– TICO steps in as travel agency terminates registration
– Guyanese bound Skyservice passengers from Canada among those likely to be affected
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) employees were at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada early Monday informing Caribbean bound passengers booked through Sunrise International Travels Inc. that as of January 6 next year, the flights contracted by the company on Sunwing Airlines would no longer operate to Grenada, Trinidad, Jamaica and Guyana.

The passengers, who were all air only, were advised of various travel options including cancellation.

TICO said Sunrise had violated the terms of the Travel Industry Act, and following a meeting last Friday between its chief executive officer, Ramnarine Tiwari and TICO officials, had voluntary terminated its registration.

“They didn’t have sufficient financing.” TICO’s CEO, Michael Pepper told us, “Sunrise was committed to a risk programme and they did not have sufficient funds.”

“They have commitments to pay Sunwing on a rotation basis to Kingston, Port of Spain and Grenada and also they have a weekly programme with Skyservice to Guyana, in the same situation.

“They were committed to paying those carriers in advance for each of the flights and they did not have sufficient funds,” said Pepper.

TICO has guaranteed payments to Sunwing Airlines for the flights leaving for the Caribbean Monday and Tuesday and will be monitoring passenger levels for the flights on Wednesday and Thursday. “If there is only half a flight we may have to consolidate those two flights with stops in Kingston, Port-of-Spain and Grenada,” said Pepper.

“TICO staff are working on the numbers and will advise customers of any changes once a decision has been reached.”

Sunwing Vacations had also sold seats on the aircraft. Their passengers have all been contacted and offered various options including cancellation for a full refund.

The party answering the telephone at Sunrise Travels International’s number said she was not Sunrise, the company’s number had changed, the new number was not known, and hung up.

For those customers already at the destination, or leaving between December 21 and December 24, arrangements are being made to return all consumers who booked and paid for their travel to/through an Ontario retail agency, to their point of origin.