Goldtrail Holidays ..... and the past.
Gold Trail holidays ceases trading. The below extract explains some background to the company formation:
"XL bosses reunite in Goldtrail Greece venture
Thursday, March 05, 2009
The former boss of XL-owned Kosmar has launched a new Greece programme for budget Turkey specialist Goldtrail Holidays – with flights from the airline connected to former XL chief Phil Wyatt.
Viking Airlines will operate 12 flights a week from Manchester airport and East Midlands airport to Greek islands, including Kos, Corfu and Rhodes.
Earlier this month the Icelandic franchise of Phil Wyatt’s new venture Black Pearl Investments took a 50% stake in Viking Airlines. The franchise is called BPI Iceland, with which Wyatt claims to have only an "arm's length relationship".
Former Kosmar managing director Abhi Dighe has devised the programme for Goldtrail, which is looking for more upmarket early-booking sales.
He said the new operation was working with a number of airline partners, including seat-only operator Kiss Flights, the trading name of Viking’s UK broker Meridian Aviation before it was sold to Flight Options. Kiss Flights was set up by former bosses of XL’s Freedom Flights.
“I aim to work with any airline offering capacity and flexibility in terms of rotations,” Dighe said.
“There are not many airlines that will work with independent tour operators, especially for high-season capacity.”
Dighe said talks were still under way about a brand for the new Greece operation, but there was a chance the Kosmar name could be revived."
Above a direct quote from Source ttglive from 2009.
So, it would appear that after the demise of the XL group, an airline (Viking) is created with very close links to the former XL Chief. A flight brokering company (Kissair - XL Freedom flights reborn...), is established who will sell seats for this airline to Goldtrail, a company created by the former management of Kosmar another XL subsidary that had collapsed. Legally, no doubt watertight but isnt this just a way to continue trading whilst not paying back the people you owe from your former 'trading' days? And guess what.....
Consider the Icelandic connections......... Ok lets not! Life's too short!
My thoughts go out to all affected, and to all with links to these companies. I really do wish somebody would take a long hard look at this history with its recurrent themes, and do something to stop the rot, if that is indeed the case.
There seems to be a common link here, a tearful one at that.
Then again just my view, which I believe in these enlightened times I am entitled to.
Happy for a healthy informed debate...
(Mods:- Information source accredited, and in the public domain. Neither unscrupulous, or sciolist.... just an interested party that would welcome other opinions - preferably informed.)