Your letters

The travel chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud proved that a crisis does bring out the best in (most) people...

Jet2 went the extra mile for wedding party

I had a small wedding group in Salzburg due to return to Leeds Bradford on the Saturday with Jet2.com. They had booked flights direct with the airline, but I liaised with the group on Friday morning to keep them updated. Imagine my surprise when I was told that Jet 2 had already informed them that a coach would leave Salzburg at approximately the flight departure time, through to Leeds Bradford, with an overnight in Belgium. They were home in Lancashire in the early hours of Monday – their praise for Jet2 is unlimited!

John Lewindon, owner, Austria Direct, Essex

Gold Medal staff kept cool heads during mayhem

I’d like to put on record a few words of praise for the team at Gold Medal for the support and assistance it has provided to Holidaysplease and our customers throughout the ash mayhem. Gold Medal’s swift, clear decision-making has been vital. We have found its positive support for package customers stranded abroad impres- sive. Information and updates have been regular and accurate, and the call-centre staff have been helpful under extremely testing circumstances.

Richard Dixon

director, Holidaysplease

travel trade gazette

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Issue 2910

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26

30.04.2010

came up trumps too

We were all pleased to see that the “big two” operators pulled out all the stops to ensure their clients were treated well during the ash crisis. But many of the smaller operators also came up trumps. I’d particularly like to mention The Gambia Experience, which was fantastic when my group of 20 from Queens College in Taunton were in Gambia. They were only meant to be there seven days, but ended up staying 13 days. During that time, the group were upgraded

Small tour operators

from half to full board, and the headmaster who was travelling with the group was given access to mobile phone calls and emails. I was kept up to date by the operator’s groups department, allowing me to pass on information to the school and pupils’ parents on a daily basis. Thank you for making my task easy during this situation.

Graham Jones

travel consultant, Dave Criddle Travel, Taunton

Cub Med hits the road – and gets us home in 24 hours

I want to say how well Club Med reacted. I was on a personal holiday in Meribel with Club Med when all flights where cancelled. We were due to return from Geneva to Gatwick on April 18 – Club

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Med advised us we would not be leaving Sunday, so we had an enjoyable extra day’s skiing, and then Club Med arranged (how I don't know, at such short notice) for all their English guests to be transported home by coach and Eurotunnel on the Monday. Unbelievably we were all home in the UK just a day late, a major feat all at no extra charge to ourselves.

Joy Ware

retail director, The Travel Professionals

It’s times like this you find out who your friends are

This industry would be far better off, if when in times of trouble, certain suppliers showed a bit of loyalty to the agent – and the customer. We are a service industry, so where is the

service? Why do these suppliers see the need to make a profit, charging unnecessary fees for the sake of it, looking to make a fast buck. I challenge travel agents who have been subjected to these additional fees to stand up and take a hard look at these suppliers who are hanging your customers out to dry, and have shown you a lack of respect and loyalty.

Mark Sutton

managing director, Taxi Transfers

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