A major UK travel company has had its operations thrown into disarray after losing an essential accreditation, sparking anxiety for countless holidaymakers over potential summer holiday cancellations. Some fuming at the loss of yet another budget tourism provider described such options as a false economy, saying: “Go cheap, pay twice.”
Great Little Escapes, a Berkshire-based travel agency known for offering a variety of holiday packages from “adventure holidays to relaxing spa holidays, beach holidays to city breaks, adults-only to fun-filled family resorts”, has now lost its ATOL certification. This company is distinctly separate from the similarly named Great Little Breaks and has no affiliation with them.
Long-standing travel advice has been to always book using a credit card to ensure that you are not left out of pocket if the firm you booked your getaway with goes bust, but over 100 UK customers now face losing out on their trip abroad. Another angry holidaymaker pointed out: “Feel sorry for those who will lose their holidays, but then again, they clearly took their chances to get a cheap deal.”
They added: “Not ATOL protected and if they didn’t pay by credit card, then no way to get the money back.” Indeed, in the wake of the firm’s collapse into insolvency, authorities are asking would-be travellers to hold off on submitting any claims while further information about Great Little Escapes’ business is collated.
The authority also provided clear instructions for associated travel agents, stating: “If you are a travel agent of Great Little Escapes LLP and you are currently holding consumer payments which you have not yet paid to Great Little Escapes LLP, you must not use these funds to refund consumers until you have received instructions from the Air Travel Trust.
“Travel agents will be individually contacted by the CAA with specific instructions for these bookings.”
This latest collapse in the travel agent industry will shake confidence among prospective holidaymakers seeking out the lowest prices so they can spend more abroad. But, as one social media user advised, some could be “Better off booking with the big travel agents. More expensive, but…”
This unfortunate news comes just a month after another British travel firm collapsed, leaving thousands in limbo over their holiday arrangements.
Jetline Travel, a London-based firm established in 2000 and the parent company of Jetline Cruise, ceased trading as an ATOL holder in March. The company has now entered administration, as reported by TTG.
Alan Clark from financial recovery specialist Carter Clark, and Neil Bennett from restructuring and insolvency firm Leonard Curtis, were appointed on 28 March.
Administration is a process that occurs when a business can no longer meet its debt obligations, leading to the appointment of a licensed insolvency practitioner. This professional will either restructure the business and negotiate with creditors, or sell off assets, settle debts and liquidate the business.
Over its 25 years of operation, Jetline Travel took hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers on trips. During this quarter-century, the company also traded under several other names including Bargain Late Holidays, Best Priced Holidays, Cruise and More, Elegant Getaways, Our Best Holidays and Save on Sun.