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The trade will remember this year for the introduction of a series of regulations and further consolidation, against the backdrop of Brexit. Gary Noakes takes a look back.
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The year began with the launch of the Payment Services Directive (PSD2), which banned credit and debit card fees, meaning agents and operators had to subsequently absorb the cost of card bookings.
Tui announced a surprise return to Tunisia from May 1, while Thomas Cook brought back its “Don’t just book it, Thomas Cook it” strapline after a five-year absence.
Cruise1st opened its first concept store in Manchester and Kuoni a concession in Peter Jones in London’s Sloane Square.
The industry waved farewell to Super Break’s national sales manager Graham Balmforth, who retired after 41 years in travel.
The month took a tragic turn when Tui agent Cassie Hayes was murdered by her partner’s ex-boyfriend in her branch in Southport.
P&O Cruises confirmed a new 5,200-passenger ship for the UK market, to be delivered in 2022.
The government’s pledge to recoup the £60 million cost of repatriating Monarch passengers from travel companies angered the industry – but bills have yet to be sent out.
Thomas Cook put pre-bookable sun loungers on sale, but the €25 fee was not commissionable to agents.
Barrhead Travel was acquired by Travel Leaders Group and Tui UK and Ireland boss Nick Longman left after 20 years to join Audley Travel.
The industry declared war on single-use plastics and Cape Town suffered the worst drought in its history.
Agents went beyond the call of duty to help clients as the Beast from the East brought severe weather disruption.
Later this month, Qantas made history by launching its 17-hour non-stop flight from Heathrow to Perth.
Thomas Cook proposed the closure of 27 shops and Virgin Atlantic revealed three new economy fare categories.
Package holiday pioneer and International Leisure Group founder Harry Goodman died aged 79.
With a year to go until Brexit, the industry revealed to TTG its five key concerns around leaving the EU, including the continuation of visa- free travel and open skies.
Guidance notes to the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs) were finally published, only 10 weeks before implementation.
IAG bought a 4.6% stake in Norwegian, while Primera Air launched budget transatlantic flights from Stansted, but using chartered aircraft after late deliveries from Airbus.
Liverpool agent Rita Hunter, who was convicted of defrauding Advantage of £33,000 in 2016, was jailed for failing to compensate her victims.
ITC puts Western & Oriental under review, later merging it within its main brand.
Advantage promoted Julia Lo Bue-Said to chief executive and welcomed US TV presenter Jerry Springer to its conference.
TTG joined trade bodies calling for leeway on the enforcement of the PTRs. The campaign led to a pledge of leniency from the CAA.
Thomas Cook put Club 18-30 up for sale and Hays Travel agents received bonuses as annual sales hit £1 billion.
German online giant Dreamlines bought Cruise1st, while private equity firm Livingbridge took a majority stake in Loveholidays.
Agents were reminded they might need Atols less than a month before the introduction of the PTRs as the CAA published new Atol regulations and terms.
Travel Counsellors secured new private equity investors, Vitruvian Partners, and pledged to target £1 billion in sales. The deal of the month, though, was Royal Caribbean’s $1 billion deal for a 66.7% stake in Silversea.
MPs voted overwhelmingly to press ahead with plans for a third runway at Heathrow, while Qatar Airways boss Akbar Al Baker caused outrage by saying only a man could do his job. British Airways cancelled thousands of incorrectly priced £200-£300 fares to Dubai and Israel.
TTG exclusively revealed that the Department for Transport was recruiting for two aviation negotiators to lead Brexit discussions – with only nine months to do the job.
The World Cup and record UK summer heat continued, while wildfires ravaged Greece.
Virgin Atlantic announced it would close its Crawley contact centre, putting 150 jobs at risk.
Great Rail Journeys pledged to move into river cruising after its private equity firm owners changed from ECI to Duke Street.
Saga announced it will welcome 700 agents onboard upcoming ship Spirit of Discovery and P&O Cruises confirmed Oriana would leave the fleet in August 2019.
On the Beach stunned the industry with its £20 million purchase of Classic Collection, revealing plans to roll out a portal for agents.
P&O Cruises was praised for its decision to scrap daily discretionary service charges, but other brands were less keen.
Neilson Active Holidays’ owner Risk Capital Partners sold to LDC, owner of Iglu and Blue Bay Travel.
A fall in the Turkish lira prompted a bookings flurry for the country. In other good news, accountancy firm Moore Stephens found the number of travel firms going out of business had fallen 30% since 2013. However, agents’ insurance premiums soared with additional supplier liability under the PTRs.
The month ended tragically with the death of Thomas Cook agent Susan Cooper and her husband, John, on a Cook holiday in Hurghada, Egypt.
Jet2.com announced 3,000 new jobs and a 12% capacity increase for summer 2019, while On the Go Tours was sold to Alcuin Capital Partners.
British Airways confirmed a customer data theft relating to 380,000 card transactions.
The government began issuing advisories about what a no-deal Brexit could mean, while Monarch’s administrators were given an extension until October 2020 to sort out the collapse.
Thomas Cook issued a profit warning blaming the UK heatwave for poor sales.
Ahead of the world’s media, TTG revealed the collapse of Primera Air. This was followed a few weeks later by the failure of Cypriot carrier Cobalt Air.
More positively, Tui and easyJet forecasted profit growth and dnata Travel announced it would move Gold Medal and Netflights into larger offices. Elite Travel Group opened up to homeworkers and Thomas Cook upset the trade with differential pricing for third party agents as part of its “price trials”.
Meanwhile, with no buyer found, it was the end for Club 18-30 – remembered with affection by many who began their travel careers there.
US travel giant Apple Leisure Group bought Funway Holidays, while MSC Cruises placed an order for four 500-cabin luxury ships.
The latest of several high-profile bogus sickness cases came to court, with a judge rejecting a £45,000 claim against Jet2holidays.
Journey Latin America was bought by Kuoni parent Der Touristik UK and easyJet Holidays’ new boss Garry Wilson pledged to make it a “serious player” with its relaunch in late 2019.
Hays Travel pledged to open nine new shops, taking its total to 180, while at WTM London, a talking point was a Banksy mural on the Palestine stand.
Thomas Cook’s £163 million loss and ballooning debt saw its shares plummet below 20p from a high this year of £1.46 in May. It promised “100%” to continue selling through independent agents after its differential “price trials”.
At the same time, Jet2holidays revealed commission payments to independent agents totalling £75 million.
Celebrity Cruises launched Celebrity Edge, its first new ship in six years.
