Ryanair just won't stand for it!

I just love Ryanair. Partly because they court publicity with some of the most ridiculous ideas, but mainly because whatever people say about them, they're a very successful business. In fact, I struggle to think of another business with such a high profile that people badmouth and but continue to use.
It is being reported that the latest little gem from Ryanair is their supposed application for a standing room only section in their aircraft.

I assume that the passengers who were only allowed to stand would be stood at the back next to the "pay as you poo" toilets.
Apparently Ryainar went as far as making an application to one of the regulators for a test flight of an aircraft with a standing room section. Under the scheme, a Boeing 737-800 would be fitted out with 15 rows of seats and 10 rows of standing berths.
Michael O'Leary, the budget airline's chief executive, said: "We have asked the question could we run some trials on this and the immediate response is somewhat negative."

Taking a Stand

Reports suggest that the aircraft would be fitted with a similar layout to London underground trains where they have a ball and straps for people to hold onto.
He has even gone as far as setting out the pricing structure. The Ryanair boss said seated passengers would be charged £25 per ticket with standing customers paying between £1 and £5 for their fares on a flight that would take the average capacity of a flight from 189 passengers to 230.
Speaking at a press conference in London, O'Leary said he was undeterred by the knockback from the unnamed regulator, although he declined to comment on whether Ryanair had approached the US Federal Aviation Administration or the European Aviation Safety Agency. "I think ultimately it would happen," said O'Leary.

Upstanding Airline: an accident waiting to happen

I've got to say, that not for the first time, I disagree with O'Leary. I think the chances of this happening are slim. At the moment, the relevant law around accidents that happen in the air, or as you're embarking or disembarking is the Montreal Convention. It is quite a unique piece of legislation because it provides strict liability. That means that if an an aircraft accident happens, it's automatically the fault of the airline. There are a few exceptions to this law, but that is generally how it works.

If it did happen as O'Leary is planning, I think it would be quite good for my business because I have no doubt there would be more holiday accident claims, but not very good for the consumer who has to claim for holiday compensation rather than enjoy their holiday.
Whatever happens, O'Leary will continue to be good entertainment and I suspect people will still love to hate Ryanair, but also continue to help drive up their profits too!

For more information you can visit the website!

Cruising for a Bruising

Yes a cruise for many holiday makers is the pinnacle of travelling… not for the customers of Silversea cruises though. I have just been reading recent reports that one of its luxury cruise liners called the Silver Shadow collided with a cargo ship just off the coast of Vietnam.

Ahhh the thought of going on a cruise…for many holidaymakers it’s the pinnacle of travelling. After all, it involves many care free days aboard a luxury cruise liner, more food than you can ever imagine, magnificent views, brilliant on-board entertainment and of course the lure of getting to sample the culture of many different countries. Although if you don't want to, you don't even have to get off the ship to be entertained - some ships are so big, you may struggle to find a way off anyway!

Cruise Accident a 'minor incident'

The company confirmed in a statement that the 382-passenger Silver Shadow collided with a local container ship on Friday morning as it was approaching Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. However, what I found most amusing about this rather worrying incident is that Silversea dismissed the collision as a "minor incident."
A minor incident? I’m sure the passengers on the cruise liner didn't think there was anything “minor” about the incident when they saw the cruise ship they were travelling on headed straight towards a cargo ship! This wasn't an accident of Titanic proportions, but still it cannot have been very reassuring or pleasant to be on board a cruise ship that crashes into another huge vessel - especially considering the recent incidents surround ocean liners.

Majority of cruise complaints illness related

I’m happy to say that luckily no passengers were injured and the ship, which suffered only "minor dents", according to Silversea, continued to Ha Long Bay and then on to Hong Kong, as per the itinerary.
I’d love to say that this incident is a one off and problems with cruise ships are few and far between. I'm glad to report that only a very small proportion relate to collisions or accidents, but we do have a lot of people contact us to help them make a holiday compensation claim as a result of problems they have had whilst cruising. The majority of the holiday claims relate to food poisoning or illness. Being ill is bad enough, but if it ruins the holiday that you had been saving for and looking forward to for months on end, then you will probably want to try and claim compensation.

