Podcasts Other The Mike Hosking Breakfast David Coombe: Flight Centre pleased with Government's travel refund scheme

David Coombe: Flight Centre pleased with Government's travel refund scheme

Published: Sept. 9, 2020, 2:04 a.m.

A new Government scheme to help New Zealand travellers' get their cash back may encourage more people to book through a travel agent.
Agencies will be paid 7.5 percent of cash refunds, and five percent credit value secured for customers.
Flight Centre managing director David Coombe told Mike Hosking travel agents are extremely grateful - but it doesn't change the way they go about their work.
"What it does do is give us a little bit of cash flow in an industry that's got negative revenue and gives us cost to get the job done for our customers." 
He people will be better looked after if they use a travel agent.
"We've been going about this job quietly ever since this broke to look after our customers, and we're not in control of that, but what this lets us  is stay viable for a period of time to make sure we get the job done."
It's estimated almost $700 million of New Zealanders' money is locked up overseas.