There has been considerable scaremongering in the media since the collapse of Flight Options. Claims have been made that it is no longer safe to book with smaller operators because they are more likely to fail than big operators.The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) points out that smaller specialist operators have traded…
There has been considerable scaremongering in the media since the collapse of Flight Options. Claims have been made that it is no longer safe to book with smaller operators because they are more likely to fail than big operators.
The Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) points out that smaller specialist operators have traded successfully through this recession and are certainly at no more risk of failing than their larger brethren.
Says Derek Moore, chairman of AITO, “Industry pundits have short memories – or maybe they are too young to remember that major collapses involving the giants of the tour operating industry such as Court Line, ILG and (a close call) Airtours a few years ago involved hundreds of thousands of members of the public rather than thousands. Being large offers no guarantees that a company will not collapse – in fact, the old adage, ‘the larger they are, the harder they fall’ often applies.”
In fact, the reality is that all 140 AITO companies offer 100% financial protection in the case of a company collapse. In fact, AITO protection exceeds current Government rules because AITO companies are required to protect accommodation-only purchases as well as full packages.
This is a complex area but the public would be well advised to book their holiday arrangements via one contract with a full service tour operator. Typically, booking holiday arrangements on the web via two or three different entities is what causes problems when things go wrong. Consumers only then realise that they have two or more separate contracts and that if one contract – for example the flight contract – goes awry they are still required to fulfil the other contracts. The end result is that they either have to purchase new and much more expensive flights to save their holiday arrangements, or they simply abandon their money and their holiday. Neither is a happy solution – and all because they thought they were saving a few pounds in the first place.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
