{July 4, 2008} VICTORIA, BC - As a licensed BC travel agent, you are probably aware that on April 10, 2008 Oasis Airlines cancelled all flights which affected many passengers.  KPMG is handling all matters related to the airline’s future.

On June 11, 2008 the High Court of Hong Kong Special Administration Region ordered that Oasis Airlines be wound up.

Travelers with unused Oasis Airlines tickets who booked through a licensed BC travel agent are advised to file a claim with KPMG as well as file a claim with the Travel Assurance Fund. The Travel Assurance Fund of British Columbia will not be processing claims until it is decided if passengers will be receiving compensation from KMPG.

If you had a client who was impacted by Oasis Airlines, as you are aware, your client may also be eligible to claim under the BC Travel Assurance Fund (TAF) as you are a licensed travel agent with the BPCPA. You may recall last year the BPCPA with the support of the BC travel industry embarked on a public education campaign and provided information to all licensees to share with their clients to assist them in filing claims under the TAF.  The TAF is a fund of last resort and claims must be filed within six months of the loss.

The following were some helpful steps that were included to assist in making a claim which you may wish to share with your clients:

1. Clients should contact their BC licensed travel agent or wholesaler that they booked the trip through to ask for assistance or to request a refund.
2. If travel services were purchased with a credit card, the client should call or write to find out if the credit card company will reverse the charges
3. If separate travel insurance was purchased, the client should call the insurance provider to see if it will cover the costs of the undelivered services.
4. To find out more, or to file a claim, call the BPCPA toll free inquiry line at 1-888-564-9963 or look through the Travel Assurance Fund pages of this website.
5. Ensure that all relevant documentation is included in the TAF claim.

All claims will be held for a minimum of 6 months to determine the extent of the impact on the fund or until KPMG announces their final decision around the future of Oasis Airlines.

Please feel free to call the Business Practices & Consumer Protection Authority (BPCPA) toll free at 1-888-564-9963 if you have any questions about the Travel Assurance Fund.