Among divers, XL's collapse affected, in the main, holidays to the Red Sea, and Egypt in particular. Companies responding to queries from Divernet were Longwood Holidays, Oonasdivers, Regaldive and Tony Backhurst Scuba Travel.
All reported that customers on holiday when XL went down were successfully repatriated, either on CAA rescue flights or on other charter airline flights booked by the holiday companies.
Some people were delayed for up to a couple of days and needed to fly via unplanned stopovers, but they got home having had, if anything, an extra day or so at their dive destinations. Sharm's Red Sea Diving College has said that it threw in some free dives for those having to wait for a departure home.
Regarding holidays due to begin this week and in the near future, the common message from the holiday companies was that customers were being serviced either through an alternative airline, with small shifts in flying times and adapted itineraries, or by rebooking for a later date, to the original or an alternative destination.
Where none of these options was possible the companies, ATOL-bonded, were refunding holiday booking fees.
Looking further ahead, Oonasdivers was confident that the travel industry would adapt successfully. It believed that 'this large hole left by XL will be filled', even if there will be a 'price to pay for flights and tours not previously envisaged'.
Longwood's view was that there will be 'less capacity on most Egyptian routes, which will really tighten up the market'. It had, however, 'every intention' of running its Hurghada/El Gouna/Soma Bay programmes, 'as long as alternative arrangements can be found'.
Regaldive thought that there will 'not be a major effect' on its business. It said it had secured its flying programme to Sharm for summer 2009, and was 'awaiting confirmation of seats for Hurghada and Marsa Alam'. Its winter 08/09 programme is unaffected, as this did not involve XL.
Tony Backhurst Scuba Travel had 'secured new flight contracts for winter 08/09 and summer 09'. The XL collapse affected only the company's tours to Sharm El Sheikh. Southern Red Sea holidays proceeded as normal. 'We use scheduled flights for Sudan, the Maldives and other long-haul destinations,' said the company.
|
