Luxury Escapes

[Pushka]

I think we should ask the same question one after the other.

I’m game. It’s quite important really. And I wonder why they pulled out? Shame their deals are so good but I did somewhat regret the payment when Bali volcano Agung played up.

 

[get me outta here]

What actually is the implication to us of them withdrawing from ATAS.

 

[Pushka]

What actually is the implication to us of them withdrawing from ATAS (is that the Aust Travel Agents S...?)

There is your question right there!

 

[get me outta here]

I posted my question, as I’m in the LuxEscapers group, but now I can’t see where that Q has gone.

 

[VPS]

I posted as well and they review your question before they allow it to be seen. If they don't respond I'll send them a message via Messenger

 

[Happy Dude]

I see they are still a member of IATA but I'm not sure if that means anything, eg if there's a fund to bail out travellers when providers go belly up.

Withdrawal from ATAS does not inspire confidence, but according to this list, there's no actual financial protection anyway. There's lots of warm fuzzies though so they might be sending "thoughts and prayers" to Bestjet customers right now.

So I'm not sure that it means anything at all.

 

[Pushka]

I see they are still a member of IATA but I'm not sure if that means anything, eg if there's a fund to bail out travellers when providers go belly up.

Withdrawal from ATAS does not inspire confidence, but according to this list, there's no actual financial protection anyway. There's lots of warm fuzzies though so they might be sending "thoughts and prayers" to Bestjet customers right now.

So I'm not sure that it means anything at all.

That rings a bell. Didn’t the surety from IATA disappear a few years ago anyway?

 

[VPS]

I thought the IATA surety did expire some time ago

 

[love_the_life]

Interesting that a Helen Wong has also withdrawn from it.

 

[Pushka]

Interesting that a Helen Wong has also withdrawn from it.

I think she works a lot in Adelaide? I know pht works with her on their “exclusive” that aren’t, deals.

 

[VPS]

They didn't post my comment on FB so I'm going to have a go at writing a comment on one of their photos - I'm on a mission now

 

[get me outta here]

The thing is that if they just answered and there’s not actually any great import into dropping out, they should just answer the question.

They didn't post my comment on FB so I'm going to have a go at writing a comment on one of their photos - I'm on a mission now

 

[drron]

Well investigating the ATAS product it seems to be more a protection for the Travel Agent than the customer.They insist the agent has professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
Australian Federation of Travel Agents :: ATAS Scheme Criteria

They offer the agent protection from chargebacks.
Australian Federation of Travel Agents :: ACS

And they offer them access to an insurance policy in the case of airline or other providers insolvency.
Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance & End Supplier Failure Insurance | Gow Gates

But as for the traveller I found a real world experience-
How can insurance help when a travel provider goes bust? - Travel Weekly
Membership of the ATAS programme meant diddly squat for the traveller.

"After the collapse of Reed Holidays, operating as Young at Heart Holidays, numerous Aussies were both stranded mid-holiday and left severely out of pocket.

The travel provider went into liquidation last week, with Cor Cordis appointed to help close the business.

Per News Corp, tours already underway were cancelled instantly, while thousands of dollars paid by customers expecting to travel later this year are currently unaccounted for.

These include packages that are worth around $10,000 per person.

AFTA also revoked its ATAS accreditation immediately last week when it heard about the insolvency."

So I really don't see that LE leaving the scheme makes any difference.

 

[get me outta here]

Presumedly the travel company has to pay to belong and get all those perks. It sounds like an industry association. Perhaps LE just decided it wasn’t worth the money as it would not have been cheap.

 

[Pushka]

Presumedly the travel company has to pay to belong and get all those perks. It sounds like an industry association. Perhaps LE just decided it wasn’t worth the money as it would not have been cheap.

I think that’s the main reason. It’s just surprising they haven’t advised that because I think most of us would say that’s a good decision.

 

[love_the_life]

I think that’s the main reason. It’s just surprising they haven’t advised that because I think most of us would say that’s a good decision.

I'm pretty sure that the reason was that they didn't wish to pay the membership. But from memory (and it may not be the ATAS one but the one before?) I thought they did send out an email or there was an article explaining their reasons.

 

[moa999]

Exactly if that is the case then why not explain the reasons, rather than delete Facebook posts.

 

[love_the_life]

Exactly if that is the case then why not explain the reasons, rather than delete Facebook posts.

No idea. It seems somewhat counter productive.

 

[love_the_life]

Here's an article about their withdrawal. But as I thought I remembered it was much earlier in the year - but the ATAS site says from Dec 2018.
Why Luxury Escapes withdrew from ATAS - LATTE Luxury News

 

[Wanderlust_tim]

Here's an article about their withdrawal. But as I thought I remembered it was much earlier in the year - but the ATAS site says from Dec 2018.
Why Luxury Escapes withdrew from ATAS - LATTE Luxury News

Which then raises the question of why not refer to this or cut and paste the comment when the question is asked. Much quicker and easier as opposed to deleting and eroding confidence in the brand.