TUI becomes second firm to suspend travel to Tunisia
A second travel firm has now suspended sales of Tunisian holidays after being criticised for selling them just months after a terrorist attack that left 30 Brits dead.
Thomson and First Choice owner TUI has now cancelled all flights to Tunisia until March 22, joining Thomas Cook who has extended its suspension until February.
South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson said the companies had taken a 'responsible' approach after the Express & Star revealed the firms were still offering holidays to the resorts despite the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advising against all but essential travel to the country.
The operators had been taking bookings for holidays to Port El Kantaoui and nearby Sousse from November 1 this year, just four months after gunman Seifeddine Rezgui's beach massacre which killed three members of the same West Midlands family and a woman from Staffordshire.
Mr Williamson said: "It is pleasing to see that both Thomas Cook and TUI are taking this responsible step and responding to criticism appropriately.
"It was never realistic to expect that holidays so soon after the attack were going to go-ahead.
"We all hope that travel to Tunisia will be reinstated but the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will only change its guidance when it assess that it is safe and appropriate to do so.
"It was right to question why they were selling these holidays so soon after the atrocity and while there was little prospect of the Foreign Office advice changing meaning that they were taking money for holidays which were extremely likely to be cancelled leaving families having to rebook and find alternatives."
The travel firms were also criticised for not displaying prominent warnings about the government advice against travel to Tunisia on its website.
More than 15,000 Brits were evacuated after IS-trained terrorist Rezgui sprayed bullets at holidaymakers in the beach resort of Port El Kantaoui near Sousse.
Among the victims were 19-year-old Joel Richards and Patrick Evans, 78, from Wednesbury, Adrian Evans, 49, from Bilston, and Sue Davey, 43, of Tamworth but originally from West Bromwich.
A TUI spokesman said customers with holidays booked during the cancelled period will be able to change their holidays to any other destinations without incurring an amendment fee or receive a full refund instead.
In a statement, Thomas Cook said: "In light of these developments, and given that we have no clear indication as to when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office travel advice may change, Thomas Cook can confirm that it has taken the decision to cancel all bookings to Tunisia up until 13 February 2016."
Thomas Cook customers due to travel up to and including that day can cancel or amend their holiday free of charge.
Those who wish to amend to another winter sun destination, such as the Canary Islands or Turkey, will be provided with a £50 holiday voucher per adult to re-book their holiday.
The FCO advice states: "Although we have had good co-operation from the Tunisian government, including putting in place additional security measures, the intelligence and threat picture has developed considerably, reinforcing our view that a further terrorist attack is highly likely."
