CAR accuses travel agent of operating illegally

A LEADING Munster travel agency which ceased trading at its main office in Limerick on Monday, was yesterday accused of operating two other offices in Charleville and Newcastle West illegally.

Paul Buckley Travel Ltd has gone out of business but Mr Buckley is still operating two other offices in Charleville and Newcastle West under his company Paul Buckley Charleville Ltd.

The Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) yesterday accused Mr Buckley of operating these two offices illegally as they were not licensed.

A spokeswoman for CAR said: “Customers booking holidays in these two offices should beware. They do not enjoy the protection of a licensed travel agent. These two travel agents offices are trading illegally.”

Mr Buckley said he had applied for a new licence for Paul Buckley Charleville Ltd and it was just a question of “not having the piece of paper.”

He said all three offices had been operating under the one licence, but with the closure of Paul Buckley Travel Ltd in Limerick, he applied for a new licence for the two other offices.

He said he was fully bonded by his insurers and the bank. Mr Buckley said: “We are trading as normal in Charleville and Newcastle West. They (CAR) are dragging their heels on the licence end of it.”

The CAR spokeswoman said: “The licence for the three branches were under Paul Buckley Travel Ltd and the three were trading under the same licence. As far as we are concerned there is no licence for the offices trading as Paul Buckley Charleville Ltd. We did receive an application on May 3 for a licence up to the end of April 2006. We received that on May 3 although his travel agency licence expired on April 30.

“Two offices are trading without a licence. He should not be trading without a licence as it is illegal.

“Anybody buying travel would not be able to enjoy the protection of a licensed travel agent. There is no retrospective arrangements in licences and licences take time to process.”

Pamela Hickey, who operated charters for Munster rugby fans, was prosecuted by CAR for operating without a licence.

Mr Buckley had, for a number of years, the majority of Munster rugby travel business but lost a huge slice of this to Ms Hickey.