Business Travel

Specialising in the travel and tourism industry requires a high level of technical expertise, coupled with practical hands-on experience – a combination which is rarely found in law firms. We are recognised as a leading authority in the business travel industry, working wih leading Travel Management Companies and Trade Consortia. Our work includes complex commercial agreements, contracts for the latest technology and understanding the IATA system.

Head of Department Ian Skuse frequently describes himself as “working at the coalface”, assisting his clients in an industry which is facing serious challenges coupled with ever increasing legislation. This frequently includes advising on mergers and acquisitions, in a sector where major consolidation is expected.

Growth by Consolidation

We live in competitive times where travel bookings reflect an uncertain economic cycle. Business growth for TMC’s is difficult to achieve organically, and there is a strong market at present for consolidation by merger and acquisition. Many small and...

Refunding Air Passenger Duty

A recent survey has established that some airlines are making it difficult to reclaim APD when a flight ticket is cancelled. Many airlines charge an administration fee as a condition of reclaiming the tax, often making it uneconomic for passengers to...

When you Journey is Delayed or Cancelled

Air passengers rights are already covered by EU Regulation 261/2004, requiring airlines to pay minimum levels of compensation for denied boarding and cancelled flights. A recent European Court of Justice decision determined that a flight was cancelled after...

Google Enters the Travel Market

In early July 2010, it was announced that Google would become a major player in the travel sector following its entry into the market by its purchase of ITA software for some £460 million. This, coupled with technology advances in the...

Bonds and Financial Security

We live in difficult financial times, and despite the fall in volumes of business travel, regulators are looking for increased financial security from travel management companies. In mid July 2010, the latest statistics were revealed by the Office for...

Financial Protection Against Insolvent Traders

However efficient your business is, if you are selling services then you are reliant upon your business partners paying you properly and on time. Accumulating outstanding debts can result in poor performance, and even insolvency for your own business if you...

When Times Get Tough

Negotiations for Salary Cuts BA is locked in negotiations with unions regarding changes in working conditions, a two year pay freeze and voluntary redundancies. Some pilots have agreed to a salary reduction in exchange for BA shares at a future date. ...

Air Passenger Durty (APD) Gets Universal Slamming

Air Passenger Duty will increase from 1st November 2009, with a further increase in November 2010. For short haul (up to 2000 miles) economy class increases from £40.00 to £45.00, and for premium class from £80.00 to £90.00. From...

Opportunities and Threats in A Declining Business Travel Market

Both business and leisure travel are rapidly becoming victims of the worldwide recession and credit crunch. The industry has been surprisingly resilient in the face of failing retailers on the High Street, and whilst volumes initially fell, the worst aspects...

Sky Competition

If your idea of ruling the world is create a bigger and bigger airline, the European Commission generally stands in your way if the monolith you create is such a concentration as to amount to an abuse of a dominant position in the relevant market. The...

Contract Terms in Hardened Times

Contracts in the travel business, whether between airlines, agents or corporates, or between travel management companies and their corporate clients, do not come in a “one size fits all” format and reflect the power of the parties, and the...

Financial Prudence in the Credit Crunch

We now live in a different world. Cash is king and guarantees might not be worth the paper they are written on. Some businesses fail, not due to their own performance, but because they cannot get paid by customers, or their suppliers are out of business. ...

When is a Ticket not a Ticket?

Aviation lawyers and trade consortia have to urgently consider the surprising question “when is a ticket not a ticket?” in the context of Ryanair’s threat to cancel bookings made through screen scraping websites. A number of well known...

Home Alone

Home Alone Homeworking allows highly skilled employees in the business and leisure sector who have taken a career break, particularly women to return to the workplace. Getting back on the traditional career path is not always easy given child...

BA Cheese and Branson Pickle

On 1 August 2007, following the admission by British Airways that it had colluded with Virgin Atlantic over long-haul passenger fuel surcharges, the Office of Fair Trading imposed its biggest ever fine of £121.5 million. On the...

APD - Not a Tax Too Far

We all remember the dire financial consequences of the unexpected announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 6th December 2006, when he announced the doubling of Air Passenger Duty (“APD”). The reason for the drama...

The Case for Missing Bags

It has not been a great year for passenger’s baggage getting damaged, delayed or lost. Part of the reason for disruption to the carriage of baggage must relate to the increased security precautions at UK airports. Delayed...

Business Travel Law Issues

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS The final run up to the end of 2007 has seen many legal issues affecting business travel coming into prominence: 1. CAA consults on new ATOL Licence Conditions These proposed changes follow on from a Department of...

Airline Update - Fines and Taxes

AIRLINE UPDATE – FINES AND TAXES It is not a comfortable time for the airline sector. The cost of aviation fuel has ravaged existing business models, and increased ticket prices have resulted in reduced bookings and reduced load...

Turbulent Skies

TURBULENT SKIES The recent massive rises in aviation fuel have already resulted in the failure of some smaller carriers. For example, the failure of business only models of Eos, Maxjet and Silverjet resulted from their model becoming...

Airline Passengers with reduced mobility - New regulations in force from 26 July 2008

EC Regulation 1107/2006 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was never intended to cover the rights of disabled passengers onboard an aircraft and are limited to regulating policies and procedures of airlines at UK airports and booking procedures. ...

Train times get to the point

Trains to be brought into line with new Regulation 1371/2007 Business travellers are familiar with the way that European Regulations provide minimum consumer protection and rights to compensation where flights are delayed or cancelled, or passengers are...

Manslaughter is no laughing matter

The new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 comes into force on 6th April 2008 with the aim of making it easier for the UK authorities to prosecute companies when death occurs, and the company’s activities are managed or organised in...

Terminal Illness

Those requiring ATOL for sales, whether for leisure or airline seats have a new era, starting from 1st April 2008. Also, hot off the press is guidance from the Government on “What is a Package”, following some confusion after the Court of Appeal...

Airline Passengers with reduced mobility

New Regulations in force from 26 July 2008 EC Regulation 1107/2006 The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 was never intended to cover the rights of disabled passengers onboard an aircraft and are limited to regulating policies and procedures of airlines...

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Aviation, Travel & Tourism

Head of Department
Ian Skuse
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Business Travel

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