Operators band together as rescue mission continues

Saturday, 26 Oct, 2005 0

Operators are continuing to pluck customers from Mexico’s battered Yucatan peninsula as the full extent of the damage began to emerge.

Travel firms with clients still holed up in rescue shelters were joining forces to bring holidaymakers home with many taken to the the Domincan Republic before returning to the UK.

It was unclear just how many of the 8,500 package customers were still in the Cancun area. But with the nearest operating airport in Merida – a torturous four-hour bus ride away – the evacution process was slow.

Cancun re-opened late yesterday for use in daylight hours.

ABTA praised the efforts of operators despite complaints by some customers that they have been left stranded in deteriorating conditions for days. Others said brochures contained no warnings that hurricanes could strike.

“Conditions are obviously bad but it’s a shame the focus has been on a small number of people who are complaining when thousands of Mexicans have lost everything,” a spokesman said. “Tour operators have handled the situation as well as any crisis I can remember.”

He added that many brochures do contain hurricane warnings.

“Thomson, Thomas Cook and MyTravel all include information in brochures and the majority of the people in Cancun would have travelled with these companies,” the spokesman said. “There will always be lessons to learn and those operators which currently don’t have hurricane warnings may include them in future.”

Problems have been exacerbated in resort as the hurricane lingered far longer than expected and caused extensive damage to hotels. It had been hoped that once Wilma passed, holidaymakers would move back to their properties.

A Federation of Tour Operators statement said: “Given the damage to hotels, some customers still remain protected in hurricane shelters, assisted by their tour operator reps in laison with the local authority and foreign office.

“FTO members are working together to ensure the safety and comfort of their customers.”

Report by Steve Jones