Surcharges are back - Harold Goodwin

In my post about 2012 a few days ago I pointed to the
decline in the value of the British ? as an issue likely to impact on travel
and tourism this year.

Already TUI’s specialist brands, Exodus and Skibound, are
reported in today’s Independent to be
imposing surcharges on school skinning trips as a result of significant cost
increases arising ?aviation, transportation fuel and other costs.?

By the law the operator has to absorb the first 2% and if
the surcharge exceeds 10% the holidaymaker is entitled to cancel with a full
refund and there is a list on the ABTA website of approved surcharges.

At a time when consumers are reported by TUI, and others, to
favour all inclusives because the consumer knows what a holiday costs,
consumers now have surcharge s to worry about. Simon Calder reports today, in the Independent , that Exodus has
retrospectively surcharged travellers booked on a trip imminently departing to
New Zealand ?200. Obviously TUI had not adequately hedged on their pricing and
purchasing.