Travel hitches hurt but outlook still good A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


Despite the relief of reaching the first ‘near-normal’ holiday getaway for over two years, the optics for the travel industry this week could have been far better as Easter approaches. National and regional news outlets carried stories of major delays at


airports as Covid-related absences exacerbated staffing pressures for under-resourced operations (page 5). Meanwhile, British Airways continued to face IT issues, which are hampering its return to pre-pandemic service (page 6), and all this while disruption on sea routes between the UK and Europe dragged on in the fallout from P&O Ferries’ decision to axe its seafarers. There’s no doubt the industry will have been hoping to avoid such potential dampers on positive intent. Yet amid the frustrations, there are


reasons to be upbeat, not least continued consumer resilience in the face of financial pressures and geopolitical instability (page 6). The trade has taken a beating over the past two years and has the scars to show for it. But it has also shown a remarkable resilience of its own, and an ability to roll with the punches and come back with a renewed vigour. Unfortunately, it seems inevitable that we haven’t seen the last of the disruption over the Easter period, and agents will be called on again to support their customers in transit rather than focusing on new bookings. But if airports and airlines can make it through the first travel peak of the year and focus on resolving these issues in the coming months, there are still grounds to be optimistic heading towards the summer season.


Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS


Firms invited to join card fees lawsuit 4 Healey: Low deposits spur cancellations 4 Flight delays hit due to staff shortages 5 BA cuts schedule; Designer Travel


Cost of living; Intrepid; Future of Travel 8 Special Reports


COVER photo From left: Jo Boden, Your


Holiday Booking; Dave Crowder, Holiday Elite; Suzanne Brunt,


Vertical Travel Group; and Maria Phillips, Your Holiday Booking


Photo: Steve Dunlop NEWS YOU CAN USE


Jet2, Palladium, Virgin Atlantic, Wizz 19 Olympic, Classic Collection, TTC MSC, Regent, P&O, Star Clippers


20 22


THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020


COVER AND THIS PAGE: Shutterstock/ Marina Datsenko, Michael Thaler, alice-photo, Atstock Productions, Brian A Jackson, Georgios Tsichlis


travelweekly.co.uk


FRONTLINE Your Stories InteleTravel agent Becky Hayes on juggling jobs 24


agent diary Kim Kent: Clients make the job a joy 25


FOLLOW US: @travelweekly


Hotelplan: Sustainability round-table 10 Vertical Travel Group conference


Arena Travel launches flagship vessel 15 Comment: Claire Brighton, Atas


12 16


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DESTINATIONS Greece & Cyprus Santorini: Remind yourself of the sun-drenched island’s highlights as BA restarts its flights from Gatwick 32


Sifnos: Postcard from the Greek island 36 Self-drive Holidays


Family Road Trips: Steer clients towards our pick of Europe’s best scenic, coastal and historical routes


BUSINESS NEWS Airlines for Europe Aviation Summit:


38


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OHad a great catch-up with Intrepid Travel chief executive James Thornton who was over from Australia.


OHosted suppliers and agents on a joint Hotelplan/T


ravel


Weekly ski trip to Tignes and held a round-table debate on sustainability.


OSpent quality time with my mum and took her out for a belated Mother’s Day lunch as I was overseas last weekend.


Close-up Pictures from the frontline of travel


competitions


London Marathon places, Royal pitch 28 Get Social Atols, staff shortages, Vueling, Peat 31


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›Carbon goals ‘threat to affordability’ 46 ›Leaders call for single European sky 47 Card giants face lawsuit over fees


48 travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 7 APRIL 2022 3


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