Bust travel firm in trips pledge

ScotTravel said customers would be able to complete their holidays

The director of a Scottish-based travel firm, which went bust leaving about 1,300 customers abroad, has pledged all of them will complete their holidays.

Angelina Ayden, finance director with ScotTravel Holidays, said no-one would be "thrown out of hotels".

The Civil Aviation Authority also said customers had protection under the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing scheme.

ScotTravel, based in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, specialised in holidays to Turkey before it went bust on Thursday.

The firm, which flew from Glasgow, Prestwick, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, mainly sold its holidays through travel agents, but they were also sold directly through the company website.

Anyone due to fly out on a ScotTravel holiday has been advised not to go to their departure airport as all holidays have been cancelled.

Speaking to Radio Clyde news, Ms Ayden said no customer would be left stranded. "That is the beauty of the Atol licence we have worked endlessly and tirelessly to secure, to make sure that every booking we take, we take under the knowledge that our passengers were always protected," she said.

"We have a fantastic relationship with hoteliers out in the resorts and the normal horrific stories of passengers being thrown out of hotels is not the case with ScotTravel.

"The hoteliers appreciate our situation and continue to give us their support and to make sure our passengers will finish their holidays without any disruption."

Ms Ayden said the firm's collapse was because of sustained losses and by a general downturn in the travel industry.

I made my final holiday payment to them by phone last Friday and feel sure they must have known. What a con Paul Laidlaw ScotTravel customer

She added: "It is like someone has died. It will always be something we are proud of but we are so disappointed we were not able to meet everybody's expectations."

Several customers of ScotTravel contacted BBC Scotland's news website to express their shock about the company's demise.

Stephen Cockburn, from Fife, had booked to go to Marmaris for his first foreign holiday with his fiancee Angela Brodie.

He said: "We got a call last night at about six from our agency to tell us ScotTravel had gone into administration and we weren't going to get a holiday.

"They said they had gone bust and if we wanted another holiday we would have to pay up-front."

He said they were really angry and would now have to fill in Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) paperwork in an effort regain the £520 cost of the holiday. "I phoned my dad to ask his advice and he called back later to say he'd booked us another holiday in Turkey, so when we get our money through we'll give him the money back," he said.

Customer protection

Monica Nilsen, from Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, said she could not describe her "shock and disappointment".

"I am disabled and my friend and I have saved all year for this holiday," she said.

"We were to fly to Turkey on 14 June from Aberdeen. We were really looking forward to it."

Paul Laidlaw, from Falkirk, expressed anger that ScotTravel had recently taken his money.

"My wife and I were due to fly to Turkey next Sunday with ScotTravel," he said.

It's really important that people take steps to ensure they are protected should a similar incident occur in the future Rochelle Turner Which? Holidays

"I made my final holiday payment to them by phone last Friday and feel sure they must have known. What a con."

News of the ScotTravel collapse brought a warning from Rochelle Turner of consumer group Which? Holidays.

"With yet another tour operator collapsing and leaving holiday-makers stranded, it's really important that people take steps to ensure they are protected should a similar incident occur in the future," she said.

"If you pay for your flight with a credit card, Visa debit card or book it as part of a package holiday then you shouldn't have any problems getting your money back.

"The same applies for people who book through an Atol-bonded travel agent or operator. You may even be covered by your travel insurance as some policies cover scheduled flights.

"Sadly, if these don't apply to you there's little hope of you seeing your money again so bear this in mind when you book your next flight or renew your travel policy."