The media flurry surrounding the XL Leisure Group collapse has provided a great PR opportunity for travel agents.
Across the country, travel agents had their say on television and in the local and national press.
Co-op Travel in Rochdale assistant manager Joanna Wrighton said staff had managed to rearrange holidays for 99% of their XL clients. She told the Rochdale Observer: “It is a real shame because XL was a really good company, but in the long term it could be beneficial for us because it shows the benefits of booking through a travel agent rather than through the internet.”
Roma Travel owner Rob King urged readers of the Grantham Journal to book with an agent to avoid being stranded. “It hasn’t been a problem for our customers because they’re insured and we’re organised with various schemes, so we’ve managed to get all our clients on other airlines,” he said.
A couple on holiday in Majorca with XL Airways praised Harvey World Travel (Ottery branch) manager Claire Connors for sorting out their travel plans just hours after the news broke. Connors told the North Devon Gazette: “I heard the news on the radio and rushed into work, we’ve got strict procedures in place to instantly deal with problems like this.”
