19 July 2010

ABTA issues advice for agents who had business with Goldtrail

ABTA is advising any members who had sold flights with Goldtrail Travel to contact the Civil Aviation Authority.

It believes a significant amount of flights have been sourced through the company by other ABTA agents.

Goldtrail Holidays, also trading as Sunmar Holidays, ceased trading on Friday with 16,000 customers overseas.

ââ¬ÅâœWe believe that there may be significant business with other ABTA Members in relation to flights which have been sourced through this company,ââ¬~ ABTA said.

Online travel agency On The Beach is just one of the companies which sold Goldtrail holidays.

On its website over the weekend, a message read: "All available staff are in our offices trying to contact customers. Please note there are a huge volume of affected bookings and we are working our way through all bookings in date order (soonest first).

"If you are able to find suitable replacement flights on our site http://www.onthebeach.co.uk then please go ahead and place an order for these."

ABTA told agents with queries to contact the CAA on 020 7453 6350, but stressed that this number is for businesses only and should not be disclosed to customers.

Customers should be advised to contact the following numbers: Customers in the UK: 0844 856 2585. Customers overseas: 0044 203 441 0846.

** Has your company been impacted by the collapse of Goldtrail? How are you coping with the disruption? Tell us by clicking on ADD A COMMENT below.

By Bev Fearis

• PRINT
• SEND TO A FRIEND
• SHARE

Post your comment

Your Comments (2)

, be the first to post a comment.
Your email:

Your comment title:


Your comment:

Email other comments made to this story

5 characters

• freedom travel group
  
  

  to clarify it is not the freedomgroup atol that has been withdrawn it was goldtrail that was removed from freedoms list of suppliers to be used freedoms atol is still in place but is is not covering any flights packaged with goldtrail

  By linda welch, Tuesday, July 20, 2010
• freedom travel group atol invalid
  
  

  i have just been advised that "the Freedom Travel" group atol is not valid. for freedom members as they were removed from the atol list so we have to replace the costs to the client at our own cost and WE will not be able to claim from Goldtrails atol dispite the fact that the freedom travel group have taken the money for atol cover many agencies will be going under over this . myself i am liable for abouT &#pound;7000 we are only a small agency and will not be able to weather this If we had just booked the flights and hotel separate on separate files we would have been covered but would we be operating within the travel laws? any advice?

  By linda welch, Monday, July 19, 2010