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Mercury actions anger the trade
Jennifer Morris
jennifer.morris@
travelweekly.co.uk
Agents have hit out at tour operator Mercury Holidays after a string of hefty last-minute price hikes and cancellations left clients “without holidays”.
Several agents took to the Travel
Gossip Facebook page to vent complaints about the company, owned by Sunspot Tours. Kevin Connell, director of Ember Travel in Ewell, Surrey, said his clients were “devastated” when a £4,500 Vietnam and Cambodia tour booked last October was cancelled by Mercury 17 days before the May 7 departure date. “They were going to celebrate a
birthday, and no viable alternative was offered,” he said. Mercury refunded the clients, covered £293 out-of-pocket expenses and offered money off a future holiday. Kelly Westerman, of The
Holiday Crew in Leeds, cancelled her own booking for Mauritius after Mercury informed her alternative flights were needed and would cost up to £1,000 more. The operator said it was human
error that led to her flights being “drastically” underpriced. She was given £50 compensation. Another independent agency
owner, who asked not to be named, said a pricing error meant a first‑time customer would have to pay an extra £852 per person for a surprise holiday to Mauritius in December, or cancel. “I am now looking at losing my booking, and potentially my client, as I cannot find a similar holiday anywhere near £3,024,” she said. Jon Bugeja, operations manager
at Mercury Holidays and sister brand Sunspot, said: “Agents complaining about Mercury Holidays is the last thing we want.” He said the Vietnam and Cambodia tour did not have the minimum passenger numbers required. “Normally we let clients know a lot sooner, but there was an administrative error and when we realised we contacted the agent immediately,” he said. “We have taken measures to make sure the error doesn’t happen again.” Abta said an operator cancelling a holiday after the balance has been paid because minimum numbers had not been met was a breach of its code of conduct.
Iata: Brexit would not change much
Ian Taylor
ian.taylor@travelweekly.co.uk
Leading airline figures have contradicted claims that a British exit (Brexit) from the EU would hit travel by calling into question existing aviation agreements.
Asked about the impact of a
vote to leave, Iata director general Tony Tyler said: “The European Common Aviation Area is already wider than the EU and includes non-EU member states such as Norway and Iceland. One very plausible outcome is that Britain would remain within the Common Aviation Area, in which case nothing very much would change.” Iata chief economist Brian
Pearce told Travel Weekly: “We have noted what the International Monetary Fund and UK Treasury have said [about the impact of Britain leaving].” The Treasury has forecast a
year-long recession if Britain votes ‘leave’, and the IMF warned of “reduced global growth” and “major challenges for the UK and the rest of Europe”.
Pearce said: “It would affect
traffic in the UK. But airlines in the UK are international and some have hubs elsewhere, so it might not have a substantial effect.” Lufthansa group chief executive
Carsten Spohr also downplayed the impact on travel. Speaking following a meeting of the Star Alliance chief executives’ board, Spohr said: “It [a Brexit vote] would slow down European trade, but it would affect aviation less than other industries.” Tui UK managing director Nick Longman backed ‘remain’ in an interview in the The Mail on Sunday, arguing: “The tourism industry and millions of British holidaymakers strongly benefit from the common European market.” However, he added: “If Britain
does vote leave, there will be things we’ll have to work through. “But we’ve done a full risk
analysis and there is nothing insurmountable.” Uncertainty about the outcome of the June 23 referendum
intensified after polls narrowed as Travel Weekly went to press. › Talk Back, page 15
9 June 2016
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