Indie agents slam airlines on fees Harry Kemble


Independent agents have hit out at major airlines for not waiving cancellation fees or simplifying flight changes amid the coronavirus outbreak. Cruise lines including Royal


Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line and P&O Cruises have all amended or cancelled itineraries to avoid countries in Asia where travel restrictions are in place to stop the virus spreading. But retailers who have


dynamically packaged cruises with flights to Asian destinations other than mainland China have run into problems with airlines as they have tried to fly customers to or from different embarkation or


disembarkation ports. The Foreign Office advises


against all but essential travel to mainland China but not to countries such as Singapore and Vietnam, so airlines continue to fly there. Travel Village Group chief


executive Phil Nuttall, chair of the Clia travel agent advisory council, said: “The airlines are the problem here. The airlines are not allowing agents to reroute the ticket. “I am fed up with it. They need


to come to the table,” urged Nuttall, who has previously called on airlines to waive cancellation fees. “This is a travel industry situation


that affects cruise and non-cruise, and the airlines are at the very heart of it. “Allowing amendments to tickets should be the very least they offer.”


The airlines are the


problem here. They are not allowing agents to reroute tickets. I am fed up with it


Paul Hardwick, head of


commercial at Fred Olsen Travel, said many airlines were “sticking to the rules”, adding it was “hard not to” dynamically package cruises in Asia. “The problem we’ve had is


when we have booked seats eight months ago and now there is a lack of availability,” he said. Airlines were only allowing


passengers to be switched on to different flights in the same fare class,


Hardwick said, adding that it was proving problematic on short-term departure dates. It is understood larger cruise


retailers have avoided similar issues due to commercial agreements they have in place with cruise lines. Travel Weekly approached KLM,


Emirates, Qatar Airways, Lufthansa and British Airways for comment. A spokesperson for BA said: “We


are working with cruise companies and accommodating requests where possible. We are monitoring the situation closely. “Like all airlines, we are liaising closely with government and health


organisations.” iWhat could be the long-term impact of coronavirus? Listen to the latest T Weekly podcast: bit.ly/TWpodcasts


ravel


Storm Dennis forces closure of multiple stores


Amie Keeley and Juliet Dennis


High street travel agencies were forced to close their doors after Storm Dennis brought severe flooding to parts of the UK. Tui’s store in Pontypridd, Wales,


remained closed this week after the town centre was flooded following heavy rainfall at the weekend. A spokesman said the shop would


stay shut while it assessed the damage and arranged repairs.


4 20 FEBRUARY 2020 Hays Travel also had to close its


store in the town on Sunday after water entered the back of the premises and leaked through the roof. The store suffered “no lasting damage” and was open again on Monday. Traveltrail’s office in Tenbury


Wells, Warwickshire, was heavily flooded and forced to close, with calls diverted to its Alcester office. High winds damaged shopfronts


and signs at South Wales-based Tailor Made Travel. Chief executive Simon Morgan


shut shops early on Saturday, and staff whose homes or cars were affected were given time off. One staff member from the


Whitchurch store in Cardiff was up most of the night trying to prevent her home from being flooded. Other employees’ cars were written off or damaged as a result of the floods. Evaluating the damage to Tailor


Made’s shops, Morgan said: “We have suffered a bit of wind damage, with fascia and signage blown down, but we are not dealing with sewage


Flooded: Tui’s store in Pontypridd on Sunday


and water damage. As a business we have been extremely lucky. We have authorised special leave for all those that need it; we are a family business and we understand that looking after your home is very important.” In Bristol, coach operator Bakers


Dolphin stepped in to rescue a half- term ski trip for 47 schoolchildren after their flight to Nice was cancelled. Bakers Dolphin took the group across the Channel on a ferry and on to Grenoble where the pupils were able to continue to the ski resort.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Gareth Everett/ Huw Evans/ Shutterstock


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72