Caa XL payout, but will sue non ATOL holders

Travel news: The CAA has at last confirmed, it will pay on claims from passengers who booked the XL group, Freedom Flights, and Pure flights as part of a “package” through Illegal non Atol-bonded agents.

If your going to book holidays or flights, do make sure that your aren’t being ripped off by Agents acting illegally by not holding an ATOL licence.

The authority will then demand agents it said were operating without an Atol illegally to recompense it.

The move means consumers will get their money back, while the CAA will also recoup its funds, however this could mean a court case if the travel agents refuse to pay.

A CAA spokesman today said its stance would apply to bookings through Freedom Flights and Pure Flights, another seat-only operator that failed in August 2008.

He said the CAA and trustees of the Air Travel Trust believed customers who were sold a flight and a hotel or other travel services by a non-Atol agent had a valid claim for refund of the whole package price against the travel agent.

Those agents had acted “unlawfully” by selling the package without an Atol, in the CAA’s view.

They the CAA are talking about dynamic packaging agents, where you have the accommodation and flights booked separately. with these deals you generally have to get your own transfers from the destination airport.

Those customers were also eligible for a refund of their flight cost under the Atol scheme, said the spokesman.