Watchdog helps consumers secure €100k of refunds

CONSUMERS claimed back over €100,000 in refunds last year following the intervention of a European watchdog.

Advisers at the European Consumer Centre (ECC) are responsible for claiming back the money for consumers who felt they were hard-done-by. Irish refunds for last year were up 23%, according to the ECC.

Air travel dominated the complaints, with 45.7% of the total, up 11.2% from 2009. A lot of these were due to the travel disruption caused by volcanic ash in April 2010.