First Choice and Unijet claim support from ARTAC members

Preferred operator list

First Choice and Unijet claim support from ARTAC members

FIRST Choice and Unijet claim nearly a quarter of ARTAC Worldchoice members are still willing to deal with them, even though they have been struck off the consortium’s preferred operator list (Travel Weekly July 24 and 31).

The companies say they wrote to all 800 ARTAC members explaining their side of a recent disagreement about commercial terms and asked agents to get in touch if they wanted to continue selling their holidays.

Speaking on behalf of both operators, First Choice sales and distribution director John Wimbleton claimed that nearly 200 agents had taken up the offer and only 12 had rejected it outright.

But ARTAC commercial director Keith Wilson disputed the figures and insisted that its decision to de-list the operators had the backing of most members.

“The vast majority of our members have said they are only interested in a package negotiated by head office,” he said.