Trading standards officers are to investigatemultiples for allegedly overcharging customers on airport tax charges (see page 3).
The retailers have put up a pretty weak defence of their actions, claiming airport taxes cannot be fixed absolutely because of daily currency charges.
Come off it – some agencies are charging up to £20 over the odds for the taxes. You can’t tell me that’s all down to currency movements.
It all leaves a rather nasty taste and we all know what the consumer thinks – the travel industry is ripping them off again and making money hand over fist.
In cases like this, there should also be one body speaking up on behalf of all the retailers and giving the customer a decent explanation for what is going on – presuming, of course, that there is one.
ABTA has washed its hands of the matter, saying that it does not want to duplicate the work of the TSOs.
But the new-look ABTAwants to be a powerful lobbying force and this would be a perfect opportunity to come out fighting on behalf of the trade.
The fact it hasn’t leads you to the inevitable conclusion that either the industry is very bad at presenting a unified front or our associations don’t want to defend the indefensible.
Whichever way you look at it, the trade is left in a pretty shoddy light.
Jeremy Skidmore – editor