ATOL and all that !!

I make no apology for plugging time and time again, at this difficult time, that Amro Worldwide holds ATOL5826 issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority for your holiday protection. Nearly seven years ago when I was planning the launch of Amro, I decided that we should aspire to provide the very highest standards and levels of financial protection for our holidaying travellers. It was simply nothing more than I expected when I travelled and I failed to see why the gay community should expect anything less.

Getting an ATOL isn't easy. All the Director's of Amro Holidays Ltd were personally vetted by the Civil Aviation Authority Consumer Protection Group. I was interviewed for over an hour about how I would run the business and my background. A financial bond was taken meaning if Amro failed, I would loose my home - not an easy thing to agree to! To cap it all, I had to find £50,000 in cash.

With those sort of financial penalties around, I don't take chances with Amro and that's why I believe we remain and prosper in the business of gay travel. Our holidays are no more expensive than any others and in a lot of cases far cheaper, so I often wonder why anyone takes a chance and books their precious holiday with any holiday company which does not hold an ATOL.

Andrew

Aspire Holidays in Administration

Further to my blog earlier today, I am delighted that the CAA have advised that Amro Worldwide is now able to re-book all disappointed Aspire Holidays customers without their having to go through claiming a refund from the CAA. In many cases, we can book these cutomers into exactly the same hotels on the same dates as before so really minimising the inconvenience to them.

Just give us a call, we'll just need a faxed copy of your Aspire Holiday invoice and payment and we'll then get you away.

Andrew

Another Airline Failure

Woke up to the news that XL Airlines had entered administration and all flights were grounded. Worse still, this had pushed their parent XL Group also into adminstration and to cease trading. This leaves over 250,000 passengers either stranded or without their expected holiday. XL Group was the third largest UK tour operator after ThomasCook/MyTravel/Airtours and Tui Travel (Thomsons/FirstChoice) and is a mega blow to the travel industry. It's on par with the Intasun/ILG failures of the early 90's and the Clarkson/CourtLine of the 70's.

One of XL group's brands was Aspire Holidays - a competitor of ours in the gay & lesbian market. We're sorry for all their customers, particularly those who are yet to travel and will have had their holidays cancelled. As all Aspire Holidays were ATOL Protected - as are Amro Worldwide's - those currently away will be able to continue their holidays and be brought home at no extra cost. Those still to travel will need to make a claim and will eventually get their money back.

We're happy to help any Aspire customers with this process and to re-book their holiday.

But as I said in my blog just a two weeks ago - why does anyone book any travel in the current climate without being absolutely sure they are financially protected.

Andrew

Searching for a Cheap Holiday Deal

If one thing has characterised the last week, it's that plenty of people are fed up with the terrible weather and are looking for spot of sunshine over the next few weeks before the dark winter nights set in. Sadly, though, those last minute cheap deals just aren't that cheap with the increase in aviation fuel and the fall in the pounds exchange rate. This is really starting to impact on the price of that essential holiday break plus overall supply and demand is in balance as a result of widespread capacity cuts. But that's not to say that searching through our website doesn't reveal some enticing bargains particularly if you are prepared to be a bit adventurous.

In the £350 - £400 pp price bracket we have good availability at our Queens Hotel in Dalyan, Turkey. Not the most obvious destination but the Queens is gay owned and run and the small town of Dalyan welcomes us boyz and girlz with open arms. There's a great beach, some interesting local culture and excellent restaurants. Best of all it's outside the Eurozone so your pound buys a lot once you are there.

Just a little more at £599 pp are our clutch of gay guest house properties in Ft Lauderdale on Florida's sunshine atlantic coast. You'll be guaranteed superb weather here in the low '80s over the next couple of months and the pound still buys excellent value here. This price has to be a bargain as it includes return flights on Virgin Atlantic to Miami and 7 nights room and breakfast.

Financially Protecting your Holiday

With the demise of Zoom Airlines and many passengers losing not only their holiday but their money also, I thought I'd post some guidelines on how to best Financially Protect your Holiday. So here are our tips.