Problems on cruise ships

More often than not the holiday complaints revolve around outbreaks of severe sickness and diarrhoea. These are sometimes attributable to norovirus, but often it's not possible to determine what the cause has been and it can sometimes be easier for a cruise company to claim an outbreak on board is norovirus because it's easier for them to avoid liability (more details oi a later post).
So next time you decide to book your cruise and holiday of a lifetime, our advice to you is that you may want to check websites such as Holiday Travel Watch and Trip Advisorfor advice and reports of any pre existing problems with any cruise liners. You might find it may just save your life!


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Thomas Cook - King of the Tour Operators?

Travel agent and tour operator Thomas Cook has recently been named a UK “Superbrand” and for the 5th year in a row beat its competitors in being recognised as the number 1 travel agent/tour operator in the UK. This of course is the opinion of the “Superbrands” commission; if you were to talk with me or some of my colleagues here at accidents-abroad.com you may just get a different opinion!

Thomas Cook UK & Ireland currently takes passengers to a variety of destinations, from far-flung countries like the Dominican Republic and the USA, to those a little closer to home, offering budget deals like Portugal package holidays and Greek getaways. It is currently the second largest leisure travel group in the UK and boasts travel brands, including Airtours, Club 18-30, Cruise Thomas Cook, Direct Holidays and Neilson.
So how did the Superbrands commission rate the tour operators? In their list of 500 Superbrands (of which Rolex was number 1) Thomas Cook was placed at 101.

UK TOUR OPERATOR SUPERBRAND RANKINGS  101 – Thomas Cook
208 – Thomson Holidays
332 – Virgin Holidays
478 – Kuoni
I did start reading about how the list was compiled, but to be honest, I got a bit bored. I couldn't stop thinking about the number of holiday compensation claims we get from unhappy Thomas Cook customers and the complaints. If the researchers had spoken with me or my colleagues, or one of the many disgruntled clients whose compensation claim we're pursuing they might not have fared so well.



The reason being that we have many cases every year against this “Superbrand” Tour operator whereby guests come back off their summer holidays complaining of food poisoning, sickness, diarrhoea and vomiting.  We constantly deal with angry consumers who come back from holiday complaining to this “Superbrand” tour operator about the holiday from hell they've been sent on and had to endure. In the interests of fairness, I should say that they're not the only travel company who feature very high up on our list "Superbrands" but for a very different reason.
I am disappointed that no travel firm made it into the top 100, but I did have to smile when I realised that Thomas Cook were ranked at 101, which is the room where I'm sure many of our clients would want to put them!

For more information or you want to know more about us, visit the website!

Groundhol day

Recent research by RCI shows that 65% of Brits have returned to the same holiday destination on at least one further occasion. To me, that's a really high proportion of people who want to go back and do the same things they did before. However, I can see the logic behind this thinking if you consider the reasons people gave for their return to holiday paradise.

The reasons they gave were:
- 45% of those surveyed simply had a good time, so they went back to have the same holiday

- 29% said the holiday met all their criteria - why change?

- 27% didn't see a need to go elsewhere if they had already found somewhere they liked

- 14% liked familiarity

- 12% said they find it less stressful knowing exactly what to expect where they are going. After all, going on holiday can be quite sressful.

