More than 200 Australians have been left frustrated after Melbourne-based travel company AVG Travels cancelled flights to China at the last minute, and inadvertently exposed their email addresses in the process.
Last-Minute Cancellations
On May 13, AVG Travels informed some customers that scheduled flights to China were no longer proceeding, leaving travellers questioning how they would reach their five-star holiday tours. Approximately 230 people who had booked departure for Monday morning received only five days' notice.
The company attributed the cancellations to 'exceptionally high travel demand' and 'operational limitations relating to accommodation and ground service capacity.' In an email seen by the Daily Mail, they stated: 'Your current departure has been affected and requires alternative departure arrangements. On behalf of the management team, we sincerely apologise for the disruption to your upcoming tour. We understand your frustration and are committed to resolving this in full compliance with the Australian Consumer Law.'
Customer Impact
Victorian business analyst Amma Owusu, 42, was among those affected. She had eagerly awaited a 13-day, five-star package holiday called 'Essence of China with Terracotta Warriors,' costing at least $1,999. 'I'm disappointed as I was really looking forward to having a break, and also because my birthday plans just went,' she told the Daily Mail. 'I'm also frustrated because I have to wait to get my money back before I can do anything. If they had let us know last week and given us our money then, most of us would have made alternative arrangements by now.'
Compensation Options
AVG Travels offered customers three options: reschedule for later this year or 2027 with a $100 Travel Credit (limited to first registrations), convert to a 'land only' package (excluding flights), or receive a refund within 50 to 60 business days due to 'the complexity of recovering deposits from international airlines and overseas providers.'
Ms Owusu chose AVG Travels because they allowed adding days to the package, enabling visits to Hong Kong and other places. However, her plans were ruined, and she struggled to afford extra flights. She managed to organise her refund on Tuesday, nearly a week later.
Data Breach Incident
Before the cancellations, AVG Travels had apologised for accidentally sharing customer email addresses. Chief executive David Dao sent an email on May 11 about flight confirmation delays, but copied recipients instead of blind copying them, exposing all email addresses. The customer support team later apologised: 'We sincerely apologise for an administrative error where customer email addresses were unintentionally visible. To protect customer privacy, please delete the earlier email and do not reply to the thread. We are reviewing this internally to prevent recurrence.'
Industry Response
The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) suspended AVG Travels' membership following complaints. General manager Mira Yates stated: 'On becoming aware of complaints this week, we moved quickly to review their accreditation status, resulting in immediate suspension.' Many disgruntled clients have also filed complaints with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The Daily Mail has contacted AVG Travels for comment.
