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letters
Cathay staff calm throughout A recession is the time Reply from Cosmos over
the chaos at Bangkok airport to strike out unhindered ‘disappearing clients’
Having been caught up in the chaos at Utapao I would like to quote Seth Godin, entrepreneur, Further to the letter from Sue Patterson of
military airport in Bangkok, I would like to marketer and blogger, who has some advice for Travel Now (TTG December 12), I would like
applaud the way in which Cathay Pacific sales marketers now that recession looms: to make it clear that none of our retailers has
staff checked in and processed the loading of a “This is the biggest opportunity you’ve ever access to exclusive stock for any Cosmos
385-seat Boeing 777 aircraft. In the chaos it was had. It’s the biggest opportunity of your life- products.
a tremendous effort. It is a shame that the time. It’s during recession that great companies Both Santa Trips and The Co-operative
same cannot be said of our national carrier. and great brands are built. Just go through Travel Trading Group (of which Travel Now is a
the history books and look at when Google member) have exactly the same inventory with
Mike Mills, Lombard Travel, Stourport developed, right after the dotcom meltdown. the only difference that Santa Trips connects
“Many of the great older companies of our via XML and Travel Now would have been using
A good relationship with Gold time sprouted when everyone said the world the viewdata system.
Medal helped stranded clients was coming to an end and the economy in the We obviously cannot comment on the
Two of my clients were staying in Phuket during shredder. The opportunity here is to create real contents or accuracy of their conversation
the political protests, and due to fly home to value and real change, and to hire amazing with Santa Trips. Neither can we verify the
the UK via Bangkok on November 28. people who can’t get ordinary jobs as the timeline as to when the system was accessed
However, they agreed to pay for three more ordinary jobs are few and far between.” by all the parties concerned.
nights in the hotel, because they were enjoying One agent checking for the final remaining
it so much. Gwyn Hughes seats on a flight could well have affected
This involved changing flights, and luckily Pinpoint Communications availability/access to another agent.
it all worked perfectly because my friends at What would be absolutely certain is that we
Gold Medal Travel understood the position If Cook and Tui drop Atol, would have had no reason to hold high-revenue
perfectly, understood immediately what I was then Villa Plus will follow suit seats off sale for a following day departure and
asking them, and changed the tickets within a I’m writing in response to Thomas Cook warn- hereby confirm this was not the case.
few minutes of me asking the question. ing it could cut Atol business (TTG December 5). I would also like to reiterate our support for
Retailers should use respectable and reliable The APC was never designed to help tour all our retail partners.
suppliers, build up a good rapport with that operators, but surely to be a system that Should any of you want to contact me
operator, as we have with Gold Medal Travel, and would be easy to manage, easy for clients to personally throughout the peak booking period
put effort into attempting to solve a problem – understand and easy to alter should the Air or beyond, please do not hesitate to do so.
the outcome is often very favourable. Travel Trust Fund need an occasional top-up.
Its great failing is the government’s lack of Gordon McCreadie
Roger Blizard balls in bringing airlines into the scheme and head of trade sales, Cosmos
proprietor, Richmond Travel, Solihull not clarifying the package definition.
Finances change decisions, and I would
What do you think?
Protests meant more time in support Tui Travel and Cook withdrawing their
paradise on Kuoni Thailand fam Atol licences and selling the same holidays The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday.
I have just returned from a fantastic Kuoni under the name of “component sales”. We need your name, job title and company
fam trip to Thailand, arriving just prior to the Why should Tui and Cook (and all of us) have address. These will be withheld on request.
political protests. to operate under an Atol system that does not Priority is given to letters sent exclusively
Wonderful hotels, scenery, beaches provide a level playing field? We should all be to TTG. Please limit letters to 250 words
combined with Thai service meant there were in the Atol system, or all be out of it. I would maximum. We reserve the right to edit.
no problems at all. Yes, we were delayed, but rather we were all in it, but if there is an Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com
that meant two more days in paradise. exodus, then even companies like us (Villa Plus) Fax: 020 7921 8033
Please help support tourism in Thailand. will have no choice but to leave. Blog: Or why not have your say online?
Write a blog at yourspace-ttglive.com
Brian Ward, Thomas Cook Retail, Northampton Nick Cooper, director, Villa Plus
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