Apparently, 36% of respondents are now taking fewer holidays than normal. This one isn't a surprise bearing in mind the squeeze we are suffering at the moment.
The poll of 1,000 people taken in February 2012 seems to have discovered that Brits are quite comfortable in their holiday habits. Perhaps all they want is sun? After all, we've just had one of the warmest March months on record and as I write, the north of England is now covered in snow. It's quite unpredictable in the UK, so why not go to a great holiday destination with almost guaranteed sun?
I suppose the main surprise for me about people wanting to return to a holiday destination is because most of the time I spend discussing holidays with people, they manage to cram in the phrase "holiday from hell" into the first sentence. Whilst I'm not very keen on the phrase, it does often suit the descriptions I get from holiday makers who are (rightly) complaining about the state of the resort, or even worse, the illness they suffered when they were there.
Some of the really unlucky ones manage to have an accident whilst they're on holiday too, just to really add a bit of salt to the open holiday wound. I have to admit that some of the time, my advice to people is that "sorry I think it was just an accident". After all, there isn't always someone at fault, but more often than not there is a valid holiday compensation claim.
Getting back to the point, I can certainly understand why people opt for the security of returning to the same place, but for me; I think I would just get a bit bored.

For more information, visit our website at: www.accidents-abroad.com

The New ATOL Explained: Is Flight-Plus any good ATOL?

The news of the extension of the new ATOL scheme to cover separate flights and hotel bookings, and not just package holidays, was met with a mixed response - the change was welcomed but many felt it doesn't go far enough.  But what does the new ATOL scheme cover and what doesn't it cover.
Will your holiday be protected by the new ATOL scheme?


Picture the scene, you have just had an amazing holiday full of sun, sea and sand. You've forgotten about all the worries at work awaiting you when you come back, your batteries are well and truly recharged and you arrive to the airport ready to go home.
Suddenly you are told there’s a problem with the airline and nobody knows how you will get back home or who is responsible for your safe passage home.
Now initially this may seem like paradise, getting extra time in the country that you have been gallivanting around for the past week in an effort to refresh and replenish yourself. However, the sad reality of it is, a lot of the time this means long queues, long delays, mass confusion and “sleeping rough” in the airport.
Does ATOL Flight-Plus banish this to the past? Let's see...

New ATOL Flight Plus Scheme Explained... Am I covered?

ATOL is a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). All travel companies selling air holiday packages and flights in the UK are required by law to hold a licence called an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL), which is granted after the company, has met the CAA’s licensing requirements.
In the event of an ATOL holder’s failure, the ATOL Scheme ensures customers who have paid and contracted with the ATOL holder for an air holiday package or a flight, do not lose the money paid over and more importantly are not stranded abroad!
The new concept of the flight-plus holiday is when a holidaymaker buys a flight and accommodation and/or car hire together, either on the same day as the flight, the day before or the day after from the same travel company. This is what makes up a flight plus holiday. Whilst it looks like a 'normal' package holiday, it is NOT protected under the Package Travel Regulations. I won't go into the make up of a 'Package' here but you can read what is a package holiday here.
Under the new regulations when you buy a flight-plus holiday you will also (from October 1st 2012) be given a standard, recognised certificate so that you know whether your trip is protected or not.
Good news?
This means an estimated 6 million holidays will now be protected by the reforms in the scheme.

What's not covered by the new ATOL scheme

Even though this reform is a step in the right direction, ABTA (the Association of British Travel Agents) estimates that a whopping 44% of the market will still be unprotected. This is mainly because holiday sales by airlines are not included within the scheme. for example, if you buy your flight, hotel and hire car from an airlines website you will not be covered should the airline collapse.
My view is that even if it costs a little bit more, the extra protection you get from a holiday regulated by the Package Travel Regulations can be invaluable. Not only do you get financial protection, the travel company also needs to ensure your safety whilst you are in resort (obviously only in the parts they book for you - but still worth the peace of mind).
I suppose that whilst Flight-Plus is a poor second, it is better than having no protection at all.

