NEWS 1


YOU NEED TO KNOW


A Sunday Times report has been dismissed as ‘categorically untrue’


Abta’s advice to agents if asked the following questions


 Will flights still operate? Yes. Even in a no-deal scenario, the EC has said UK airlines will still be able to operate flights between the UK and the EU.


 Will I need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit? No. Clients shouldn’t need a visa to travel to the EU after Brexit even in a no-deal scenario. From 2021, UK citizens will need to pay a fee of about €7 for this visa exemption.


Trade rebuts ‘don’t book post-Brexit’ Times report


Juliet Dennis juliet.dennis@travelweekly.co.uk


Shocked travel organisations have rallied to dispel a leaked report suggesting the government was poised to warn consumers not to book a holiday post-March in a no-deal Brexit scenario.


The trade immediately branded


the The Sunday Times report as “hugely damaging” in the lead-up to its busiest sales period. The report claimed the


government was even considering bailing out travel companies that it feared may face bankruptcy as part of a contingency plan for a no-deal Brexit. Abta and the government immediately dismissed the report as “categorically untrue”.


Abta responded this week with a social media advertising campaign stressin tat flits ill continue after March 29 whether there is a Brexit deal or not. It urged agents to relay the message (see box). Chief executive Mark Tanzer


said: “We are encouraging Abta members to share our Brexit advice with customers.” Post-Brexit travel advice is


available to download in the members’ section of its website. The Specialist Travel Association (Aito) wrote to transport secretary Chris Grayling and its local MP, leader of the Liberal Democrats Sir Vince Cable, who has pledged to raise the issue in Parliament before Christmas. Cable said: “The government


isn’t going to apologise since creating fear and uncertainty is


4travelweekly.co.uk20 December 2018


“This has played out like a pantomime – the only problem is it’s a very serious subject”


part of its strategy. I will, however, raise in arliaent te secific issue of the damaging rumours about travel and seek more clarity.” Aito executive director Kate


Kenward called for the government to take out full-page adverts in national nesaers to confir holidays will go ahead as normal. Travel agency groups this week


briefed staff to answer questions from clients, while suppliers put out messages of reassurance. John Sullivan, head of commercial at Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “The timing


 What happens if clients book to travel after March 29, 2019, and the holiday cannot go ahead due to Brexit? There is nothing to suggest clients will not be able to continue with their holidays after March 29. But under Package Travel Regulations, clients who book a package have a right to a full refund if the holiday can no longer be provided.


is clearly unhelpful as we go into peaks. Hopefully it will be yesterday’s news by the new year.” Miles Morgan Travel managing


director Miles Morgan said: “This has played out like a pantomime – the only problem is it’s an incredibly serious subject. Any kind of story like this is not good for the industry. January will be a real challenge.” Tailor Made Travel managing


director Simon Morgan added the story was “unnecessarily scaring the public”. ui confired flits ould continue over Europe, even in a no- deal Brexit. It said: “We will operate holidays to the EU as planned.” P&O Cruises issued a ‘Brexit


Promise’ guarantee its holidays would continue to be “plain sailing”, whatever the outcome of Brexit.


PICTURE: SHUTTERSTOCK


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