Thomas Cook collapse causes problems for local travel agency
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LOCAL travel agents have been busy trying to reorganise holiday plans for clients following today's shock news about the collapse of Thomas Cook.
Commenting on the liquidation of the well-known UK package holiday company, Jim Allan, a partner with Arcade Travel in Thurso and Wick, said: "It is a big blow to the whole travel industry."
He went on: "We were very busy this morning. We have more or less spoken to all the clients who still have to go. The majority we have rebooked – one or two are thinking about things before they decide what to do.
"We have got about 45 people involved, not huge numbers."
Travel agents in both Thurso and Wick have also dealt with enquiries from people not booked through them and have provided assistance where they can.
Customers due to set off on September 27 have been rebooked as well as four or five leaving on September 29. They have already managed to make alternative arrangements for those booked with Thomas Cook in October, while they are still looking at options for clients booked for holidays in November and December.
There are also people needing help who have booked through other travel companies using Thomas Cook flights. Those companies will need to get back to Arcade Travel with other flight options for clients.
Mr Allan said: "We have come out of it not too bad, although it is causing a lot of problems and a lot of work."
The Caithness-based travel agents were confident they had no clients stuck in overseas resorts. The last local Thomas Cook bookings made it home safely from Cancún on Saturday, while some holidaymakers over in Spain made it back on Sunday.
It was reported that 150,000 Brits were stranded abroad, with the Civil Aviation Authority coordinating the repatriation plan, codenamed Operation Matterhorn.
Mr Allan said: "They are going to try and take people back as close to their departure date as possible."
He added: "It is going to leave a big gap in the industry, but at least the people booked on the package holidays who haven't travelled won't lose their money."
Scottish carrier Loganair, which operated a codeshare agreement with Thomas Cook allowing travellers to book through flights on a single ticket, says it will waive additional fees for any rebooking by holidaymakers affected by the collapse of the 178-year-old tour operator.
Although Thomas Cook did not operate any direct flights from Inverness or any other Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) airport, north flyers could use Loganair's Inverness/Manchester service to connect directly with Thomas Cook overseas flights.
In a statement on its website and on social media, the Glasgow Airport-based airline wrote: "We’re saddened to hear of the closure of Thomas Cook. Our thoughts are with its dedicated staff who are at risk of redundancy. We recognise too that many Loganair customers will have holiday and travel plans made with Thomas Cook which will now need to be rearranged, and we’ll do what we can to help."
Loganair will allow passengers to make changes to their bookings up to October 7. To rebook flights, contact Loganair on 0344 800 2855.
Scotlands' new dedicated consumer advice service, consumeradvice.scot, is providing free advice for anyone affected by Thomas Cook's collapse.
Spokesman Colin Mathieson said: “The collapse of Thomas Cook will cause huge disruption for thousands of Scots holidaymakers.
“The UK Government and the Civil Aviation Authority are working together to support passengers due to fly back to the UK, which will be a mammoth task.
“Consumers have rights in these unfortunate situations. For those already on holiday, provided their holiday was ATOL protected, an alternative flight will be arranged to get them home, which will usually be at the end of the holiday as previously scheduled. For those with future holidays, providing the booking is ATOL protected, they can make a refund claim via the ATOL scheme.
“Even if bookings are not ATOL protected, holidaymakers may still be able to get a refund."
