DealsAway has launched a ‘Deposit Rescue’ offer for Australian travellers affected by the collapse of Melbourne-based AVG Travels.
The offer has been created for customers who have lost money on an AVG Travels booking and are now facing cancelled holidays, lost deposits or uncertainty around refunds.
Eligible affected customers can apply to have part of their lost AVG Travels deposit offset against a new international holiday package booked through DealsAway.com.
Under the offer, DealsAway will credit up to 20% of the new trip value toward an eligible booking, subject to booking terms and individual assessment.
For example, a customer who lost a $1,000 deposit with AVG Travels and books a $5,000 eligible DealsAway holiday package may be able to have up to $1,000 offset against the new booking.
“Travel is built on trust, and we know how devastating it is when people lose money on a holiday they have saved for, planned and looked forward to,” said Jürgen Himmelmann, Co-founder and CEO of DealsAway.com
“We cannot undo what has happened, but we can try to help affected travellers move forward.
“This offer is about helping Australians who have been left out of pocket still take the holiday they were excited for, without having to start completely from scratch financially.”
To qualify for the DealsAway Deposit Rescue Offer, customers must provide evidence of a cancelled or affected AVG Travels booking, proof of deposit or payment loss and book a new eligible international DealsAway.com package with a minimum booking value of $1,999.
Each request will be assessed individually by the DealsAway.com team.
DealsAway.com is an Australian-owned online travel agency and an accredited member of the Australian Travel Industry Association.
The company is backed by The Global Work & Travel Group, which has more than 17 years’ experience helping Australians travel overseas.
The company says the AVG Travels collapse is also a reminder for travellers to check industry accreditation before booking, use credit cards where possible, take out comprehensive travel insurance and research the reputation and operational history of travel providers.
“The wider lesson here is that travellers need more transparency before they hand over money,” added Jürgen
“A low price can be attractive, but people should always know who they are booking with, what has been confirmed and what protections are in place if something goes wrong.
“We genuinely feel for the customers affected by this situation. Holidays should be exciting, not stressful, and our team is here to see whether we can help get travel plans back on track.”
