Travel chaos as Slattery’s ceases trading

ONE of the country’s leading travel agents has ceased trading, throwing hundreds of people’s travel arrangements into chaos and putting yet more travel agents on the dole queue.

Kerry-based Slattery’s Travel and Stein Travel as well as a number of subsidiaries stopped trading on Tuesday.

Yesterday Slattery’s Travel put a message on its website on which it said: “Slattery’s Travel regrets to announce that it has ceased trading with effect from September 15. As a licensed and bonded tour operator, any monies paid to Slattery’s Travel are secure and will be reimbursed via the Commission for Aviation Regulation.

“If you have booked a holiday with Slattery’s Travel and have not yet departed, you will be contacted shortly. You will either receive a full refund or else you will be able to travel.

“Slattery’s Travel is currently working with the Commission to contact clients that are currently aboard. Slattery’s Travel deeply regrets the inconvenience that this has caused.”

In 2006 Slattery’s Travel bought well-known Dublin tour operator Stein Travel at time when the two companies had a combined turnover of €70m and were dealing with 150,000 holiday-makers annually.

Family-owned Slattery’s Travel had traced its roots back to 1936. A spokesperson for the company could not be reached yesterday.

The full list of companies that ceased trading on Tuesday are: Turing Limited TA/ Slattery’s Travel, Slattery’s Escorted Tours, Slattery’s Sun, Slattery’s South Africa, Stein Travel, Beautiful Places, Slattery’s Travel Agency, Slattery’s/Stein Travel, Flyaway Tours, Corona Holidays, Stein Sports, Stein Hotels, Michael Stein Tours, Golden Sunshine and Longstay.

They are the latest travel agents which have suffered as a result of the recessionary downturn in the travel industry.

Last month City Travel on Oliver Plunkett Street in Cork city, best known for its expertise in long-haul travel, ceased trading after 23 years.