SPAA voices frustration over Monarch repatriation effort
Scottish agents are the latest group to voice concern and frustration over the government’s decision to repatriate 110,000 passengers stranded as a result of Monarch’s collapse at the tax payers’ expense.
So far, 90,000 clients who were abroad when the airline ceased trading have been brought back to the UK on emergency flights organised by the Civil Aviation Authority at the government’s request.
Alan Glen, president of the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, said: "Obviously, bringing back the stranded travellers was the right thing to do. Why they were not already covered by the ATOL system or another form of financial protection is entirely another question.
"For many years during the numerous ATOL consultations held by the CAA, the SPAA have advocated the need for the ATOL protection system to be extended to cover ‘seat only’ sales made by airlines direct to the public. At the moment there is no consumer protection for this kind of sale. As long as 12 years ago, we proposed a £1 levy on all scheduled airfares to provide financial protection for seat only sales. Successive governments have failed to heed the advice or warnings, citing that a change in legislation was required to do so.
"Fast forward to 2017 and here we have an airline gone bust and the government choosing to meet the costs of repatriation of ‘seat only’ customers at taxpayers’ expense. It seems the government quite rightly feared the consumer backlash if it became apparent that there was no consumer protection in place. However, by ‘bailing out’ the unprotected passengers, they are devaluing the ATOL system by effectively providing ‘free’ ATOL coverage to those not actually in the scheme.
"As an ATOL holder myself, I have to say it does rankle. What is the point of consultation after consultation, when it seems that nobody listens to what is the blatantly obvious? If anything good comes out of this debacle, let’s hope it is that those with the power to change things, begin to listen."
Other trade associations, including ABTA and independent tour operators’ body AITO have also called on the government to revisit the suggestion of introducing financial protection rules to flight only passengers.
Transport secretary Chris Grayling said this week that the government was considering a change in legislation to allow failing airlines time to ‘wind down in an orderly manner’ to avoid passengers being suddenly stranded abroad.
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
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