p22-23 letters june12 9/6/09 17:28 Page 45
ttglive.com
letters
P&O Cruises ‘don’t give a Air Passenger Duty is best We need credit cards, even if
damn about agents’ called a ‘regressive’ tax our rating is ‘worse than porn’
As Complete Cruise Solution’s website does not We are delighted the travel industry has at last The travel industry simply could not function
show all options, we phoned P&O Cruises to been galvanised into proactive action against without taking credit cards, and those providing
obtain a price. Air Passenger Duty. these facilities have been the unofficial
A family wanted a Caribbean Cruise in 2011 Back in October 2006, we pointed out that backbone of the Atol system for far too long.
and we were given a price of £6,200 for an AE the APD would damage the economy and put Unless the CAA refunds all customers regard-
Grade 2 bed suite, for two adults and two UK jobs at risk. We also pointed out the damage less of how they paid, the card companies will
children, and told that “the children only pay that APD could do to developing countries. insist on holding funds for longer or a bond.
the £1 Atol fee each”. After a quick phone call, However, the collectively encompassing Although this would push up the cost of APC
our delighted client accepted! “regressive” description of the tax is a better even further, the alternative is far worse.
We called back to book, minutes later, but the one than some of the more emotive terms
lady to whom we had originally spoken had fin- that have been used, such as “racist”. This is Guy Novik, chief executive, USAirtours
ished her shift. We were then given a different because it embraces everyone affected, directly
story: such cabins had to have a minimum of five and indirectly, by the planned hike in APD. Agents must check their
occupants, which in fairness was waived, after Regressive means a tax that takes a larger credit-card contracts
we protested. But P&O still insisted the children percentage from low-income people than If agents read their merchant agreements with
pay the full adult price, thus doubling the cost. from high-income people. A regressive tax is their credit card provider, it does clearly give
Our client refused to pay £12,000, although generally a tax that is applied uniformly, thus the credit card companies the right to charge-
was prepared to pay up to £8,500. hitting lower-income individuals harder. back agents for non-supplied goods.
We vigorously objected, via the P&O sales No wonder then that the Dutch have lifted It is therefore the agent’s duty to protect
department, who made sympathetic noises but the tax having recognised the knock-on damage themselves through schemes such as the Abta
were not prepared to stand by the original quo- their version of APD has done to their economy Protection Plan.
tation, which they denied ever having been made! and to Schiphol airport.
Knowing that all calls are recorded, and being
Donna Wood, via ttglive.com
100% confident, we asked they play back the John Carver
conversation. But we were thwarted again as, head of corporate communications, Cheapflights What do you think?
mysteriously, the recording equipment had a
“fault” at the time. We conclude that they really No one offering consumer Letter of the week wins a
don’t give a damn about independent agents. protection? Aito is £20 iTunes voucher
“Everyone’s talking about protecting the
£20
courtesy of the German
Paul Smith, owner/director, Quartz Travel consumer but no one’s actually doing it,” says National Tourist Office.
Lee Hayhurst in his leader (TTG June 5). The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday.
■ TTG would welcome a reply from P&O Well, Aito has done it – financial protection We need your name, job title and company
for consumers since 1991 without a break. address. These will be withheld on request.
Travel 2 has restored In 2009, we also created a new Aito logo Priority is given to letters sent exclusively to
my faith in operators incorporating the words “holidays with 100% TTG. We reserve the right to edit letters.
I would like to sing the praises of Travel 2 in financial protection” as we recognised just how Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com
Glasgow. I booked my customers with Emirates important this message is. Fax: 020 7921 8033
through them, and as they had a lengthy That said, I agree with Hayhurst’s comments Blog: Or why not have your say online?
stopover in Dubai, I asked for the free overnight that the industry needs to work in tandem on Write a blog at yourspace-ttglive.com
accommodation to be booked on their behalf. lobbying regarding key issues such as APD,
Unfortunately this was overlooked, but Travel 2 and we will of course collaborate fully with
admitted liability and paid compensation. our industry peers on this and other topics
Travel 2, you’ve restored my faith in operators. whenever possible.
Helen Dow, homeworker, Hays Travel, Scotland Derek Moore, Aito chairman
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