Last week, transport secretary Grant Shapps accused airlines and operators of "seriously overselling flights and holidays" at a time when the industry doesn’t have the staffing capacity to deliver some of these trips.
On Monday (6 June), Shapps further urged the industry to issue automatic refunds for cancelled flights.
In response, Chris Rowles, Aito chairman, said the government was "playing the blame game" and trying to "pass the buck" to the wider travel industry.
"But everyone in travel, including Aito specialist tour operators and Aito specialist travel agents, has suffered hugely during the two long years of Covid," he continued.
"This has been caused largely by three key linked factors. The current airport issues are, in the main part, firstly due to the government’s stop/start policy in relation to overseas travel and, secondly, due to its total lack of sector-specific support for the travel industry over the past two years. The third key factor is the government’s total lack of understanding of the travel industry, despite our huge efforts to get these key messages through to the five government bodies to which the travel industry reports."
According to Aito, other areas the government should take responsibility for include airlines being instructed to return to 70% capacity by summer 2022 from a "standing start" and the security-check process for airport staff.
The group also said the government should take responsibility for skilled overseas workers being denied relevant visas despite a shortage of supply of a range of travel-related occupations.
"Government, please hold up your hands and acknowledge your major part in the airport chaos that reigns at present," Rowles continued.
"Consumers are, quite rightly, protesting about changes and cancellations to their holiday flights, but the issues need to be clearly explained. Tour operators and travel agents have, unfortunately, no influence whatsoever over airlines and their schedules.
"That said, we are working extremely hard to amend arrangements and to keep our clients informed. We answer our phones and we email our customers and are doing our utmost to help clients in a difficult scenario which is absolutely not of our making."
