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John and Irene Hays could have retired years ago. Instead they chose to provide employment for over 4,000 people much of it in areas of the country where jobs are scarce. They have taken personal risks with their own money and yes they will also benefit if they are successful but imagine the stress they are under particularly at their age when they could be comfortably retired.

Decisions have been made in the past for the right reasons (recruiting more staff for example) but with the benefit of hindsight they may prove to be the wrong decision but don't for a moment think they were made recklessly. As for describing John and Irene as smug, you really can't be much of a judge of character if that is what you think of them.

The redundancies are terrible of course but if you work in this industry, you should be wishing Hays Travel success in the future as without them there will be many more redundancies and the travel arena will be a much worse place.

If Hays was owned by faceless VC's imagine what might have happened by now!

Noone said that parts in the past hasnt been good but with all respect the way they have treated the staff that are in redundancy is completely awful! No company esp one in the the worst effected industrial should have done a recruitment drive like they did. They should have come out of the pandemic 1st. They took 700 on at the end of june, the UK was not even over its peak.

The replaced ppl on furlough and their seats was taken at a lower wage then made all the staff under 2 years redundant so they have to Pay zero. The forced them to take holiday's so now them with familys havent even got that pay to fall back on. So you might want to climb out of them for 1 minute amd take in some air!

Not sure why all the anger directed at Hays when it should be aimed squarely at the government. Just have a look at the current economic situation and loss of millions of jobs coming down the line. Total UK and global incompetence at a scale never seen before.

I think some of the comments are so out of order. John and Irene have the best interests at heart of all their staff. This must have been heartbreaking for them. This is not Thomas Cook, this is Hays travel. Give them the respect they deserve.

Where was any respect for the people they have just done this too? No proper communications redundancies while recruiting people to do their jobs? But its ok as the government will pay an apprenticeship of 500 for a full time worker. We are still in the mits of a pandemic and what about how they have taken on other travel consultants while leaving their own staff now struggling further during a world pandemic. How much respect do u think they have had? Each of them staff members that havent even had chance to ask questions and its all over press, its fake. They care about a bank balance only!

Agree that apprentices shouldn't be taken on when so many staff have been made redundant.
I still think that John and Irene care, going through redundancy is awful and they will always be the first people to blame but covid19 is not a normal situation and now furlough is coming to an end this is going to be the same for lots of companies in lots of different industries.

Furlough ends october! Why recruit

They have just done a recruitment drive of 700 ppl taken on staff while they have ppl furloughed! You sayin when they sat on ITV smiling they care? they should have froze all recruitment and looked after their own! They havent done that, they have ppl sat doing the same job but they come from different travel company! U telling me they didnt decide that? They have treated their own staff shocking no other way to look at it

700 people ?

28th of june they said it. ITV news and on breakfast. Type in recruit hays travel ITV 700

Google itv breakfast hays travel u will find the video footage, they said 700 not even a month ago and then done this to their staff! Its not right!

I did place on record that shortly after the TC debacle and BEFORE the March coronavirus, Hays had taken on an extra c£45m in overheads and I do not believe a period of ''due diligence'' had taken place. However, with all the best intentions the Sunderland egotists, indeed all of us, could not have foreseen the present problems facing us all. Presently, their is no light at the end of the tunnel, just tears and recriminations.

Well its going to get even tougher in the next six months. Lots more shops being closed and people joining the dole queue. The owners of Hays do look really smug sometimes but I feel for all the people loosing their jobs.

Despite being admirable in their taking on of our TC colleagues, and how smug they have been when on TV and in the press, tables seem to be turning.....

What’s even more bizarre about the government decision is that the knock on effect is made greater by
A) clients now getting worried about going anywhere in case they are called back early - so general sales to other countries will go into decline
B) All those that could have been enjoying social distancing on beautiful Spanish beaches are now piling onto Uk beaches with no social distancing making the disease easier to spread
C) the FCO can’t even confirm about COVID testing before anyone actually travels to countries that need to see a covid negative test before you go
For those who have still got the energy to travel it’s becoming a massive battle
Nothing like the government talking the bookings down before you even get the client through the door
So much for furlough and support to get back to work for anyone

Hundreds of employees were laid off with no warning in a 5 minute zoom call at 2pm. Didn’t even stay to answer questions, just hung up. Looks like the had enough time to run a press release though

Exactly we was told then they cut us off they have even turned the comments section OFF on the Hays hun that we use to communicate together.

We cant even get answers to our questions!

Its awful

They have recruited and replaced us while the government has paid, forced us to take holidays at the governments expense. The apprentice scheme! 500 a month for full time work, no1 who has children or house can do that! Meant to be a family business meant to have each other. Deliever this after recruitment drives and what they done to people who work for them! Got rid so can replace with other companies cast offs!

They have communiticated poorly throughout all this and staff members cant even direct questions to the company! Its been done so insentive and inhumane!

Hays trainees and FX deserve better than the treatment they have had from Hays Travel....at what has been challenging times for all conpanies. While i get job losses u do not recruit while current staff on furlough! Its outragious

Keeping the government paid apprentices I see... and still pushing on with expanding their TO business in Scotland... they should be trying to keep their current staff rather than expanding in the middle of a pandemic. “Trainee” also known as won’t have to pay them any redundancy money

The government doesn't pay for apprentices. For small businesses, it pays most of their tuition fees, for businesses such as Hays they have to pay the full tuition costs and pay the apprentices their full salary for a day each week of study, as well as the days they work.

