FINANCIAL PROTECTION

Pack Peace of Mind with ATOL Protection – The changes explained

ATOL was established nearly forty years ago by the Government to ensure that holidaymakers whose tour operator ceased trading were looked after in resort and brought back to the UK or, if they were yet to travel, they received a refund. Since then, the way holidays are sold and the way people buy them has changed significantly. The growth in the number of airlines and the rise in sales on the internet and over the telephone has meant that an increasing number of holidaymakers are booking their holiday components separately. Whilst some people consciously put their own holidays together, for many, especially those that use intermediary firms, it is unclear that the components are separate and consequently whether there is any ATOL protection in place. As a result, the number of people taking holidays that are ATOL protected has fallen.

Although consumers clearly welcomed greater choice in booking their holiday, there was also widespread confusion, particularly among members of the public, over which holidays are protected. It was previously possible for two people to have bought, from a single supplier, flights on the same aircraft and accommodation at the same hotel, but for only one of them to have protection because of the different ways in which they had purchased their trips.

To address this, the Government introduced new regulations in 2012 that widened protection and increased clarity for consumers on what was protected under the ATOL scheme. These new regulations focused on two key changes to the scheme: the introduction of ‘Flight-Plus’, and the launch of the ATOL Certificate.

To find out all the details take a look at the ATOL Factsheet:  http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/166/StaffSupportLeaflet.pdf