The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is to take legal action against the bankruptcy estate of Renaissance Cruises for seeking to claw back agency commissions on cruises that did not sail.
Renaissance, ceased operating in September 2001. In a letter sent to Renaissance’s lawyers last May ASTA warned that it would take action if the cruise line persisted in its attempts to get back the commission on the aborted cruises.
But Renaissance has continued its efforts, leading ASTA to announce last week that it will be taking the class action lawsuit. The organisation claims that agents should not be penalised because Renaissance was unable to “deliver the goods.”
ASTA president and chief executive Richard Copland said: “The principle is that travel agents earn commissions when they deliver to a cruise line a client who is ready, willing and able to sail. The subsequent failure of a cruise line to deliver the goods doesn’t change the fact that the travel agent has performed her job and it should not affect whether she receives payment.”
See our previous story:
06 Aug 2002 Bankrupt Renaissance seeking $10m from agents
