p4 News jan30 28/1/09 20:36 Page 4
news
30.01.2009
Agents’ XL claims
rejected by CAA
Lee Hayhurst.
“I cannot understand this source of cash
Co-op slams Hoon
AGENTS are having Atol claims rejected and issue,” he said. “The whole receipt trail makes it
delayed if they do not prove to the CAA that clear they [customers] paid in cash.
THE CO-OPERATIVE Travel boss Mike Greenacre customers paid in cash. “I could not have been more diligent in filling
has condemned the thinking behind the govern- The CAA, the aviation industry regulator, has so out these claim forms.
ment’s decision to allow a third runway at far rejected 4,000 out of 45,000 XL Leisure Group “The CAA is not looking after agents.”
Heathrow as “woolly, laughable and absurd”. claims because all or part of those payments Mark Kingston, a customer of Travel City Di-
Greenacre (pictured) came out against the third were made on credit card. rect, had his claim rejected
runway when The Co-operative Travel launched The CAA said it had
“The receipts
because he paid the deposit
its ethical strategy last year, and this week he obtained legal advice that on his credit card. However,
said he saw no reason to change his stance. even if just part of the over-
make it clear
the credit card company is
The government’s claim that aviation would all cost of the holiday was
customers paid
now disputing that it is liable
fall to below 2005 levels by 2050 was so “woolly paid for on credit it was not and his bank will not reim-
to be laughable”, he said. responsible for the claims.
in cash. The CAA
burse debit cards on which
And it was “absurd” for transport secretary One Scottish agent, who
is not looking
he paid the balance.
Geoff Hoon to claim that the growth of electric wished to remain anony- He said: “I have now hit a
cars in the UK could offset extra emissions from mous, had claims for
after agents”
brick wall and am consider-
an expanded Heathrow, he added. £30,000 worth of flights he ing taking legal action
Greenacre also poured scorn on the govern- re-protected returned to him following the against the CAA. I had booked an Atol-bonded
ment’s insistence that only new, greener aircraft collapse of Seguro Travel. holiday and they are refusing to pay out.
would be allowed to use the third runway. He thought he had met CAA demands by provid- “Atol managers need to look at this and make
“I just hope that we don’t regret this decision ing a sworn affidavit stating the flights were paid a U-turn before the whole industry suffers the
for generations to come,” he added. for in cash. But the CAA has insisted he provides fall in bookings their actions are going to cause.”
evidence of the source of the cash, such as a A CAA spokesman said: “Any scheme that pays
bank statement, and officials have contacted his out money would want the evidence that the
Big Idea winners
customers to verify information. One customer actual costs were incurred. It would be dreadful
has died, leaving the agent facing the prospect of if Atol was not properly audited and run in a way
TTG Big Idea winners Perfect asking his grieving widow for the evidence. that did not prevent false claims.”
Weddings Abroad is offering
“footymoon packages” in
preparation for the 2010
World Cup in South Africa. Alternative to remove Atol logo
The company, which
scooped the £100,000 prize ALTERNATIVE Holidays has agreed to Alternative’s days as a subsidiary of Man
and expertise of four investors last September, take off the Atol logo from its website Around, before it became a limited
is preparing for an official launch on Valentine’s after it emerged that it no longer holds company in 2007.
Day. a licence. The CAA, which last year vowed to
Marketing director Danny Waine said: “As Eng- Gabriele Neroni, managing director of bring legal action against improper use of
land are doing so well in their qualifying group, the gay-themed events organiser, said: “We will the Atol logo, has started an investigation.
and with the exposure that South Africa has get it removed. Alternative Holidays don’t offer A spokesperson said: “We’re obviously very
received recently, people are planning ahead.” flights. We only offer accommodation so there’s concerned that certain agents try to use it (the
Wedding packages start at £1,649 and include no need for an Atol licence.” logo) without a licence.
two nights’ accommodation at the four-star He suggested the Atol logo, which appeared “We can take legal action against copyright
Serenity on the Lake property in Kommetjie. only on the website’s homepage, was a legacy of infringement.”
04 30.01.2009
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