COLLAPSE


THOMAS COOK


Repatriation ‘makes a mockery’ of Atol scheme


Senior industry figures issued fresh calls for reform of consumer financial protection in the aſtermath of Cook’s collapse as the CAA repatriation extended to flight-only customers with bookings outside the Atol scheme. Paul Carter, chief executive of


Inghams’ parent Hotelplan, told a Travel Weekly Business Breakfast on Tuesday: “What really disappoints me is that there was a review aſter Monarch [collapsed]. We have seen nothing aſter two years [and] everyone is picking up the cost.” Te issue has been simmering


since October 2017 when, following the failure of Monarch, the CAA repatriated all 110,000 of the airline’s passengers overseas despite a minority of these having booked Atol-protected holidays. Te CAA acted then on the


instruction of the Department for Transport. Te transport secretary at the time, Chris Grayling, subsequently appointed an Airline Insolvency Review chaired by Peter Bucks. Te review commitee published its final report and recommendations


CAA repatriated customers after Thomas Cook flights were grounded


in May this year. But the government has yet to respond and Grayling was sacked when the government changed in July. Bucks recommended a new


“Flight Protection Scheme…be put in place to provide affordable protection for all UK originating air passengers” and “a level playing field for all passengers”. He noted in an interim report the


widespread belief in the industry that the Monarch repatriation made “a mockery” of the Atol scheme. Aito chairman Derek Moore said:


“Aito and other industry bodies were hoping that, by now, the government would have implemented the reforms suggested by the Airline Insolvency Review. “Nothing has been done –


probably because all minds have been focused on Brexit.” He said a repeat of the


Derek Moore, Aito


10 26 SEPTEMBER 2019


repatriation of non-protected passengers “undermines the whole Atol protection system”. Ken McLeod, chairman of


The SPAA has


long championed the introduction of a total transport passenger levy to offset the cost of repatriation


Te Scotish Passengers Agents Association (SPAA), repeated the call for a seat-only levy. He said: “Te only positive


that we can take from this is that it demonstrates the importance of consumer protection…the SPAA has long championed the introduction of a total transport passenger levy to offset the cost of repatriation should an airline or tour operators go bust. “Te Airline Insolvency Review


also recommended this approach. Te current situation with Tomas Cook reinforces the need for such a scheme and a timeline for its introduction.”


REPATRIATION IN NUMBERS


Z More than 150,000 Thomas Cook


customers will be brought home, making £100 million taxpayer- funded Operation Matterhorn the largest- ever peacetime repatriation


Z The two-week repatriation


is about 50% bigger than the repatriation of Monarch customers after it failed in October 2017


Z The Civil Aviation


Authority said 14,700 people were returned to the UK on 64 flights


on Monday – more than 95% of people due to return the day after Cook’s collapse. 34 flights were from Europe, six from the Caribbean, five from the US, four from North Africa and four from Turkey


Z 74 flights,


bringing a further 16,800 people home, were operated by the CAA on Tuesday


Z More than 1,000 flights are planned


to bring Cook customers back to the UK up to Sunday, October 6


Z On day one of the operation, 1,825,166 unique visitors viewed the


CAA’s website a total of 6,845,009 times


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Friedemann Vogel/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock


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