"We would like to take this opportunity to assure all our customers who have booked an FTI service through us that we are already taking care of the affected bookings and will provide you with the best possible support to ensure you have a carefree holiday." Travel provider Sun & Fun writes this on its Facebook page and promises: "Our travel agents, your direct contacts, will get in touch with our customers affected by the FTI insolvency in order to find a quick, best possible and individual solution for your trip together."
Like many others, companies specialising in surf holidays, such as the aforementioned Sun & Fun or the Surf & Action Company, have also worked with FTI. "We have made a number of bookings with FTI, including package holidays and hotel bookings," says Oliver Hilf, Managing Director of Surf & Action. "FTI was also our consolidator and issued our flight tickets for scheduled flights." However, this has since been switched to TUI and DERTOUR.
What surf travellers need to know about the FTI bankruptcy
Like Sun & Fun, Surf & Action has also contacted affected customers directly: "First of all, we have informed customers about the situation and are keeping them up to date," assures Oliver. In some cases, customers had to pay for hotels again on site, but it was ensured that the customers would be reimbursed by the insurance company. "At the same time, we immediately started to rebook all customers who were still booked through FTI to other tour operators," Oliver continues. "We usually manage to rebook customers for the same price. We soon finalised all the bookings here."
Trips where Surf & Action acts as the organiser itself and only some services were booked via FTI have already all been rebooked. Flight tickets that have not yet been issued are currently being rebooked, and Oliver Hilf hopes that the changeover will be completed in the course of the week.
