Swine flu: Hundreds of trips postponed
HUNDREDS of holidaymakers, some of them from Peterborough, have had have been left heartbroken after Peterborough travel agents axed flights to swine flu-hit Mexico.
HUNDREDS of holidaymakers, some of them from Peterborough, have had have been left heartbroken after Peterborough travel agents axed flights to swine flu-hit Mexico.Following the outbreak, which has killed more than 150 people in the South American country, the Foreign Office warned against all but essential travel.
And yesterday, Peterborough travel giant Thomas Cook announced that it was cancelling holidays to Cancun for the next seven days.
Some 1,800 people across the country will be affected by the decision by the company, based in Coningsby Road, Bretton, with a proportion of those from Peterborough.
A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said people who had booked to travel in May would be able to change to an alternative destination, defer it or receive a full refund.
She said: "Following the change in travel advice by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advising against all but essential travel to Mexico, we can confirm that Thomas Cook has made the decision to cancel holidays departing to Cancun for the next seven days.
"While we understand that holidaymakers due to travel may be disappointed, we hope that they appreciate the steps that we have taken which are in line with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice.
"We will do all we can to provide alternative holidays to those customers affected by this decision.
"For Thomas Cook customers who are due to travel to Cancun over the course of the next seven days, they are advised to contact the store where the booking was made, or if they booked through one of our call centres or on line, refer queries to them.
"Our staff in resorts are, as always, on hand to respond to any questions our customers have, and, in the event that any holidaymaker does want to come home early, then we will look to assist them in curtailing their holiday as normal."
Independent travel agent Akeel Ahmed, whose Express Travel business is based in Dogsthorpe Road, Peterborough, said he took the decision to scrap all holidays three days before the Foreign Office issued its advice.
He said: "We knew the swine flu would get out of hand. We had to cancel 42 people's holidays and give them refunds and apologise. "But they do understand."
Useful link:
NHS - Swine flu information and advice - http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pandemic-flu.
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Friday 12 March 2010
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