Runaway Works Toward Smooth Transition

Ed Jackson, president and CEO of Runaway Tours, says the focus at Runaway now is on providing travel agents and their clients with a smooth transition. Jackson says a core staff is being retained through Feb. 28, or longer if necessary, to ensure that people leaving on trips this month and next have full service, and that those who had planned later trips are able to proceed with those plans, with Runaway liaising with agents and vendors. Jackson issued a statement on Friday saying that the company is not endorsing any single entity to handle rebooking of clients. "We are refunding money back to the travel agent and allowing the travel agent to make that decision for her or himself," Jackson says. "If a travel agent cannot successfully rebook the client, we will try to work with the suppliers involved and release the space we're holding to the wholesaler of the agent's choice or to the agency itself."