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In a circular sent to the associates on Friday, to which Lusa had access, the APAVT begins by remitting TAP’s debt to Portuguese travel agencies, of “some tens of millions of euros, product of sales made, paid and not delivered by the airline. “
The association recalls that, given the “manifestly anomalous moment”, the APAVT had taken “the initiative, with TAP, to propose an agreement for the staggered repayment of the amounts owed, until 12.31.2021”, an agreement that, it refers, was based on on the ability of travel agencies to issue new TAP tickets.
“This attitude of the distribution channel, that of a creditor who proactively comes, together with its main debtor, to propose an extended term for the payment of the debt, was unique in the world, becoming even more important if we think that TAP, already Either by law, or by national and international regulatory frameworks, it is absolutely obliged to reimburse immediately and in cash, all the companies from which it received money without rendering services ”, adds APAVT in the letter sent to its members.
However, APAVT explains that, “unfortunately”, neither “the market did not experience the recovery initially expected”, as “much more serious, TAP, which owes millions of services paid and not provided, which agreed to pay fees based on in the issuance of new tickets by travel agencies has been restricting the capacity of such issuance “.
In reality, TAP continually sells new flights for which it charges reservations, subsequently canceling the flights and proposing, in an absolutely illegal way, to deliver ‘vouchers’, thus increasing the debt that was intended to be reduced ”.
Furthermore, according to APAVT, the fact that TAP is developing “a series of promotions” that “represent sales opportunities” for these companies, but “excluding the possibility of issuance by the agencies.”
Thus, APAVT underlines that it has started “a new round of negotiations” with TAP, with the aim of regularizing the existing debt, “without this regularization depending” on the capacity of the carrier to issue tickets.
“This is the time when we continue our negotiations with the airline, at the highest level, with legitimate hopes that an agreement will be reached very soon,” they reinforce.
But, “despite this, knowing the concern and anxiety with which our associates are following an issue so decisive for their short-term future, we want to inform you that APAVT has already decided, since it is not possible to achieve success in the Negotiations that we still proceed, we will immediately develop all actions, either within the scope of the Portuguese and European regulatory frameworks, or in the courts, so that our associates can be reimbursed for the amounts paid and not returned ”, adds the association in the letter.
However, APAVT considers that, “in a constructive, close and loyal way”, it maintains a dialogue that “is being productive”, hoping, in this way, to be able “to achieve the objectives very soon”. However, we want you to also know that no travel agency will fall into bankruptcy due to the failure to return the amounts owed by TAP ”, concludes APAVT in the letter sent to the affiliates.
Lusa contacted TAP, but comment was not yet possible.
