Airtours is facing claims that could mount up to £750,000
from five former senior employees sacked in March.
The former employees are taking the company to an employment
tribunal and have also issued a high court writ for breach of contract and
unfair dismissal.
The five, who were sacked from the group’s Going Places
travel agency, are David Sleath, property and development director, Trevor
Davis, retail sales director his wife Mandy Davis, head of retail operations,
Tracy Turczak, corporate development director and Cathy Jackson-Spence, head of
sales.
Maureen Singleton, a solicitor with Brooke North Leeds, is
representing the sacked employees.
She said, “We expect to go to the High Court first and seek
a summary judgement. Each client is seeking more than £100,000 in damages.
“Once a summary judgement has been obtained we will push
ahead with the tribunal as soon as possible, hopefully within four weeks.”
The maximum payment an employee can receive at an employment
tribunal is £51,700.
Singleton is also representing another former Airtours
worker. David Chambers, a marketing consultant, who had his contract brought to
an end without notice by Airtours. Singleton is putting together his High Court
application.
In March Airtours announced that it is to close 120 of its
840 high-street shops, because more consumers are booking holidays over the
telephone.
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Airtours said it would be inappropriate to comment.
