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...but no take-off for FreshAer
NEW no-frills airline FreshAer has been grounded even before take-off.
Customers booking flights on the new carrier between Britain and Ireland have been told money will be immediately refunded in full because of a dispute between the tour operator and Ireland’s Commission for Aviation Regulation over its license.
Consultant and investor John Lepp was also said to have severed all professional ties with the company and withdrawn his financial support.
FreshAer had promised low-cost flights from Dublin to a range of British and European destinations.
But a company statement said: “FreshAer.com has confirmed that in order to co-operate fully with the Commission for Aviation Regulation it has taken the regrettable step of stopping all further bookings until such time as it is fully licensed in the eyes of both EU and Irish legislation.”
The company said it had instructed banks to reverse all payments received by customers and to refund the full amount directly to their credit cards — a process which may take up to 10 workings days to complete.
FreshAer Holdings director Tony Robinson said: “This decision has not been taken lightly and the company apologises for any inconvenience caused to our customers.
“The company feels it is in the best interests of our customers and the general public.”
The airline’s launch hit difficulty last week when the Commission for Aviation Regulation warned it was not licensed.
The Irish Travel Agents’ Association and the Irish Tour Operators’ Federation also made a complaint to the Director of Consumer Affairs about what they claimed were the risks posed to consumers of unlicensed companies.
Executives at FreshAer are hopeful on-going negotiations with the Commission for Aviation can resolve the difficulty and lead to the resumption of flights in the near future.
Passengers who had booked flights via a special promotion in the Evening Herald in Dublin were also advised to hold on to their flight vouchers for future use.
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