Fury as ski giant slaps a ‘Brexit surcharge’ on breaks

FAMILIES looking forward to ski trips have been hit with a ‘Brexit surcharge’ of up to £50 a head.

The bombshell, from travel giant Mark Warner, provoked anger from holidaymakers who learned the firm is offering identical trips to new customers for less than they paid – before their surcharge was added.

Mark Warner’s example is likely to be followed by other ski firms as they pass on rising costs caused by the pound falling after the Brexit vote, say experts.

Mark Warner’s managing director David Hopkins wrote to clients warning of a surcharge of between £30 and £50 per person. He added: ‘It will be necessary and unavoidable for us, for the first time in many years, to invoke the surcharge clause contained within our contractual terms and conditions.’

Like most tour operators, Mark Warner has clauses allowing it to add up to ten per cent of the holiday price without having to offer a refund.

One Mark Warner customer told The Mail on Sunday she learned last week that her £869-a-head family holiday in a chalet hotel in Meribel in midJanuary would be hit by an increase of between £30 and £50 a head. Yet she found the same holiday on Mark Warner’s website advertised for £859 a head to new clients. ‘This is an outrageous way to treat customers,’ she said. ‘Because the surcharge is less than ten per cent, we don’t have the option to cancel without a penalty.’

Association of British Travel Agents chairman Noel Josephides said: ‘I would expect more ski firms to follow suit, because margins are slim.’

A Mark Warner spokesman said: ‘We have no further comment to make on surcharging other than to confirm that this is reflected in the cost of holidays on sale now, which are pitched to stimulate demand within the current market.’