HUNDREDS of agents fear they could be left out of pocket by the sudden demise of TicketShop USA and HotelShop USA.
ABTA was deluged with calls from worried agents while others tried in vain to contact the Hammersmith-based offices of the two operations.
“We were inundated with calls from agents looking for advice,” said an ABTA spokeswoman. “But all we can say at this stage is wait for liquidators to be appointed and contact them. At this stage, however, we don’t know who they are.”
Fred Green, of Atlas Air Travel in Wantage, who lost more than ú3,000 when Budget Leisure collapsed last May, said he has ú1,000 worth of business booked with TicketShop.
“I can’t believe this has happened again,” he said. “The most frustrating thing is that I can’t get through to TicketShop or HotelShop. There is an answerphone which simply says it has ceased trading. That is no use to anyone.”
The news comes three months after TicketShop and HotelShop appointed Elizabeth Fox as their first UK sales and marketing director. HotelShop had just expanded into Europe and planned to increase its reservations staff from 10 to 13.
Both ticket agencies were part of Travel Solutions Network which was a member of the Orlando-based Suncoast group. Suncoast was the ground handler for many UK operators, including Airtours, Unijet and British Airways Holidays. It also sold theme park tickets and excursions in resort.
It is the US operation which has collapsed, taking the profit-making UK companies with it. Sources said the company went into voluntary liquidation immediately after Disney stopped TicketShop and Suncoast from selling tickets for its theme parks.
“We had to take the decision to stop them issuing tickets both in resort and in London because of financial reasons,” said a Disney spokeswoman. “We are honouring all tickets issued before January 13.”
It is believed Suncoast owed a considerable sum of money to Disney, which has set up an agent hotline on 0181-222 2846.
The collapse took many operators by surprise.
Jetlife managing director Ian Morrison said: “It was a genuine shock when it ceased trading. We contracted as many customers as we could telling them to make their own transfer arrangements. We will refund them on their return.”
Unijet and British Airways Holidays were able to contract Suncoast staff to continue as ground handlers in the short-term.
Airtours is considering setting up its own ground handling agency in Florida.
Unijet joint managing director Nigel Jenkins said it had used Suncoast since setting up its Florida programme ten years ago.
Suncoast president Laraine Frahm and the UK staff were unavailable for comment.