For more information about Accident Abroad you can visit the website at: http://www.accidents-abroad.com/

Castaway suing cruise company for sailing by

Written by Ross Smith

Tuesday, 15 May 2012 12:59

A fisherman stranded in the pacific ocean for nearly a month is planning on suing Princess Cruises after their ship didn't stop and aid the castaway even though people on the boat may have reported his distress signal. Adrian Vasquez, who is only 18, from Panama, was stranded in The Pacific Ocean for an incredible 28 days during which two of his work colleagues died of dehydration. Media reports suggest that Mr Vasquez is suing the American cruise company Princess Cruises in the jurisdiction of Florida for not acting and assisting with his plight. Engine Failure Left Fishing Boat Stranded At that stage Mr Vasquez had been at sea 16 days with his two colleagues who later passed away. The three men were adrift due to the engine failure to their three metre long open fishing boat. They attempted to attract the attention of the passing Princess Cruise ship with the use of a red jumper, but to no avail. Mr Vasquez was able to survive as a result of collecting rainwater during a heavy downpour. It has been reported that some passengers on the cruise liner had sighted the distress signal but a communication breakdown meant the cruise ship carried on. The reasons aren't clear at present, but the Captain of the Princess Cruise ship wasn't told of the call for help. According to various International laws, and supported by the United Nations and the International Maritime Organization, once staff became aware of a distress signal they were obliged to assist . Their failure to do so could be costly now that Mr Vasquez has indicated he will be suing Princess Cruises. For more information you can contact us via our website at: www.accidents-abroad.com

Are Holidays to Geece in Jeopardy?

Monday, 21 May 2012 15:15

The economic turmoil in Europe at the moment has led to holiday companies putting in place measures of what to do should there be economic and civil upheaval in southern Europe - put simply, for many holiday makers and providers alike: Greece is the word. I was planning a last minute getaway to one of the Greek Islands next month, and I must admit to being both concerned and optimistic about my trip. Optimistic: the euro appears to be devaluing against the pound, good news for those travelling within the Eurozone. This week, the euro has reached 1.25€ to the £ and is expected to keep devaluing further in light of the Eurozone crisis. In short, more euros for your pounds = more spending money! But Concerned: what's going to happen to Greece? What if airlines stopped flying to Greece? What if the country 'closed'? Given the problems, and especially with the “Arab Spring” still not too distant in the memory, a lot of holiday makers are quite worried about whether similar scenes will occur in Greece, with people revolting against the austerity regime that was in place. Things are expected to come to a head during next month’s elections and it seems as though the holidaymakers are expecting a reduced demand for holidays in Greece. Contingency Measures TUI has revealed it has put contingency measures in place in case Greece does exit the Eurozone, which does look increasingly likely. They have hinted they could shift capacity away from the Greek Islands if the situation in the country worsens following the elections. A spokesman said “We cannot predict what is going to happen, however, the inherent flexibility in our business model gives us the ability to move capacity dependent on where our customers want to go, for example, last year, we moved capacity away from North Africa due to the Arab Spring.” There are also reports that Greeks are already pulling their euros out of the banks, with a reported €700m withdrawn on Monday alone. The Greeks have rejected a political party that had agreed to austerity measures in return for two bailouts by the IMF and a second round of elections will be held next month after days of coalition talks failed to end with a new government. The bailout funding provided by Greece’s Eurozone neighbours seems about to be cut off, which would make the nation effectively bankrupt and surely lead to its exit from the Eurozone. Some analysts are predicting chaos as the Greek currency (whatever it may be – perhaps a possible return to the drachma) would become worthless. Greece still popular for holiday makers Thomas Cook, however, has said there would be positives as well as negatives for the travel industry if Greece left the Euro. The operator refused to expand beyond saying that the country remained popular and “great value” for holidaymakers. A TUI spokesperson said “ Greece remains a popular destination for our customers and we anticipate that it will remain so. We have contingency plans in place should the country exit the Eurozone and we continue to work with our Greek suppliers and hotel partners as we keep a very close eye on the situation”. Quite reassuringly they stated “The comfort and well-being of our customers is of paramount importance to us. In the unlikely event that civil unrest does break out near our resorts. We have tried and tested procedures for ensuring that our customers are looked after.” Noel Josephides, MD of Sunvil said their sales were 12% down since the elections although the operator has cut 7% capacity, mainly in May. He also said Greece would be cheaper if they returned to the drachma. “This is a definite, as client’s spending money will go further”. Well I’m planning on going at the start of June, which is not too far away! I imagine the euro will still be in place at that stage, but hopefully it has reduced in value so that I effectively have more spending money! I think that with travelling to Greece over the next few months timing will be everything. Although holidays may become cheaper over the following months this has to be balanced against the possible civil unrest. Knowing my luck, it will probably rain the whole time I’m there in any event.  For more information you can contact us via our website at: www.accidents-abroad.com

