Levy for stranded tourists?
The Government will reportedly announce today that it is to impose a £1 levy on all package holidays, in order to protect British travellers if their tour operators go broke.
According to The Guardian, today’s Queen’s speech will include a civil aviation bill that will help to replenish the Air Travel Trust.
The Trust currently has a deficit of nearly £10 million, having been hit severely in 1991 when Air Europe went bust with 25,000 travellers stranded abroad.
ABTA is quoted as saying that it would prefer the scheme to cover scheduled airlines as well. A spokeswoman is quoted as saying: “We hope the Government will take the opportunity not only to place a discreet sum on existing bond holders but to extend the scheme to all airlines.”
The Guardian reports that the bill will also aim to get strict with airlines that “go off course” when approaching airports, and those that create too much noise.
*See Travelmole for updates during the day.
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad Ltd www.newsfromabroad.com
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