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Only 10 people cancel London flights

About 10 Taiwanese passengers canceled flights to London yesterday following the bombings in the British capital, but industry veterans said the impact on tourism to Europe should be small and short-lived.

"As of the afternoon [yesterday], no tour groups canceled trips to England and all our flight services remain normal," said Nieh Kuo-wei (聶國維), spokesman of EVA Airways Corp (長榮), the only local carrier that provides non-stop flights between Taipei and London.

It is inevitable that the attacks will have some impact on air travel, but the scope will depend on what happens next, he said.

"Now there is no need to panic," Nieh said.

As reports on the bombings were broadcast around the clock on TV, some concerned travelers contacted their travel agencies and inquired about the possibility of canceling or postponing planned tours.

The government has not yet issued a travel warning against visiting the UK, according to the Travel Agents' Association of Taiwan (旅行公會全國聯合會), which links up the nation's 2,500 travel agencies under its umbrella.

Nonetheless, the association yesterday approved a resolution that refunds should be offered to travelers who want to cancel their trips to the UK, said Roget Hsu (許高慶), the organization's secretary-general.

Hsu said that people who want to cancel flights to London that were set to depart before July 15 are entitled to refunds, excluding penalties for canceling plane tickets and accommodation as stipulated in their bookings.

There will also be a 5 percent charge for operational fees, he added.

"Most tourists are adopting a wait-and-see attitude ... But we'll analyze the situation and let them know it's not that dangerous making trips there," said Bobby Chang (張貴清), manager in charge of European tours at South East Travel Service Co (東南旅行社), one of the largest travel agencies in Taiwan.

Chang said that his company is keeping tabs on the latest developments in London to make appropriate adjustments in tour itineraries.

A strict security clampdown was enforced at the renowned British Museum after a bomb exploded at an adjacent subway station yesterday. Whether tourists will be able to visit the museum will depend on the situation the day they arrive, he said.

The Lion Travel Service Co (雄獅旅行社), another major tourism operator, also reported normal services with its two tour groups set to fly to England by next Friday.

"For the sake of safety, we'll notify tourists that tours and accommodation in London will be canceled and shifted to other cities nearby. If they are not satisfied with these changes, we will abide by the regulation to offer them refunds," said Mandy Wang (王心怡), a marketing official at Lion Travel.

The Cabinet-level Consumer Protection Commission suggested that tourists avoid restricted areas and be alert to notices and announcements issued by the UK government or police.

The refund policy also applies to students registered for short-term language courses in London who decide to cancel their trip before next Friday, the commission said in a statement yesterday.

Shares of EVA Airways edged down NT$0.30 to close at NT$14.45 on the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday.
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