20 More Holiday Firms To Go

[dune]

HOLIDAYMAKERS are facing more misery, with experts predicting that up to 20 more tour operators will go bust.

 

http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/194725

 

On tripadvisor they conducted a poll which asked:

 

Has the recent collapse of another British travel firm made you nervous about booking with less well-known travel companies?

 

91% voted yes.

 

With holiday makers increasingly being concerned about the risk of booking with small tour operators the likelihood is that they will be shunned and this will speed up their decline.

 

I have booked with travelrepublic (and sorted out the whole package myself) a few times in the past, but this year I was concerned about using them again because of the recession and went with Thomas Cook. I'm now glad that I aired on the side of caution and spent a bit more for the peace of mind.

[SOTONS EAST SIDE]

Sad as it is, the Govt has to take some blame for this, with the air taxes, and airlines charging you for anything that isnt tied down, its pricing out people to book early. This has created the late booking culture. Airtravel is doing a 360, and making its self with the help of the Govt, a perk of the rich!!!

[moon monkey]

I have often used Bath travel to book my holidays, although its cheaper online, the service you get from the travel firms is excellent.

[dune]

I have often used Bath travel to book my holidays, although its cheaper online, the service you get from the travel firms is excellent.

 

Goldtrail and Kiss probably offered a good service until they went pop...

[GenevaSaint]

Goldtrail and Kiss probably offered a good service until they went pop...

 

Thing is, Bath travel have an excellent reputation and make money from a variety of sources including cruises.

 

Not sure about Goldtrail, but Kiss was started after XL went pop with some of the same directors or senior leadership using the same routes. Who didn't learn from their lesson!

[1976_Child]

Good. If people are so unimaginative that they need a 'holiday company' to give them sun and sea then God help them.

[dune]

Good. If people are so unimaginative that they need a 'holiday company' to give them sun and sea then God help them.

 

That is not an entirely fair comment although I agree that organising your own package 'can be' more cost effective, but not in all instances. In many cases it's more cost effective using a tour operator especially where there is not a low budget scheduled air service. Your comment also fails to take account of the added risk of organising your own trip in these uncertain times. The main components of any holiday are the flight and the hotel - 1) choosing a carrier isn't straightforward in these uncertain times as you have to weigh the risk of the carrier folding against the price they are asking with the more cost effective carrier to a given destination possibly being the carier most at risk. That said Ryanair are one of the safest airlines to book with so there are no rules which apply as a definite. 2a) choosing a safe agent with whom to book your hotel room is also not safe as you are most involving three agents in this process - the handler (usually an internet company with questionable contactability and no reputation as such), the facilitator (the company that block book the rooms), and the hotel itself. If any one of these components fail you're in trouble. 2b) Alternatively you can book directly with the hotel but again there is a risk and you will have no representation should things go wrong and the cost of direct booking is generally more expensive than using a company that block books rooms.

 

In short during uncertain times it is wise to pay a little bit more and use a large tour operator.

[GenevaSaint]

In short during uncertain times it is wise to pay a little bit more and use a large tour operator.

 

I agree Dune, in April I was stuck in Lanzarote because of the volcanic ash cloud. I was there for an extra 5 days and had to shell out £700. The people with Thomas Cook etc were all upgraded from self catering to all inclusive, the only pain they had was that they had to move hotels. I've still not got my £700 back from Monarch who are being real assholes. I provided all of my receipts and they sent it all back asking me to complete a 5 page form. The questions on there look like they're trying to push the costs onto other people even though it's their responsibility.

 

That said, I did get 7 days AI in Lanzarote for £1600 for a family of 5. Cost through Thomas Cook etc was about £2500!

[dune]

The Ash cloud was "an act of god" and therefore you'd have to have pyschic powers to have forseen this, but it is a good example of the risk you take when organising your own package. As it goes I will always organise my own packages where sheduled flights are available in stable economic times so you were unlucky in this respect and Monarch are one of my favourite airlines - there's something reassuring about flying with an airline with royal conotations.

[dune]

GenevaSaint this article may be of some use to you...

 

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/travel/2010/08/bmibaby-faces-ash-compensation-non-payout-probe-