| Ramsay, one of the biggest agents in the country for the Lanarkshire company, immediately cancelled all staff leave in an effort to ensure customers would still be able to enjoy their summer breaks.
Managing director Colin Ramsay said tourists who were already overseas would be able to have their holiday although some return travel may be scheduled a little later than their original flights.
Everyone who booked through Ramsay World Travel would also be able to reclaim their cash from the Civil Aviation Authority, a process that could be completed within six weeks.
The only people who might lose out are those who were due to fly off over the next few weeks and who will not now have their refund in time to book another holiday.
However, Colin said this hasn’t proved a problem yet for his customers as most are able to put the cost of another holiday on a credit card with the intention of clearing the debt when their refund comes through.
The CAA said today it would be making arrangements for people booked with ScotTravel to complete their holidays and fly home.
ScotTravel’s website advised customers, “Any customers with inquiries should refer to the CAA website at www.caa.co.uk. For any forward departures passengers should not make their way to the airport.”
Colin said he got the news of ScotTravel’s demise yesterday and had staff working until 8.30pm to make arrangements.
Employees were back in at 6am and all lunch breaks were being taken at desks.
“The important thing is everyone’s money should be absolutely safe,” he said. “In the meantime, we will be trying very hard to get everyone booked up on another holiday.
“It will be fairly tight now with availability but we are working as hard as we can.
“It’s when things like this happen customers can see the benefits of booking through agents covered by the CAA and ABTA.”
Travel association ABTA said there were around 1500 people in Turkey at the moment who had booked with ScotTravel.
ABTA’s Frances Tuke said, “The CAA are very busy organising, making sure those customers can continue with their holiday and will try to make sure they return at a similar time as they were due to anyway.”
Angelina Ayden, finance director with ScotTravel Holidays Limited, insisted no one who booked with her company will be “thrown out of hotels”.
The firm’s collapse was because of sustained losses and by a general downturn in the travel industry, she said.
ScotTravel held an Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL), which offers protection to holidaymakers from being stranded abroad or losing money when purchasing air holidays and flights. |
