AITO demands action to protect no-frills airline passengers

The Government has been accused by tour operators of failing to tackle discrepancies in the law which enable no-frills carriers to avoid providing passenger protection against airline failure. The suspension of Irish no-frills carrier JetMagic last week has prompted the Association of Independent Tour Operators to go on the offensive, claiming there is potential for further airline collapses this year. The association, which represents 150 specialist oprators, believes the public is unaware of the lack of protection when they book no-frills flights. AITO chairman Martin Garland said: “It seems as if the UK Government is content to wait until British consumers are stranded overseas and lose their money before it does anything. “We have been urging the Government to take action to clarify consumer protection law in the travel industry for years. They are deaf to our pleas; it seems it will take a major collapse of an airline or other unbonded organisation to galvanise them into action.” Tour operators offering air-based package holidays have to provide bonds to the Civil Aviation Authority to cover consumers against financial failure. They are also required by law to take full responsibility for all elements of the package, including the flights, accommodation and transfers. For example, operators have to pick up the tab if a flight is cancelled. But AITO claims that there is a different set of rules for scheduled airlines and no-frills carriers which sell seats and accommodation via “legal but convoluted web links” and tour operators who package flights with accommodation. “It’s intrinsically risky for the public and unfair competition for our members,” said Mr Garland. “We pay massive amounts for bonds to protect the public – the airlines don’t.” AITO believes the “no-frills bubble is deflating” due to the likely threat to a range of no-frills routes following Wednesday’s EU ruling that Ryanair must repay subsidies provided by Charleroi airport near Brussels.