Trading Standards has taken a stance on the recent demands concerning the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs). With many businesses, associations, and organisations calling for action and change, Trading Standards have added their own demands.
This week, the institution has called for new powers in order to prosecute more travel companies for certain actions. It has also agreed with the demands that recently came out for the reform or complete removal of Linked Travel Arrangements from the PTRs.
Many have contributed to the argument already, with businesses and government associations alike calling the Linked Travel Arrangement (LTA) a confusing, complicated, and misleading inclusion to the legislation. Most voices taking a stance are calling either for the removal of LTA as a package option or a clarification for consumers on the distinction between a package holiday and an LTA.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) have joined the call to action and shared proposals to improve the powers of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in their document called ‘Wish You Were Clear’. This was in line with the government’s proposal for similar powers to be bestowed on the CAA.
Prior to these demands, the Department for Business and Trade promised that a consultation would take place concerning the PTR reform. The Trading Standards responded with their call to action and survey. The Lead Officer, Bruce Treloar, said, “Does anyone – businesses, consumers, regulators – understand LTAs? My feeling is: ‘No one is selling them, let’s get rid of them’. But we need some way to protect a holiday that is not a package.”
So, if you’d like to learn more about how your consumers’ monies are protected with Protected Trust Services (PTS) and how we support excellent travel businesses, check out our pages. Or you can get in touch with the lovely PTS team by calling 0207 190 9988, emailing us at ask@protectedtrustservices.com, or finding us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
