Another goodbye KISS

[Phil]

The inevitable has happened. Why am I not surprised.

I hope nobody on the board has a booking with them.

[kefallon]

Seems to be a lot left in limbo abroad, not sure effect on viking

Kiss Flights has ceased trading with tens of thousands of holidaymakers abroad and many more advance bookings, placing fresh strain on consumer financial protection.
Kiss held an air tour organiser’s licence (Atol) for up to 170,000 passengers, but it is unclear how many clients are covered by the licence. CAA licensing figures suggest up to 69,500 passengers could be booked to travel in September.
A message posted on Kiss owner Flight Options' website says, "As of 1700 hours on 17 August the Flight Options group of companies has ceased trading. The Civil Aviation Authority have been informed and we are awaiting further advise [sic] on the situation."
Flight Options boss Gary Ash told Travel Weekly he is devatsed at the company,s failure, blaming the combination of April's volcanic ash crisis, the failure of Goldtrail, late booking trends and 'negative publicity'.
This is the latest in a series of failures, including Goldtrail Holidays and Sun4u, in recent weeks.
Seat-only operator Kiss launched in Septmber 2008 following XL Leisure Group's collapse with the intention of targeting the market vacated by Freedom Flights - XL's former seat-only operation.
It is understood Kiss picked up a large number of bookings from the collapse of Goldtrail. Frank Renzulli, the senior consultant of Top Class Travel in Cheshire, said: “Obviously with the Goldtrail collapse we rebooked all our customers on Kiss flights and so we have a massive flying problem.
“It’s going to give the industry a massive headache, it’s the middle of the school holidays and we’ve got the bank holiday coming up. It’s going to be a nightmare.”
Former Freedom Flights managing director Paul Moss joined the seat-only operator in 2008.
The collapse of XL Leisure exposed holes in the licensing system and led to a rise in the consumer protection charge on package holidays – the Atol Protection Contribution (APC) – and spurred efforts to widen the Atol scheme.
Kiss offered flights and accommodation to Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, the Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal. It was sold to sports tour operator and dynamic packager Flight Options in January 2009 for an undisclosed sum

[Janey]

Well my daughter and us got away with it, both said superior flights, good food, no delays and more leg room in standard seats.
This gives way to Tompson/First Coice having the monopoly from Bristol at prices that were well over £100 dearer at the time, they will probably be more expensive than that now!

[john]

I said at the time that Kiss launched that i wouldn't touch them with a barge poll. Having been caught up in the XL collapse i would never want to go through that again and i was astounded when the XL directors were able to launch this venture.
I thought it would only be a matter of time and sadly i have been proved right (Phil, you and Martin also voiced your fears over this?)
I just feel sorry for the people caught up in this...............

[Phil]

I said at the time that Kiss launched that i wouldn't touch them with a barge poll. Having been caught up in the XL collapse i would never want to go through that again and i was astounded when the XL directors were able to launch this venture.
I thought it would only be a matter of time and sadly i have been proved right (Phil, you and Martin also voiced your fears over this?)
I just feel sorry for the people caught up in this...............

We certainly did, but I suspect phoenix might rise from the ashes yet again. Pity they aren't locked up like minor criminals and barred from ever starting up in business again.