| During unstable financial times it is especially important | | | | causing an airline or tour operator to cease trading, |
| for travelers to take the responsibility to learn about | | | | leaving them stranded abroad, should be entitled to |
| their rights and take all possible precautions to | | | | continue their holiday - with ATOL arranging alternate |
| protect their precious holidays. When booking through | | | | flights home. |
| a travel agent or tour operator within the British Isles | | | | As well as ABTA and ATOL, other financial |
| always check that it is a reputable company and | | | | protection schemes in place and designed to protect |
| bonded under ABTA (or another scheme), | | | | travellers include: ABTOT (Association of Bonded |
| ATOL-licenced, or has some other form of insurance | | | | Travel Organisers Trust), AITO (Association of |
| in place. Companies that are bonded have the facility | | | | Independent Tour Operators, FTO (Federation of |
| to offer their customers financial protection as well | | | | Tour Operators), and BCH (for Bonded Coach |
| repatriation costs in the event that an airline, travel | | | | Holidays). |
| agent, or tour operator goes bankrupt. | | | | Note that building your own DIY holiday from |
| ABTA (formerly the Association of British Travel | | | | separate suppliers can be risky and usually means |
| Agents) is now known as The Travel Association. | | | | there is no ATOL protection. It is safer to use one |
| Founded in 1950, ABTA represented thousands of | | | | ATOL-bonded tour operator offering the provision to |
| travel agencies and tour operators throughout the | | | | build a DIY holiday on its website - which should offer |
| British Isles. In 2008 ABTA joined forces with the | | | | some protection. |
| Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) to create The | | | | Booking your holiday with a non-bonded travel agent |
| Travel Association - providing powerful protection for | | | | or tour operator leaves you vulnerable and without |
| travelers. To qualify under ABTA travel companies | | | | any insurance or financial cover if things should go |
| are required to comply with very high standards of | | | | wrong. You may be left out of pocket unless |
| trading. | | | | circumstances allow for recovery of payments |
| Purchasing your package holiday through an | | | | through your credit card company (not debit, charge |
| ABTA-bonded travel agent or tour operator means | | | | card or credit card checks) under the Consumer |
| that you will have protection if the company fails. If | | | | Credit Act 1974 for amounts above £100. |
| you are already on holiday abroad when your travel | | | | Why run the risk of having your holiday plans ruined |
| company declares bankruptcy steps will be taken to | | | | when you could have taken the time and made a |
| enable you to continue with the holiday as planned - | | | | little effort to learn about the various schemes that |
| with arrangements made to fly you home. If your | | | | are already in place to protect travelers. |
| trip has not yet started you should be entitled to a | | | | Understanding and knowing the right questions to ask |
| refund or, where possible, arrangements made for | | | | at the time of booking your holiday could be the |
| your trip to go ahead as planned. | | | | difference between peace of mind and disaster. Do |
| Under ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' License) | | | | some research before you hand over your deposit |
| companies selling air travel in the British Isles are | | | | so that you can relax completely once your holiday |
| required to hold an ATOL license - they are not | | | | begins, secure in the knowledge that your are |
| legally able to sell air travel without it. ATOL is the | | | | protected if the worst should happen. |
| only scheme in place for air holidays and flights which | | | | It is also wise to consider taking out Travel insurance |
| are sold by tour operators in the British Isles. | | | | which includes cover for 'scheduled airline failure'. |
| An ATOL-licensed company will have been inspected | | | | Picking out the cheapest travel insurance policy on a |
| by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and - if | | | | comparison website may not be a good idea. Take |
| approved and granted a licence - required to | | | | the time to check the levels of cover and what is |
| participate in a financial guarantee scheme under the | | | | included and excluded in that cheap policy. Check with |
| Air Travel Trust (ATT). The ATT is a | | | | your travel insurance provider before purchasing as it |
| government-backed scheme which will step in to | | | | may be worthwhile paying a little extra to have |
| assist if ATOL is unable to cover the full costs of a | | | | 'scheduled airline failure' cover in place. The bottom |
| company failure. Travellers affected by events | | | | line is 'Buyer Beware' - you get what you pay for! |