£20k compensation to Jersey travel agent after Travel Solutions shuts doors

Wednesday 25 April 2018

A travel agent in Jersey who worked at CI firm Travel Solutions for more than 10 years has been handed nearly £20,000 in compensation after it abruptly closed last month.

Travel Solutions unexpectedly shut its doors in Guernsey and Jersey after its new UK owners suddenly stopped paying the rent.

The closure happened just weeks after it emerged that the holiday booking firm’s parent company, CI Executive Travel Group, had gone into liquidation. It had accrued around £800,000 of debt dubbed “unlikely” to be repaid by creditors.

Guernsey's branch had its doors locked suddenly - unbeknownst to its staff - because the rent wasn't received, leaving its customers shocked and confused and its staff jobless.

Amongst their colleagues in Jersey was Christine Smale, a travel agent who had worked for the company since 2007. She brought an unfair dismissal claim to the Employment and Discrimination Tribunal, seeking damages for the breach of her contract over notice pay.

Having 11 years’ continuity of service, she argued that she would be entitled to 26 weeks’ pay for unfair dismissal.

The claim was not contended by CI Executive Travel – in fact, the Tribunal noted that the company failed to present any response at all. 

Deputy Chairman Michael Salter therefore found in her favour.

Ms Smale was subsequently handed an award of £19,933.45 – more than a quarter of which (£5,537.07) was damages for the contractual breach.

So far, no Guernsey staff have made compensation claims.