“We need pan-European enforcement of EU Passenger Rights legislation.  Again, there must be a level playing field. No airline company should benefit from a competitive advantage by avoiding its legal obligations. The European Commission will be very active in ensuring common standards of enforcement this area“.  This was the view expressed by the EU Commissioner for Transport, Siim Kallas, on Tuesday 27 April 2010.  Read More

Like many travellers, I have been keeping a close eye on the events unfolding which is causing chaos throughout Europe.  As a ‘natural’ event, it is quite spectacular and the consequences of the volcano eruption is being felt throughout the world both from a personal and trade perspective.  I confess I have some additional interest in the difficulties, apart from our work to assist holidaymakers, I too am also hoping to fly out of the UK next week; it appears likely that this will not happen!  As I ponder my predicament and the alternate methods of transport, I am struck by the many holidaymakers stranded either here at home or abroad.  On the BBC news yesterday evening, one lady explained that they had spent over £2000 in buying hotel accommodation, food etc for their party! I have witnessed the scenes at Paris and Brussels airport’s, of holidaymakers camped on the terminal floor.    It was also interesting to note that those airport authorities supplied ‘camp beds’ to make life more tolerable, but I ask, what of the care and assistance that should be given to air passengers under EU Directive 261/2004? Read More

Last week-end an article appeared in the Daily Telegraph, reporting a call for tougher sanctions on tour operators, where they send holidaymakers into hotels or resorts where it is known that there is an outbreak of illness.  The report centred on the situation in Tenerife, where it was alleged that a large number of tourists had suffered illness. Read More

And so the recriminations have begun!  Blame, Politics, Smoke & Mirrors, all combined to create the appropriate levels of moral outrage.  What are we talking about here, human rights abuses in the Sudan or Burma, the decision to go to war in Iraq or Afghanistan, whether we’ll have a hung parliament?  No!  The strike of British Airways cabin staff!  I have no intention of examining the rights and wrongs of this dispute except to say that in any adversarial contest there are seldom any winners!  The machismo of dispute resolution means nothing to those people affected by its consequences, least of all the pawns in this dispute, the passenger! Read More

Since the latter part of 2009 we have all watched with interest and sorrow whilst the toll of economic collapse takes place around us.  The events surrounding the fall of the latest travel company, Globespan, provides an interesting window into the workings of travel companies, so-called ‘regulation’ and the plight of the holiday consumer and their complaints. Read More

I have come across an excellent journalistic piece from Jonathan Rugman from Channel 4, highlighting the problems with Child Sex Tourism in Kenya.  If you are intending to visit Kenya I would urge you to watch it!  If you follow this link, you should be able to view it.  What was interesting however, was the Minister for Tourism’s comments on this very important news report, he apparently stated: Read More

At this time there are many sick, angry and in some cases very frightened holidaymakers, having experienced the worst of a Traditional Package or so-called DIY Package Holiday.  The dignity in the face of such adversity, displayed by holidaymakers suffering with holiday illness, complaints or claims is to be acknowledged and applauded.  This past 3 weeks, our helpline has been inundated with calls for assistance and it is within those stories that we have noted the ‘whispering comments’ about the work of this Organisation.  I would encourage all reading this blog to read our latest posts (Sunday 27/9/09) on Twitter (these can be found @HTWFrank).  The posts highlight the experience of one family suffering with sickness whilst holidaying in Turkey.  Hospitalisation, children confined to their bedroom and the need for baby supplies brought a lack of compassionate response from the tour company’s representatives.  In highlighting this story I have commented upon the issue of mutual respect, not just for the holidaymaker, but also for this Organisation.  There is a need to abandon 20th Century thinking and I hope that the Travel Industry will rise to the challenge(s) that I have set them within the Twitter discussion area! Read More