Are Holidays to Geece in Jeopardy?

Monday, 21 May 2012 15:15
The economic turmoil in Europe at the moment has led to holiday companies putting in place measures of what to do should there be economic and civil upheaval in southern Europe - put simply, for many holiday makers and providers alike: Greece is the word.

I was planning a last minute getaway to one of the Greek Islands next month, and I must admit to being both concerned and optimistic about my trip. Optimistic: the euro appears to be devaluing against the pound, good news for those travelling within the Eurozone. This week, the euro has reached 1.25€ to the £ and is expected to keep devaluing further in light of the Eurozone crisis. In short, more euros for your pounds = more spending money! But Concerned: what's going to happen to Greece? What if airlines stopped flying to Greece? What if the country 'closed'?
Given the problems, and especially with the “Arab Spring” still not too distant in the memory, a lot of holiday makers are quite worried about whether similar scenes will occur in Greece, with people revolting against the austerity regime that was in place.
Things are expected to come to a head during next month’s elections and it seems as though the holidaymakers are expecting a reduced demand for holidays in Greece.

Contingency Measures

TUI has revealed it has put contingency measures in place in case Greece does exit the Eurozone, which does look increasingly likely. They have hinted they could shift capacity away from the Greek Islands if the situation in the country worsens following the elections.
A spokesman said “We cannot predict what is going to happen, however, the inherent flexibility in our business model gives us the ability to move capacity dependent on where our customers want to go, for example, last year, we moved capacity away from North Africa due to the Arab Spring.”
There are also reports that Greeks are already pulling their euros out of the banks, with a reported €700m withdrawn on Monday alone. The Greeks have rejected a political party that had agreed to austerity measures in return for two bailouts by the IMF and a second round of elections will be held next month after days of coalition talks failed to end with a new government.
The bailout funding provided by Greece’s Eurozone neighbours seems about to be cut off, which would make the nation effectively bankrupt and surely lead to its exit from the Eurozone. Some analysts are predicting chaos as the Greek currency (whatever it may be – perhaps a possible return to the drachma) would become worthless.

Greece still popular for holiday makers

Thomas Cook, however, has said there would be positives as well as negatives for the travel industry if Greece left the Euro. The operator refused to expand beyond saying that the country remained popular and “great value” for holidaymakers.
A TUI spokesperson said “ Greece remains a popular destination for our customers and we anticipate that it will remain so. We have contingency plans in place should the country exit the Eurozone and we continue to work with our Greek suppliers and hotel partners as we keep a very close eye on the situation”.
Quite reassuringly they stated “The comfort and well-being of our customers is of paramount importance to us. In the unlikely event that civil unrest does break out near our resorts. We have tried and tested procedures for ensuring that our customers are looked after.”
Noel Josephides, MD of Sunvil said their sales were 12% down since the elections although the operator has cut 7% capacity, mainly in May. He also said Greece would be cheaper if they returned to the drachma. “This is a definite, as client’s spending money will go further”.
Well I’m planning on going at the start of June, which is not too far away! I imagine the euro will still be in place at that stage, but hopefully it has reduced in value so that I effectively have more spending money! I think that with travelling to Greece over the next few months timing will be everything. Although holidays may become cheaper over the following months this has to be balanced against the possible civil unrest. Knowing my luck, it will probably rain the whole time I’m there in any event.

For more information you can contact us via our website at: www.accidents-abroad.com