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Allard proposes new charge for all air passengers
Roger Allard will push for all air passengers to be charged 50p per ticket to fund repatriation costs in the event of an airline failure if he is elected as ABTA chairman next week.
Allard, who has made cost-cutting for the travel industry a key part of his election manifesto, said that allowing airlines to charge passengers a reduced ATOL Protection Contribution of 50p for those booking non-ATOL protected flights could be a way of getting scheduled airlines to offer financial protection.
Under Allard’s plan, the £2.50 charge for ATOL-protected bookings will remain, but 50p of every booking will be set aside to repatriate passengers, including those who have booked flight-only on scheduled and low-cost airlines which currently offer no financial protection.
"If we allocate 50p per passenger (from the APC) solely to repatriate all passengers, we can then ask the government to try and bring in all carriers," said Allard.
In a final message sent to ABTA members this week ahead of Friday’s voting deadline, Allard said he would suggest the radical shake-up of passenger financial protection as part of the Government’s current call for evidence on the matter.
"The vast majority of us want a level playing field with scheduled airlines included," he said. "Alas this will not happen overnight and the current government is unlikely to include scheduled airlines, but with one clear voice we must lobby moving forward.
"To change the current structure we need to plan for the future and make the APC structure fit for the 21st century."
Allard is competing with Sunvil’s Noel Josephides for the role of ABTA chairman. Voting closes on Friday.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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