organisations-operators

The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has opened a formal investigation following complaints a private firm, Expert Medicals, has not provided tests to travellers.
The government body also suspects the company does not return results in a timely manner or, indeed, at all.
Expert Medical is also accused of having failed to respond to customer complaints, as well as to issue refunds when due.
The firm, one of the largest providers of PCR travel tests in the UK this summer, has been the subject of a high number of complaints, both to Citizens Advice and more recently to the CMA.
It now no longer appears on the list of testing providers who self-declare that they meet the minimum standards for Covid-19 testing.ADVERTISEMENTThe CMA has also written to a further 19 test providers warning them to improve their pricing information or risk action in the future.
The body is concerned that the 19 firms continue to falsely advertise tests at very low prices when they are either not available at that price or include hidden conditions, such as where the tests must be collected from.
This action comes after the CMA last week sent an open letter to PCR test providers warning that a range of harmful practices in the sector could breach consumer protection law.
Andrea Coscelli, chief executive at the CMA, said: “Millions of people have to buy PCR tests in order to travel.
“If we find that firms have been misleading customers and failing to provide the service that people have paid for, we stand ready to take action.
“Our actions are the next steps in our work to ensure the PCR testing market works for consumers and we are preparing to take further action in this sector.”

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The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has warned the UK government that, with the furlough scheme coming to an end, it has just 30 days left to save travel businesses which are struggling to survive.
WTTC also warns that unless international travel opens up more widely, with simplified controls, the UK is facing a loss of £59 billion.
Hundreds of thousands of employees in the tourism sector are still benefiting from the furlough scheme, the UK government scheme which is due to end on September 31st.
This date coincides with the next Global Travel Taskforce review on October 1st, and WTTC warns that unless travel is opened up significantly by this date, many more people working in the sector could face losing their jobs due to the ending of government Covid-19-related support as businesses are forced to let people go.
Based on 2019 pre-pandemic levels, WTTC estimates that £59 billion could be lost from the economy if travel remains curtailed over the final quarter of 2021 and, furthermore, £8.9 billion could be lost purely due to the lack of inbound travel spending within the UK.ADVERTISEMENTThe UAE has announced a sensible way forward welcoming all fully vaccinated travellers regardless of which country they come from, plus a negative test result, a move that WTTC says will speed up the recovery of its tourism sector and provide a massive boost to its economy.
Julia Simpson, WTTC chief executive, said: “Vast economic wealth and even more jobs in tourism could be lost in 30 days’ time, if significant travel doesn’t resume by the same time the furlough scheme ends.
“Companies are facing a desperate future unless the government supports the sector by introducing sensible controls that build traveller confidence while keeping the UK safe.
“We should allow all fully jabbed citizens and visitors to enter the UK with a negative Covid test.
“There should be no need for quarantine and excessive, expensive testing requirements.”
She added: “The UK government must do everything in its power to protect businesses and jobs in the sector and ensure it doesn’t squander the last quarter of the year.
“This year is in danger of being no better than the last for the tourism sector, despite the incredibly successful vaccine rollout.
“The next 30 days are critical to get travel back on track.
“That means abandoning the traffic lights system and reducing the current testing regime so that it is simpler and cheaper.”
United States
At the same time, the WTTC has criticised a decision from Brussels to recommend EU members reintroduce restrictions on US travellers entering the region.
The decision comes as the Delta variant is sending infections and hospitalisations soaring.
The US is now registering more than 1,000 new cases per day, the highest level since March.
National representatives met earlier this week to discuss and update the list of safe travel countries, a process that takes place every two weeks.
In response, Simpson said: “Protecting public health must remain the priority and WTTC strongly supports safety protocols to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“However, the recommendation to reimpose restrictions on US travellers is a step backwards and will only slow down the recovery of the sector.
“With high vaccination levels in both the US and the EU, we should be looking at opening up travel between these two major economies.
“We need a common set of rules that recognise global vaccines and remove the need to quarantine for people with a negative Covid-19 result.”
She added: “Rather than imposing further damaging travel restrictions, the EU should be encouraging member states to use its ground-breaking Digital Covid-19 Certificate to safely restore international travel, fundamental for the European economy.”

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Travel businesses that are due to renew their ATOL this month are being urged to submit their renewal applications well before September 30th to avoid a delay to processing.
More than 45 per cent (510 of the potential 1,127) of travel companies are yet to apply to renew their ATOL.
While the Civil Aviation Authority said it understands the issues the travel industry is facing, it has a duty to protect consumers and make sure that it has complete and accurate financial information before processing a renewal.
As the responsible regulator and in line with the previous renewal period, this includes asking for readily available additional information to provide an up-to-date picture of businesses’ financial position.
Without this information there may be a delay in the renewal process.ADVERTISEMENTWhile there has been speculation over recent weeks, any conditions placed on licences during the renewal period are reflective of the current licensing framework and the financial information provided.
The future changes discussed in the ATOL Reform consultation have no bearing on current licensing decisions. 
Michael Budge, head of ATOL licensing at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We would like to thank travel companies that have already submitted their application and supporting information for renewal in good time, as well as engaging with us throughout the process.
“We understand the challenges the travel industry is facing, but travel companies that have yet to submit their renewals are urged to do so as soon as possible.
“The earlier they submit, the more we can engage and support in the licence renewal process whilst acting in the best interest of consumers.
“We are mindful that applicants are looking for quick decisions, but reflective of the industry’s current financial challenges, things can take longer.
“Companies that apply late risk a delay in having their ATOL licence processed.”
Over a quarter of applicants in March applied in the last ten days leading up to the renewal deadline, which created challenges for both the travel company and Civil Aviation Authority.

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Holiday comparison brands TravelSupermarket and Icelolly.com have joined together and become Ice Travel Group.
The deal, first proposed in mid-May, has now completed, with former Icelolly leader Richard Singer becoming chief executive of the new business.
Both brands are to be retained within the new group.
Singer explained that joining up the teams and resources will benefit consumers and the industry: “We will be able to help more British holidaymakers find and save money on their perfect holiday.
“By combining we can create and deliver a stronger and broader outbound and UK offer to benefit consumers and our partners.”ADVERTISEMENTHe added: “The deal is well-timed.
“Many people have not been able to get away for a long time.
“But, recently, holidaymakers from the UK have been steadily returning to the beaches and cities in Europe.
“Outbound demand is at last coming back and bookings are increasing for this and next year.
“I am thrilled to be leading the team at Ice Travel Group and look forward to developing the two brands as the travel industry recovers.”
MoneySupermarket Group is the major shareholder of the new business.
Palatine Private Equity and management, who have been involved with Icelolly for a number of years, hold a minority interest.
TravelSupermarket was founded in 2004 and is based in London and Ewloe, Wales; it helps UK consumers find and save money on holidays, flights, hotels, car hire and travel extras such as travel insurance and airport parking.
Icelolly was founded in 2005 and is based in Leeds; it is a travel intermediary specialising in package holiday comparison and deals.

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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has commended the European Commission for its leadership and speed in delivering the EU Digital Covid-19 Certificate (DCC).
The body urged states around the world to make it their global standard for digital vaccine certificates.
“The DCC was delivered in record time to help facilitate the reopening of EU states to travel.
“In the absence of a single global standard for digital vaccine certificates, it should serve as a blueprint for other nations looking to implement digital vaccination certificates to help facilitate travel and its associated economic benefits,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA deputy director general.
The EU DCC meets several key criteria which have been identified as important if a digital vaccination certificate is to be effective:

Format: the DCC has the flexibility to be used in both paper and digital format.
QR code: The DCC QR code can be included in both digital and paper format. It contains essential information as well as a digital signature to make sure the certificate is authentic.
Verification and authentication: The European Commission has built a gateway through which the encrypted data used to sign DCCs and required to authenticate certificate signatures can be distributed across the EU. The gateway can be also used to distribute encrypted data of non-EU certificate issuers other issuers. The EU has also developed a specification for machine readable Validation Rules for cross-country travel.

The EU DCC is implemented in the 27 EU member states and a number of reciprocal agreements have been agreed with other states’ own vaccination certificates, including Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine. ADVERTISEMENTIn the absence of a single global standard for digital vaccination certificates, up to 60 other countries are looking to use the DCC specification for their own certification.
The DCC is an excellent model as it is consistent with the latest World Health Organisation guidance and is fully supported by IATA Travel Pass.
Another benefit of the DCC is that it enables holders to access non-aviation sites in Europe that require proof of vaccination, such as museums, sporting events and concerts, IATA said.

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The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has sent an open letter to PCR Covid-19 test providers warning that a range of harmful practices in the sector could breach consumer protection law.
The move comes after the government removed more than 50 test providers from the official list, after it became clear they did not exist.
Now, the CMA has warned some companies are advertising up-front prices for PCR tests which do not include additional charges that everyone must pay.
There are also concerns businesses are advertising cheap PCR tests which are only actually available in very small quantities or are not available at all, or failing to deliver PCR tests or provide results within stated timescales, or at all.
The CMA has also unearthed evidence of testers refusing to provide consumers with refunds where tests are not provided within advertised and/or agreed timescales, or at all.ADVERTISEMENTThe letter from the CMA instructs PCR test providers to ‘immediately review their practices and policies to make sure they are in line with the requirements of consumer law and to make any changes where necessary’.
CMA general counsel, Sarah Cardell, said: “PCR test providers should be in no doubt that they need to get on the right side of the law. If they don’t, they risk enforcement action.
“Our advice today will also help people by setting out exactly what they should expect for their money.
“This warning goes hand-in-hand with action taken by government this week and is the latest step in our work to tackle rip off prices and bad service.
“We continue to work closely with Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) in reviewing this market and will be providing further advice to DHSC on action that can be taken.”
The letter lists 11 steps providers should take, including not focusing their advertising on cheap tests which are only available in small numbers; showing the full cost of tests including all compulsory charges; and providing ‘honest, accurate and clear’ timescales on when tests will be received.
PCR test providers should also ensure that PCR tests and results are provided within advertised timescales.

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