Yet another specialist operator has collapsed following the unexpected demise of XL Leisure and its subsidiary XL Airways, leaving 200 holidaymakers stranded.
Gay operator Lidana – which traded as Respect Holidays and Wildwind Holidays – was forced to declare bankruptcy over the weekend after Atol called in a bond of more then £108,000.
Its failure comes on the heels of XL’s unexpected collapse two weeks ago, which left some 80,000 travellers stuck abroad and has heightened concerns over the state of the industry.
Around 46,000 XL passengers have now been repatriated, and while the numbers abroad with Lidana are far lower, Travel Mole reports that only half had flown out on Atol-protected packages.
An additional 1,000 or so holidaymakers have now had their forward bookings cancelled, prompting Andrew Roberts of Amro Worldwide to advise all travellers to ensure they are covered.
“We would urge all travel consumers – whether lesbian, gay or mainstream – to always be sure that their travel agency is bonded with Atol before booking their travel,” he commented.
“Do not be fooled if your supplier says that they are ‘fully bonded’ – this is not enough. What consumers must be sure of is that the supplier and their websites state categorically that they are Atol-bonded.”
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