Foster blasts Bath over service fees

Foster blasts Bath over service fees

ARTAC managing director Julian Foster has accused ABTA president Stephen Bath of acting in a “cavalier and arrogant manner” by telling agents they must make up their own minds on service fees (Travel Weekly September 4).

In a letter to Bath, Foster said:”I wonder if it is time to poll our members on whether they want to stay in ABTA.”

Foster later stressed ARTAC would not be pulling out of ABTAbut said: “We wanted ABTA to incorporate an element about service fees in its new campaign and this response in Travel Weekly is not what I expect from the president of ABTA.

“If ABTA acts in this cavalier and arrogant manner, it must expect a backlash from those who pay subscriptions.”

Bath was unavailable for comment. Chief executive Ian Reynolds said he was happy to talk to ARTAC but reiterated that ABTA did not feel an advertising campaign about fees would succeed.