trade and said it would honour bookings. Under Spanish law, a company can put itself into voluntary administration for three months to get its finances back in order to stave off closure.
A still from Thorne’s advert
Thorne Travel’s sales surge after video advert goes viral Thorne Travel in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, has been inundated with calls and emails after its first video advertisement went viral. Its email system crashed last week after links to its YouTube ad were retweeted over 6,000 times. October sales are 110% up on the same month last year. Business generated locally by filming in May, involving a ‘flash mob’, has already funded the ad’s cost.
“Shareholders are being asked to trade certainty for uncertainty”
David Stevenson suggests Tui is inducing UK stakeholders to take on the more volatile Tui AG
MORE IN TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS: BACK PAGE
Unite urges Blackpool airport bosses to rethink closure The Unite union demanded a rethink of plans to close Blackpool airport. More than 100 people were set to lose their jobs this week following unsuccessful attempts to sell it. Unite called the decision to close the airport “hasty” and urged bosses to rethink.
Spanish firm Transhotel in voluntary administration Trade-only bed bank Transhotel has entered a three-month voluntary administration period as it seeks a buyer. The Spanish company is continuing to
8 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 16 October 2014
Gatwick records 19th successive month of growth A record 3.8 million passengers passed through Gatwick in September, the airport’s 19th successive month of year-on-year growth. Increased numbers of long- haul passengers, new Norwegian routes to the US and new links to emerging markets such as Vietnam helped push numbers up by 7.7% compared with September 2013.
Stansted traffic tops 19 million over past year The number of passengers using Stansted topped 19 million over the last 12 months, the highest level for more than four years. Almost 1.9 million passengers used the airport in September,
the biggest monthly increase in eight years, taking its moving annual total to 19.1 million.
Amadeus joins Clia to give agents ‘tools to sell cruise’ Amadeus has become a member of Clia UK & Ireland, the cruise association. The global distribution system said it wanted to increase cruises sales and revenues, and plans to make selling cruise more accessible to non-specialist agents. UK and Ireland managing director Diane Bouzebiba said she wanted to help provide agents with the tools needed “to sell cruise at every opportunity”.
FHA calls on industry to help
raise £250,000 The Family Holiday Association (FHA) is marking its 40th anniversary by inviting 500 people or firms in the travel industry to raise £250,000 with 500 pledges of £500. The charity was founded in 1975
by Pat and Joan Laurance by asking 10 friends each for a £50 donation. The fundraising initiative, backed
by Travel Weekly, was unveiled at the Elman Wall Travel Directors’ Summit in London. From left: Alison Rice, chairman of
FHA trustees; Libby Purves, a patron of the charity; Jonathan Wall, managing director, Elman Wall; and Deborah Potts, FHA ambassador. ❯ Elman Wall Summit, page 77
Online agent Bookable Holidays ceases trading Abta has confirmed online travel agency Bookable Holidays has gone into administration. The Aldermaston-based
retailer sold holidays online via
Bookableholidays.com and
Bookableholidays.co.uk. Abta said the company had 960 forward bookings. The firm had 45 employees and specialised in short-haul ski and beach holidays and UK breaks. In a statement
Abta said: Customers who have 960 Number of
“Customers who have booked a flight-based holiday are advised to check their Atol Certificate, which will state what type of arrangement they have and who the booking is with.” Abta added customers that
Diane Bouzebiba
have a Flight-Plus arrangement should contact the CAA for further advice and customers who have booked a full package should contact their tour operator.
Bookable Holidays’ forward bookings
booked accommodation-only should contact the Abta claims department on 020 3758 8736 or email
claimsrequest@abta.co.uk to get help obtaining a refund. Forward bookings have been passed to rival online agency Broadway Travel. Bookable’s accounts for the year ended September 30, 2013, list Jason Dwyer, Craig Ashford and Timothy Reed as the three company
directors. The company had net assets of £747,003. According to the CAA
website, Bookable Holidays was licensed for 5,315 passengers annually under its Atol. In September, Travel Weekly
reported there were fears that online agencies were most at risk of collapse during the autumn.
Sign up for Travel Weekly e-alerts at
travelweekly.co.uk
NEWS DIGEST Your news snapshot from
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80