Latest: Westminster Magistrates Court has issued 20 summonses against Travel Republic and its managing director yesterday on charges of breaching civil aviation regulations.
Case starts: Travel republic will appear in court to face the charges on February 11th 2009.
This should be a pretty straight forward case, and travel republic and others who breached the Civil aviation regulations, can look forward to at the very least heavy fines…
These summonses were sought by the CAA, over a seriose breach of its regulations, relating to the sale of flights and accommodation without the cover of an ATOL licence.
At the same time, the CAA warned it will pursue further travel agents for repayment, once it settles several thousand claims for refunds following the failure of Freedom Flights.
The CAA declined to comment but issued a statement explaining its policy on claims for a refund on seat-only bookings with Freedom Flights, which ceased trading in September when parent company XL Leisure Group failed, and the smaller Pure Flights which collapsed in August.
The trustees of the Air Travel Trust fund and the CAA said retailers have submitted a large number of claims for flights sold at the same time as accommodation and they consider these as sales of package holidays.
Therefore, they said, passengers have a right to claim against these retailers as package organisers.
The CAA and trustees will consider these passengers eligible for refunds of flight-only bookings provided they furnish evidence of a claim against the relevant retailer.
However, the retailers will receive legal demand to repay the refunded money to the Air Travel Trust Fund once the claims are settled.
It is believed the claim involved hundreds of travel agents, although a substantial number have been made by no more than 12 retailers.
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