, it's just the channel
0:25:14 > 0:25:16in which you parted with the money that is different.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19If they're selling a package holiday, you are protected.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24But holidaymaker Tony Baker was left stuck in the middle
0:25:24 > 0:25:27of a squabble between two ABTA-bonded companies
0:25:27 > 0:25:31who wouldn't agree who'd booked him into the wrong hotel.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34People like Tony are reassured to see the ABTA logo
0:25:34 > 0:25:38when they book a holiday because they believe it will protect them
0:25:38 > 0:25:40if things go wrong.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44But surely his experience suggests that consumers
0:25:44 > 0:25:46shouldn't necessarily be reassured by that logo.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50I'm not going to pretend that ABTA members never make mistakes.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53They are human beings, of course they make mistakes.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55But the point is, the reason we have a code of conduct
0:25:55 > 0:25:58is to minimise the possibility of things going wrong.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00But when it does,
0:26:00 > 0:26:04then it's very important that it is resolved satisfactorily.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07Sometimes it may take a little bit longer, depending on the problem,
0:26:07 > 0:26:09but, in the end, the customer should get redress.
0:26:11 > 0:26:16Talking of redress, Tony Baker's battle with the Co-operative Travel
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and flexibletrips.com has raged for the last six months.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23So we wrote to both companies and asked them
0:26:23 > 0:26:26to finally work out who was at fault for booking
0:26:26 > 0:26:30the Bakers into a hotel in Aix-en-Provence
0:26:30 > 0:26:32when they asked for Nice.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36The family spent four days of their two-week trip in the wrong city
0:26:36 > 0:26:41and then the last ten days staying at a hotel next to Nice airport.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46Interestingly, it is Thomas Cook, who own flexibletrips.com,
0:26:46 > 0:26:47who have written to Tony.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50The letter we've been waiting for.
0:26:51 > 0:26:58"Please finding closed our cheque for the value of £1,955.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02"This payment represents a refund of accommodation.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07"I am also refunding train and taxi costs.
0:27:07 > 0:27:13"These equal £300." Very good.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16- More than I expected. - I can't believe it!
0:27:16 > 0:27:17What a result!
0:27:17 > 0:27:20It may have taken nearly half a year but, finally,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24flexibletrips.com has admitted that it was their error.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27The Co-operative Travel wasn't responsible for the original
0:27:27 > 0:27:31mistake, but the travel agents' actions were far from perfect.
0:27:31 > 0:27:32I think, at the beginning,
0:27:32 > 0:27:37if they'd had somebody from customer relations speaking to me
0:27:37 > 0:27:41instead of having to go through third parties all the time,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43life would have been much easier for everyone.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47With the battle over, the Bakers can finally move on.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49'Sit back and relax now'
0:27:49 > 0:27:52and think about another holiday to get over the last one!
0:27:52 > 0:27:54THEY LAUGH
0:27:54 > 0:27:57That's all for today but remember,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00whether online or on the high street, find out exactly
0:28:00 > 0:28:04the type of holiday you're booking and who you or contract is with.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08That way, you'll know exactly who to turn to when things go wrong.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd