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Summer is supposedly the biggest season for tour operators, but this year things aren’t exactly going to plan. Yesterday another major budget holiday company, Kiss Flights, became the third UK travel operator to collapse this year. Earlier in the year Goldtrail hit the wall and at the start of this month Birmingham based Sun 4 U also collapsed, plunging thousands of holidaymakers and their travel plans into uncertainty.

According to the BBC a total of 13 tour operators have so far gone bust this year due to the pressures of the recession. This year companies have experienced a number of problems including volcanic ash clouds, rising fuel prices and a blazing UK summer season, all of which have contributed to poor booking numbers. A spokesperson for Tui Travel, Europe’s largest travel company, also cited a number of other issues including travel strikes and fears over job security as contributing factors to poor holiday sales.

Many of the budget travel companies operated holidays in and around the Mediterranean, including holidays to Spain, Greece and Turkey. Thankfully the CAA, Civil Aviation Authority, assured holidaymakers that the majority of people who had booked with Kiss Flights would receive refunds and that those already out and about would receive return flights.

To combat the poor number of bookings, a number of travel companies are now offering drastically reduced package deals which include flights, insurance, accommodation and car hire. In some areas of Greece and the Mediterranean discount packages can now cost anywhere from 40%-70% cheaper than they were last year. 

Customers due to fly out with Kiss Flights are advised to contact the CAA website or phone-line for more information regarding refunds under the Atol scheme.