Transport secretary Grant Shapps’ “thoughtless comment” about not booking a summer holiday shows “complete disregard” for the travel industry, Abta’s chief executive has said.
Shapps was speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about a possible resumption of activity at the end of the current lockdown period on May 7, when he said: “I won’t be booking a summer holiday at this point, let’s put it that way.”
The Foreign Office has extended its overseas travel ban “indefinitely” as the coronavirus lockdown continues.
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Mark Tanzer, chief executive of Abta, said: “It was a thoughtless comment and not based on any facts about what we know today about the future of the pandemic, but it shows complete disregard for the UK travel industry, the hundreds of thousands of people it employs and the struggle it is facing in this current crisis.”
Shapps’ comment came as the government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) – not Shapps’ department – continues to drag its heels on making a decision on the ongoing debate over refunds of cancelled holidays, which Abta has been lobbying for.
“It would be better if the government focused on taking the necessary steps to support the sector rather than undermining confidence in it,” Tanzer added.
The Specialist Travel Association (Aito) also lambasted the transport secretary’s comments.
A spokesperson said: “The minister’s ill-considered and flippant comment on Radio 4 this morning shows his total disregard for the travel and holiday sector and the millions working within the industry.
“Mr Shapps owes us not only a retraction, and an apology, but also – very importantly – some long overdue practical assistance, which has been sorely lacking to date.
“We need him and his very slow-to-act BEIS comrades to confer urgently with the travel industry – Abta, Aito and other leading bodies – to sort out the PTRs (Package Travel Regulations) debacle on refunds and to ensure that practical and workable steps are agreed with us to enable the travel industry to plan properly for a sensible resumption of travel and holidays within a realistic and workable timeframe.”
Rory Boland, travel editor for consumer magazine Which?, said: “The government’s comments suggesting that people shouldn’t be booking summer holidays will only add further confusion to the lack of clear guidance around what the lockdown means for future travel plans, which has left people battling to get refunds for cancelled trips as struggling holiday firms and airlines disregard the law.
“To bring an end to some of the uncertainty around refunds, rebooking and insurance claims, all Foreign Office travel warnings against non-essential travel should be extended to a definitive date. The government must also urgently produce a plan to support the travel industry through this crisis and ensure consumers’ money and future travel plans are protected.”