NEWS ROUND-UP NEWS IN BRIEF


Tui faces class action over Mexico sickness bug


Tui faces legal action from more than 400 holidaymakers after suffering from “crippling sickness” in Mexico. The operator is accused of failing to pass on public health warnings to travellers about cyclospora – a bug that causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea.


Boeing 737 Max probe launches following crash


A probe has been launched into Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft worldwide following the Ethiopian Airlines crash that led to the death of 157 people on take-off from Addis Ababa. Air accident investigators said there were “clear similarities” between this accident and a fatal Lion Air crash in October.


BA flight to Dusseldorf lands in…Edinburgh


A British Airways flight scheduled to fly to Dusseldorf landed in Edinburgh by mistake. The BA CityFlyer service from London City airport was wet-leased to German company WDL Aviation, which gave BA pilots the wrong flight plan.


Nieuw Statendam suffers power failure in Caribbean


Holland America Line’s new ship Nieuw Statendam was hit by a power failure while sailing in the Caribbean on Saturday. A technical issue with one of the ship’s diesel generators caused a blackout. A planned call into Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas was cancelled as a result.


Lawyer Rhys Griffiths joins City law firm Fox Williams


Industry lawyer Rhys Griffiths has moved from Fieldfisher to Fox Williams. He becomes a partner and head of the travel group at the City travel law firm’s commerce and technology practice. He was previously partner and head of the travel group at Fieldfisher.


Viking investigates after ship engines fail in storm


Travel Weekly reporters


Viking Ocean Cruises said it would support investigations after one of its ships lost power in a storm off the coast of Norway. Viking Sky had 215 Britons on


board among 915 passengers and 458 crew when its engines failed while sailing from Tromsø and Stavanger on Saturday. Twenty people were injured


and almost 480 passengers were airlifted from the ailing vessel. The ship was towed to Molde port and remained docked. The cruise line has been


arranging flights home for all guests. Viking said: “The majority of guests have disembarked or are in the process of leaving the vessel and are travelling back home. “We will follow up with them to


ensure their needs are covered. “We have already begun our


own internal investigation and our goal is to establish a thorough understanding of what happened, and we welcome the investigations that have been launched and will fully support them.” Norway’s Accident Investigation


Board is looking into why the ship set sail despite storm warnings.


Swords Travel eyes expansion as it hires two homeworkers


Swords Travel is on the lookout for a new high street store having recruited two new agents. The Wimbledon-based agency,


which was named Travel Trust Association member of the year at The Travel Network Group’s conference in Budapest on Saturday, is eyeing up retail spaces in southwest London and Surrey.


8travelweekly.co.uk28 March 2019


AWARD: Mark (second left) and Stuart Swords, flanked by TTNG’s Gary Lewis and Lisa Henning


It has recently recruited Sarah


Reeves, who has previously worked for Kuoni, Reigate Travel


“No more ocean cruises for us, we’ll stick to river cruises from now on”


Viking added: “The guests will


receive their money back and in addition, the chairman will extend a personal invitation for a [complimentary] cruise.” Passengers will be able to book


their follow-up cruise through travel agents.


Some UK agents had customers


on board, but Viking has led repatriation efforts. Karen Allen, manager of Aspen Travel,


RESCUE: Almost 480 Viking Sky passengers were airlifted to safety as the ship listed off the coast of Norway


Manchester, had two passengers on board. She said: “I didn’t know


I had those passengers on Viking Sky until they emailed me. “They said, ‘We have had an


interesting time, will tell you about it when we get home. No more ocean cruises for us, we’ll stick to river cruises from now on’.” Agents who had passengers on the ship can call guest services on


020 8780 7900 for information. Viking Sky’s next sailing, a Scandinavia & the Kiel Canal itinerary, which was due to set sail on Wednesday, was cancelled and guests and their agents have been contacted. The cruise line said it did not anticipate any more cancellations.


and Symphony Travel. She splits her time between homeworking and the agency. Next month, Francesca Stevenson will join from Thomas Cook as a homeworker. Joint owners and directors


Mark and Stuart Swords said the business was on track to top £1 million in sales in its third year, having turned over £250,000 worth of sales in its first year and £650,000 in its second year. Swords Travel specialises in


luxury, bespoke holidays. › Conference report, page 12


PICTURE: RICHARD R LØKHAUG


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