Consumer advice – travel tips – travel news

Abta holiday advice and financial protection, your travel rights when you book with an Abta bonded tour operator.

As we are sure you are aware, their are many different ways of buying holidays and travel arrangements today. From Diy holidays where you book the accommodation and flights separately to traditonal packages.

• So, it’s very important for you to understand whether or not the money that you’ve paid for your holiday is safe, if the travel company that you’ve dealt with goes out of business.

There are a number of different ways that you can get this protection, but not all travel arrangements are covered so you should always check.

What the Law says: There are two statutory schemes that exist to protect your money and to ensure that you’ll be brought home if your travel company goes out of business. These schemes apply to package holidays and to some flight-only arrangements.

Package Holidays: The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tour Regulations 1992 are overseen by the Government’s Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS). A package holiday is a holiday that consists of two or more elements, e.g. transport and accommodation, that are sold to you as a package at an inclusive price.

• These Regulations require organisers of package holidays to provide protection for your money and to bring you home if necessary.

If you book a package holiday that includes a flight, then your money must be protected under the ATOL scheme.

This is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). If you book a package holiday that doesn’t include a flight, then your money will be protected either by way of a bond held by a trade association, or by way of an insurance policy, or by placing your money into a trust account.

• There’s no legal requirement that flights bought direct from an airline. Need to be covered by any form of protection – however you do have section 75 protection if you pay by credit card.

Flight-Only Arrangements: The Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) Regulations 1995 are overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and require tour operators who sell flight-only arrangements to provide protection for your money and to bring you home if necessary.

What Happens if Your Agent Ceases to Trade?

If you’ve made your booking through a travel agent, it’s important that you obtain and keep all the paperwork in relation to your travel arrangements. This will show that you have a booking with the relevant holiday company.

• You should contact the holiday company to make sure that the booking is in place. If it is, then your travel arrangements should continue unaffected.
• In the unlikely event that your travel agent has failed to make your booking with a travel company, you should immediately contact your credit card company if you paid by credit card for a full refund..

If you didn’t pay by credit card, contact our claims enquiries office for advice and assistance. Contact: ABTA Claims, PO Box 127, Metro House, Northgate, Chichester PO18 8WQ, Tel: 01243 621 500.

You should always ask. Where travel arrangements aren’t already protected, most ABTA Members will be able to arrange protection using a suitable insurance policy.