“We take this very seriously”: Transat working with TruCash to fix issue with BONBON rewards

Transat is working to resolve an ongoing technical issue with its travel agent loyalty program that is preventing some members from accessing their cash rewards.

Travel advisors earn rewards on all Transat bookings, including travel packages, coach tours, cruises, flights, accommodations and car rentals. These rewards, in the form of dollars, are loaded directly onto BONBON TruCash Visa cards.

But some travel advisors, in recent months, haven’t been able to access their money due to their Visa cards being suddenly blocked.  

TruCash, a subsidiary of TCA Group Of Companies, is a third-party entity that has supplied Transat’s cash incentive program since 2009.

In a statement to PAX, Transat acknowledged the difficulties some advisors are experiencing with their TruCash Visa cards – particularly “point-of-sale issues and transaction delays.”

"We are actively working with TruCash to resolve these issues as quickly as possible, maintaining regular communication and intervening on a case-by-case basis," said Bernard Côté, senior director of brand communications at Transat.

Côté said TCA is implementing software and server updates to fix the issue, adding that Transat has also requested a “thorough analysis of the causes."

A “reoccurring issue”

Julie Sareault, commercial director at Transat, said the problem is linked to TruCash’s server, calling it a “reoccurring issue.”

“We’ve been working with them for 15 years now. It’s a long-standing relationship. We want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they’re going to be able to fix this,” Sareault said, speaking to PAX Sunday night (April 6) at Haven Riviera Cancún, where Transat hosted a dinner for agents and suppliers attending The Travel Agent Next Door’s national conference, on now until April 11. 

Sareault said advisors are able to call in and unblock their cards. However, she understands the frustration that comes with that.

“We know it’s their hard-earned money and we take this very seriously,” said Sareault, saying that the issue started happening last December.

It isn’t clear how many travel advisors are impacted. “It’s not across the board,” said Sareault. “We have some in Ontario, some in Quebec, whereas in Atlantic Canada, we haven’t heard much about it.”

A travel agency in Quebec contacted PAX to say that their entire workforce was unable to access their funds. Sareault said Quebec is where most users of Transat’s incentive program are located.

“They’ve notified us [about the issue] and it’s a good thing they did,” she said.

Freezing monthly fees

Sareault said TruCash has taken some steps to mitigate the problem, from sending new cards to agencies to freezing the $1 monthly fee members pay to participate in the program.

The fee has been paused up until September and has also been backdated to last November, she said.  

“To be fair, [agents] shouldn’t be paying monthly fees for not being able to access their money,” Sareault said.

It appears the BONBON TruCash Visa cards, after some reported issues in December, were back to normal during the first few months of this year.

Sareault said this latest issue with the cards began surfacing roughly two weeks ago.

“We’re back to investigating and asking TruCash to proactively fix this problem,” she said. “Whatever developments are made, we’ll communicate it [to the trade].”

“We’re working on it and we thank travel advisors for their patience and collaboration.”

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