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Jamaican riots fuel refund offers


THOMSON and Airtours are offering customers full refunds on holidays to Jamaica due to the rioting on the Caribbean island.



Customers are also being allowed to switch to alternative holidays at no extra charge.



The market leader had 330 customers on the island at the height of the unrest last week. They were confined to hotels and excursions were cancelled.



Airtours customers were also told to stay within hotels. Excursions were also suspended.



An ABTA spokeswoman said customers were entitled to full refunds if they were concerned about travelling to Jamaica.



The Foreign Office warned against non-essential travel last week, but was expected to tone down its warning over the weekend.



Air 2000, which Thomson uses for its Jamaica programme, was due to operate Gatwick and Manchester flights yesterday and today to the Caribbean island. Airtours was also due to fly to Jamaica from the same airports at the same time.



An Airtours spokeswoman said flights were dependent on the FO revising its advice.



Scheduled carriers British Airways and Air Jamaica cancelled Gatwick and Heathrow flights respectively last week. But, as Travel Weekly went to press they were resuming schedules.


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