ABTA cruise, business and sports travel specialist collapses
A travel agent specialising in cruise, business travel and sports tours has ceased trading.
Northwest London-based Pan Express Business Travel was a member of ABTA.
It traded under the names Pan Express, Pan Express Travel, Pan Express Business Travel, Ahoy Cruises, Ahoy Holidays and Ahoy Getaways and held an ATOL licence.
The Civil Aviation Authority said: "We are currently collating information from the company and will update this page as soon as possible."
It said agents of Pan Express Business Travel currently holding consumer payments not yet paid to Pan Express Business Travel are advised not to refund clients with these funds until they have received instructions from the Air Travel Trust.
"Travel agents will be individually contacted by the CAA with specific instructions for these bookings," it added.
Included in the CAA’s announcement of Pan Express’s failure on its website, is a stern warning that it has the power to prosecute those who make fraudulent ATOL claims following the failure of an ATOL holder under the Fraud Act 2006.
It says the maximum sentence for an offence is 10 years in prison.
A message on the Pan Express website says Ashok Bhardwaj of Bhardwaj is handling the liquidation.
Its collapse follows that on June 26 of another ABTA member and ATOL-holder, Bargain Travel Bureau, which traded under the names Red7 Holidays, Eclipse Leisure and Red7.
ABTA said the ‘vast majority’ of Bargain Travel’s bookings were financially-protected, either by ABTA or the Air Travel Trust Fund.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
All eyes on Qatar as Qatar Airways leads a season of global events