1. Buy your flight and accommodation from an ATOL holder such as Amro Worldwide. Yes - we would say that wouldn't we but then you are fully protected from the minute you book. Any combination of flight and hotel can be put into your travel plans- not just our advertised package holidays. The ATOL holder will either re-book or refund any part your holiday where the supplier ceases trading. As the post below shows, Amro Worldwide has an established procedure for handling such events.



2. If you really must put your travel together yourself, don't buy your flight directly from the airline but through an ATOL holder. That way, at least, you will be protected against the Airline failing.



3. If you really, really positively must buy from the airline directly because it is such a fantastic deal, firstly check it really is as good as it looks. Most airline direct booking websites have hidden costs such as checking in luggage or getting something to eat/drink on the flight. If it really is a good deal - and we're happy to admit there are some out there - then book using Visa or Mastercard and avoid debit cards even though the surcharge is less. Provided the value exceeds £100, protection may be offered by the Credit Card company and you should, after a lot of form filling and arguing, eventually get your money back. But it won't be fast enough for you to re-book. It has taken me as long as four months to get a refund in the past.



4. Finally, don't kid yourself that travel insurance is the answer. None of the currently available travel policies offer you protection although some may try to sell you Airline Failure Insurance as an add-on. This is not necessary if you book through an ATOL holder.

Zoom Airlines cancels all flights

Yesterday, all Zoom Airlines flights were cancelled and the airline went into Administration to join the growing list of failures this year. Eos, Maxjet, Silverjet, Nationwide, Oasis Hong Kong and now Zoom have left passengers stranded overseas and many more disappointed at home. Many will have lost large sums of money and their holiday.

It's days like yesterday when I wonder why anyone books any travel other than through an ATOL holder such as Amro Worldwide. Both the clients' money and the holiday are fully protected and our well-oiled plan swung into action. By lunchtime all our Zoom passengers had been identified and re-booked onto other airlines - their holiday and money were safe. Many didn't even know Zoom had failed before we contacted them including one passenger in a Ft Lauderdale gay guest house. He woke up to find our fax under his door telling him he is flying back tonight on Virgin from Miami and his transfer pick-up time was now an hour later - more time in the sun was his reaction !!

Zoom was not a bad airline - far from it. It offered very high standards of service and had run a punctual and safe airline since it started flying four years ago. But when the price of jet fuel doubles in under year, only the most financially strong airlines can cope. Sadly, I don't believe it is the last.

Andrew

Terrific Torremolinos

After a few years decline, it seems that Torremolinos on Spain's southerly Costa del Sol is firmly back on the gay destinations' map. Last week, I spent a few days checking out Amro Worldwide's variety of places to stay on the Costa and was pleasantly surprised to see so many boyz and girlz about.

Playa Poseidon, Torre's gay beach, was postively heaving with boyz and there was a really friendly atmosphere in the bar as Stephen bustled around keeping everyone happy with San Miguel and local tapas. Up in the La Nogalera shopping centre, the clubs were newly decorated, many of the bars had received a facelift and several new ones with pleasant terraces had opened, many offering early evening happy hours. Even Cosmo - the trendy boyz wear shop - seemed to have smartened up with new stock. Could this be the new Yumbo Centre for those fed-up with the long, often red-eye, flight down to Gran Canaria.

The Cervantes hotel's renovation are now complete and this 4 star hotel, just two minutes from La Nogalera and 10 minutes from Playa Poseidon, is welcoming many of our clients to a great value holiday. If you're on a budget, check out our 3 star Jardines de Parasol down on the beach.

Elsewhere on the Costa, it was Feria week in Malaga so it was wall to wall partying in both the Old Town and Calle Larios shopping street as well as the fun fair and casitas out on the feria ground. The roof-top pool around our Malaga Centro hotel was busy as was the Malagueta Beach with parties running through until dawn.

With the the temperature a very pleasant 30 degs C and plenty of not too strong sunshine, under three hours flying time from the UK with plenty of regional departures, our Costa del Sol holidays offer plenty of variety at prices starting at £320 per person for September departures for 4 star accommodation.

Andrew