Lapland holidays under threat

CHRISTMAS could be cancelled for more than 700 children and their parents as doubts remain over whether a Dublin tour operator will be able to go ahead with its plans to fly them to Lapland to meet Santa Claus later this month.

United Travel is currently prohibited from trading, despite having already received around 1,000 bookings for its annual package holiday to Lapland this year.

One flight due to depart next Friday has already been cancelled, while question marks remain over whether eight other flights due to leave later this month will now proceed as planned.

The company has been legally prevented from trading as it is no longer a licensed tour operator since last Friday, when it failed in a High Court challenge against a decision of the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) not to renew its operator’s licence on October 24 last.

The CAR claimed the tour operator had inadequate financial resources in place to meet its actual and potential obligations.

The Deansgrange-based travel firm, in operation for more than 27 years, also operates tour packages to Europe, the Middle East and Far East. United Travel is awaiting a decision by the CAR on a new application for a tour operator’s licence which it submitted on Monday.

United Travel managing director Con Murphy was unavailable for comment but a spokeswoman said the firm expected to be granted a licence.

United Travel admits it needs to sell 1,200 seats on its Lapland flights to break even, but claims it can no longer sell any more places because of the loss of its licence, despite widespread interest from potential customers.

The spokeswoman admitted the firm was “in limbo” until the CAR issued a decision on its licence renewal.

She also admitted the firm would almost definitely suffer a loss on its Lapland package because of the cost of its legal action against the CAR.

United Travel, which employs eight staff, was only fielding calls from the public yesterday as it is prohibited from taking any bookings. No reference to its trading difficulties has been made on its website.

The spokeswoman said a decision had already been taken to cancel the scheduled flight to Lapland next Friday.

However, more than 100 passengers due to travel on that flight have been offered an alternative date later this month.

The spokeswoman said a decision on whether the next planned flight on Sunday will go ahead will be probably be taken either today or tomorrow.

United Travel revealed “only a few” customers who booked to visit Lapland had cancelled their flights but stressed the majority of passengers were still hoping to go ahead with their plans.

She reassured people who had made reservations and paid for their tickets before last Friday that they were fully bonded with United Travel.

The CAR has advised people who made travel arrangements with United Travel to contact the company or their travel agent to ascertain the status of their bookings.