p5 news May 8 6/5/09 22:26 Page 5
ttglive.com
news
In brief
■ BA plans to raise £1.5m for Unicef
British Airways aims to raise £1.5 million for
Abta lays blame
Unicef UK over the next 12 months through its
Change for Good programme, in which customers
and staff donate foreign currency. The
programme has raised £26 million in 15 years
and funded projects in 56 countries.
on Freedom files
■ Stansted gains new service to Casablanca
A new Moroccan-based no-frills carrier started
Lee Hayhurst.
But many of Freedom’s suppliers
its first service this week with flights between ABTA has blamed “confusing” paper- C
O
were overseas hoteliers, which have
Stansted and Casablanca. Air Arabia Maroc, work issued to customers by failed
STO
VER
cancelled bookings and customers
a subsidiary of Dubai-based Air Arabia, will online retailer Freedom Direct for R
Y
have been advised to rebook with
operate four times a week. It aims to sell most hampering its handling of claims. Hays Travel, which bought Freedom
tickets through
airarabia.com but will also sell The association said only now, two Direct from the administrators, and claim
through call centres and travel agents. weeks after Freedom’s collapse, did it have from their credit card company.
clarity over who customers should approach to Richards estimated this accounted for about
■ Cook expands flights from Cardiff make claims or ensure their holidays are not lost. 75% of Freedom’s customers.
Thomas Cook Airlines is to introduce flights from Angry customers have inundated consumer This week Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer hit
Cardiff airport to Tunisian coastal resort Monastir website Travelrants with complaints since the back over claims by Rock Insurance managing
and Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt between November collapse, after being told holidays were not director Antony Martin that it was dodging its
2009 and April 2010. It will operate a total of protected by Abta or Atol. responsibilities.
eight destinations from Cardiff, including Abta has come in for scathing criticism He said Martin had displayed a “basic
Fuerteventura, Las Palmas, Tenerife and Larnaca. from consumers, who wrongly assumed the misunderstanding of Abta’s role and agency law”
association offered a 100% customer guarantee and was in effect suggesting suppliers act
■ Bevan taps into digital TV for new web agency in the event of a member failure. illegally by refunding money direct.
Former
lastminute.com UK boss John Bevan is Keith Richards, Abta’s head of consumer Growing consumer unrest over financial
spearheading the planned launch next month of affairs, said: “It’s been confusing largely because protection is not limited to the fallout over
an online travel agency that will use digital TV Freedom Direct paperwork has been confusing, Freedom Direct.
content as a major part of its site. Traveldeals- which is the starting point of any claim.” A Downing Street petition has been started
direct.co.uk, part of the Travel Channel, will sell Freedom Direct’s sales included “split con- demanding all travel companies offer full cover
flights, accommodation, cruise and dynamically tracting”, meaning many customers’ contracts following the collapse of XL Leisure Group.
packaged holidays. Bevan is project director. were direct with overseas suppliers.
Some customers were apparently not aware of ■ Letters, p34
ttglive.com
For the latest news, reviews and comment
this. Abta said by law any contracts should be ■ View the Downing St petition at: petitions.
from the travel industry, visit
ttglive.com
honoured, even if suppliers had not been paid.
number10.gov.uk/hols-protection/#detail
The long way
round to Bolton
INTREPID explorer Charley Boorman’s latest
adventure took him to the Bolton headquarters
of Travel Counsellors.
He is best known for his epic cross-continent
motorbike journeys with fellow actor Ewan
McGregor in two popular BBC series.
Boorman met 15 travel counsellors who had
entered a competition run by adventure holiday
specialist Explore! to win a visit from the Long
Way Round star. He also appeared on Travel
Counsellors’ inhouse TV show.
Commercial director Kirsten Hughes said: “It
was great to have him here and to hear his tales
of exploration and adventure.” Biker, actor and adventurer Charley Boorman meets Travel Counsellors staff at their Bolton HQ
08.05.2009 05
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