operators help brits leave indonesia

HUNDREDS of British holidaymakers were flown out of Indonesia by operators after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a dramatic call to return home immediately.

The advice was updated yesterday by foreign secretary Jack Straw following increased intelligence about further attacks following the Bali bombing.

Specialist Holidays Group managing director Kevin Ivie said around 20 holidaymakers had chosen to stay in Bali after the bombs and SHG asked all remaining UK travellers to sign a waiver stating they were staying at their own risk. “I now expect them to change their minds and return,” he said.

In light of the latest FCO advice, he said: “It is bound to affect the whole of Indonesia.”

Accoladia head of sales Manuel Mascarenhas said: “We will do whatever is safest for our customers and endeavour to get them out of the country as soon as possible.”

More than 200 British Airways Holidays and Thomas Cook Holidays customers were in Bali when the bombs went off and the company has contacted all of them.

Chris Townson, product manager at Flextravel, which owns Tradewinds and Jetset, said the company was desperately trying to locate aircraft seats to fly its remaining 49 customers out of the country.

He said: “We have decided to get everyone out of there and now it’s a case of locating our clients.”

Townson said 149 customers had already decided to return of their own accord, but it had not yet been decided if clients will be offered refunds.

Kuoni MD Sue Biggs is offering its remaining 235 customers in the country the choice of staying or finishing their holiday in Thailand. She called for the Government to help with extra aircraft if there is a mass exodus of tourists. She said: “It’s proving hard to find seats and if the Government wants people to leave, it should help.”

Biggs said all customers will be offered a refund for unused nights.

Hayes and Jarvis MD Chris May said the company would repatriate its remaining 100 customers by the weekend. It has already flown back 75 holidaymakers and was confident of finding flights.