ABTA wants to protect independent travellers

Independent travellers to be accorded more safeguards

Travel Insurance News - 12/10/2009

<< EU motorist-fine treaty hits stumbling block | Travel News | Brits forgetting travel essentials in last minute rushes >>

The Association of British Travel Agents (ATBA) has said it is keen to set up a scheme to protect the interests of people who make holiday and flight bookings independently.

Currently, only those holidaymakers who make their bookings with ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing)-certified travel agents are protected in situations like an operator or an airline going bust. UK travellers who make their own holiday plans run the risk of losing money in such situations.

ATBA has now entered talks with the British government and the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), to include independent travellers in the same safety net as provided by ATOL regulations.

The move has come at an important time for travellers, who have seen a number of operators collapse or close business abruptly in the last few months. At such times, independent travellers have been unsure about what protection they were entitled to.

According to statistics, 27 million from the 45 million trips taken by UK travellers each year do not come under the protection offered by ATOL. This means that less than half are actually safeguarded.

<< EU motorist-fine treaty hits stumbling block | Travel News | Brits forgetting travel essentials in last minute rushes >>