But this suggestion is far from making unanimity in the profession

The new Code of tourism that has integrated the travel agents Act provides that any purchase of a "package" (at least transport and accommodation assembled) must be protected by a financial guarantee which allows, in case of failure of the agency or the tour operator who sold the travel and cashed amount, a refund of the funds or the issuance of a replacement delivery. Travel agencies, required to take the necessary security to banks or insurance companies, are more often with the Professional Association of tourism (APS). This coverage often plays its role. Between 2001 and 2005, French client 20,000 covered by the APS could leave or returning from vacation despite the failure of the Agency who had sold their delivery. However, happens periodically that customers, far from home, remain unable to return to the aircraft, although they have paid their return ticket. Thus, this summer, 4,000 people have been selected in Turkey and 1,500 in Israel. It was essentially "flights dry" (transport only) not required by law to the obligation of warranty, they are sold by airlines or travel agencies.

For that it "does not recur", Dominique Perben, Minister of equipment and transport, and Léon Bertrand, Minister delegate for tourism, announced early September their willingness to find solutions by the end of the year. A working group bringing together the national Union of travel (United) agents, the association of tour operators OTEC and PSA studied at this time of the solutions. One of the first work is to extend the financial guarantee to dry flights, but the profession considers that this would make security contributions and thus the costs of benefits. However, with the generalization of dematerialized ticket sales online, French agencies fear losing their ticketing customer: except European harmonisation of the rules, the travellers would be tempted to buy cheaper tickets issued abroad.

Development under control

If the duty of a guarantee of dry flights was imposed, the persons concerned require that airlines selling their tickets themselves be held to the same obligation. The failure of Air Bourbon in 2004 has left many travelers without reimbursement, reminds a professional. But an air carriers guarantee fund seems difficult to imagine in the current economic situation of the sector. A second track of work is to monitor close travel agencies that Charter. Indeed, the chartering of aircraft, a fortiori in a chain charter pushed very significantly the financial risk of the agency or the tour operator, whose failure can leave on the tile many travellers when the seats have been sold in dry flights, as last summer. The APS is rarely prevented this type of additional risk of its members.

The idea is that a control passes by the Directorate General of civil aviation (DGCA), which gives traffic of Charter rights. Granting the right, the DGCA would ask the charterer a receipt proving that his financial guarantor has been advised. PSA considers that, in this way, it could be household in its ranks. Remain the idea of creation of a professional order, launched by the United to regulate the profession. But this suggestion is far from making unanimity in the profession.