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ABTA president John Harding claims operators will have to come up with convincing arguments within the next fortnight if they are to be allowed to continue charging separate security supplements.

Harding hit back at claims ABTA had not acted quickly enough to enforce its code of conduct that requires non-optional costs to be priced inclusively.

Already there have been numerous responses to ABTA’s letter to operators asking why they are still charging a separate fee nearly two years after the events of September 11.

Harding said: “There has to be very convincing reasons for its continuation.

“We’ve had responses from operators on both sides, but there is a strong swell of opinion that says it needs to be reconsidered.”

He added ABTA had set the process in motion in June and aimed to resolve the issue at its board meeting on September 10.  

If operators are forced to include the fee, non-ABTA operators would have to do likewise.

Operators have argued the fee is still charged separately because security costs are constantly changing.