Most people agree how really disappointing and sad this news is
I'm not totally sure that having a go at Hayes is the right thing to do when, very clearly, the appallingly inconsistent actions of the government have made a bad situation dreadful

Perhaps you do not know just how badly Hays have been treating their staff and IG members for months. Don't be fooled by the crocodile smiles there is one almighty smelly scandal here but the trade press are to weak to publish.

This is disappointing and disgusting for all involved.
when the company has gone on a recruitment drive advertising it on ITV news and experienced staff has been given jobs in stores all because of the length of service.
yet you make the staff you invested alot of money in to with training the right way redantant.
Putting all this out all in the news when the staff haven't even known an hour or received any correspondence.

I agree with Steve absolutely

The thing is this quarantine by Boris is nothing to do with life saving its all about face saving and its also very political on his behalf.
TheTravel Industry should now pull out all the stops and fire a broadside at the Government,Jet2 started it by bringing there customers home early so now lets see what Mr Tanzer at ABTA can really do for its members .STAND UP TO THE GOVERNMENT

Steve for once in your life see the full story. Hays travel have recruited very low cost staff during furlough and is now using these staff to replace 100's of higher paid ones. Nothing to do with the Government and everything to do with the disgusting greed that Mr and Mrs Hays have.

what have i said about Heys NOTHING

Explain how bringing clients home early was a broadside attack on the government!

Because Steve Heapy is right why should the company spend x amount of money sending empty Aircraft over to spain to collect customers when its Boris who has caused this by not having the B---S to tell the truth as to why he has banned flights to spain, IF a farther and Mother went on holiday to Spain for 2 weeks and then had to isolate for a further 2 weeks what do you think the employers would say they would say come back to work or your sacked, so Boris knows this so he has thought if we ban flights to all of spain that will prevent a lot of trouble between employee &employer thats the reason. so the industry through Tamzer and ABTA need too STAND UP AND BE COUNTED and TELL Boris, Rabb & Shaps enough is enough

So you think Jet2’s actions of leaving remaining guests behind is a good way to do business?? People who have saved hard to go away are now being forced by ONE tour operator to leave or be left behind! That’s not the way to do business and thankfully their customers are starting to see through them! Not all they’re cracked up to be so it seems!!

If i am wrong them explain why The Islands have been baned by Boris when there infection rate is far LOWER again his only thought is for his political life.and JET2 are standing up for its self and for its future customers who WANT to travel to the Island

Because our government are clueless! Let’s cast our minds back to the beginning of the pandemic shall we.......most countries enter lockdown, UK just wash your hands more!! That’s the sort of governement we have! Now they aren’t taking onboard any of the evidence and so they have gone the opposite. The government would rather we stayed at home and spent money in the UK. God knows why!!! As for Jet2............they sent people on these holidays, now they are saying get home now because we’re sending no more aircraft to get you, meaning they have to find alternative travel home at their own cost. Not exactly what I’d call looking after the customer Steve.

Is that why Steve Heapy came out at once and said any customer that was out of pocket would be reembursed as well as compo for lost nights ,whould that hapen at say TUI i dont think so

And here we are again bashing TUI! Tui you will find are still running flights to bring people back because THAT is the right thing to do, not just dump their customers! I don’t think for one minute Steve Heapy will reimburse, even if they did the trust has been lost from Jet2 customers that have been impacted! It’s all over the news, I suggest you have a look Steve!

Not TUI Bashing at all just the TRUTH read your T/W properly and you WILL see what Steve Heapy said

There are several other publications to read!! People have been told by Jet2 that they won’t be compensated for the cut short holidays!! It’s there in black and white! Have a search on google and you’ll see for yourself!! Do you have shares in Dart Group by any chance?!

Wealth before health.

Come on Steve, you know that neither Boris or Grant have B.. LLS. Grant has amnesia and Boris is still trying to cover up his incompetence in the way he failed the country back in March

Jet2holidays always knew there was a chance of quarantine being imposed and took the risks of sending clients, so they must accept any financial cost.
The clients themselves also knew there was a risk of quarantine being imposed and still went.
Anyone travelling in the foreseeable future accepts this risk.
It’s as simple as that
Nothing to do with attacking the government.

I wonder who YOU work for

Retired actually, did not work for Hays or Jet2holidays either.
But using common sense here, anybody travelling in foreseeable future has to accept the risks involved

They have just been on breakfast tv recruiting 700 staff and now got rid of the ones they feel havent been in travel long enough! Its disgusting! They have replaced ppl while they was on furlough!

Bye bye Hays Travel... you won't be missed! Lol

Whilst I am sure your comment was said in jest, it was poor taste. Nevertheless, should things continue in the downward spiral, you may not be far off the mark. Their liabilities must be huge after taking on such massive real estate. They can't continue as they are and I bet they are silent cursing the day they bought the lot!

What a stupid ,nasty ,insensitive comment !!!!

Correction, my comment should say Hays Personal Travel Advisor rather than IG member

But to many people it’s actually a true statement . As a Hays IG member you will of course not agree with it.