NEWS — HOT STORIES 4 5
There’s no reason not to offer Greece, agents told
Juliet Dennis
Don’t be afraid to book Greece – that’s the message agents are being urged to tell clients as the country’s financial crisis saw its banks closed this week. A referendum on Greece’s bailout is being held this Sunday after a deadline to repay a £1.1 billion loan to the International Monetary Fund passed and as fears grew it could exit the eurozone. Operators say tourists are
unaffected by a €60 restriction on bank withdrawals but have backed Foreign Office advice to travellers to carry extra euros in cash or credit cards.
Olympic Holidays is allowing
holidaymakers to withdraw cash from reps in resort, secured by a credit or debit card. Commercial director Photis Lambrianides said: “We want to put customers at ease. It will also make the agent’s job easier. There is no reason not to offer Greece.” Sunvil managing director Chris Wright added: “While cash controls have been implemented,
there is very little impact on travellers to Greece. “Those with foreign bank
cards are still able to withdraw cash. Sunvil can also make cash available through our local offices if necessary.” He urged the trade to support
Greece. “Greece needs our custom more than ever,” he said. Abta chairman Noel Josephides
also urged the trade “not to be afraid to book” for The Travel Convention in Greece later this year.
John Sullivan, commercial head at Advantage Travel Partnership, admitted the situation had left agents “dealing with the unknown”. “We don’t know what’s going to happen,” he said. “Travellers should just follow advice and take extra cash.” Abta does not anticipate
operators having to rebook clients. According to GfK, bookings to
Greece are 2% up for this summer to date.
Carriers seek EC action on air traffic control strikes
Lee Hayhurst
The latest French air traffic control (ATC) strikes have prompted airlines to demand the European Commission takes action to prevent them disrupting millions of travellers in future. Last Friday, French ATC workers informed carriers of their intention
to strike for four days this week. Trade unions later announced changed strike plans for Thursday and Friday. Speaking the preceding day at the Abta Travel Matters conference,
Monarch group chief executive Andrew Swaffield said the airline loses six days a year to French ATC strikes. Calling for better management under a single European skies agreement, he said: “The EC could make life easier for European flyers to ensure the skies are managed in a more holistic way and air traffic controllers can’t hold us to ransom”. Robert Goodwill MP, parliamentary under-secretary
of state for transport, accused politicians on the Continent of “caving in” to strikers’ demands, leading to more walkouts. Ryanair called on the EC to keep the skies over France open this week by allowing air traffic controllers in other countries to operate services.
The carrier said flights this month were fully booked and there
was little or no spare capacity to allow customers to rebook their holidays or for customers overseas to rebook cancelled return flights. Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair chief marketing officer, demanded similar rules to those in the US that outlaw ATC strikes. He called on France and the EC to “follow this example and
prevent Europe’s hard-pressed consumers from having their holidays disrupted or cancelled each year by French ATC unions”. ❯ Abta Travel Matters, pages 78-80
2 July 2015 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 9
“Travellers should just
follow advice and take
extra cash”
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