What is ATOL protection?
The ATOL scheme (which stands for Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing) is financial protection that protects you when you book a package trip that includes a flight. It is separate to travel insurance.
ATOL was introduced in 1973, as the popularity of overseas trips grew. The scheme is run by us at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). When you purchase an ATOL protected trip which includes a flight, you should be given an ATOL Certificate.
If your travel company becomes a failed ATOL holder when you are abroad, we’ll help you to continue your trip by:
- Assisting you to stay in your holiday accommodation, if possible.
- Reimbursing you for any money you may have spent to replace ATOL protected parts of your trip, e.g. accommodation, car hire, transfers.
- Arranging flights home, depending on the circumstance.
It is important to check that the travel company you are looking to book with holds an ATOL.
Flights
- If you book an ATOL protected flight, you will be sent an ATOL Certificate after making a payment. However, you will not receive a valid e-ticket in exchange for payment.
- If you purchase an airline ticket from an airline or travel company and you receive a valid e-ticket in exchange for payment, the ATOL scheme does not cover this flight.
- Your travel company should make it clear if your flight-only booking is ATOL protected before you book.
Booking with a travel agent
Travel agents often sell trips on behalf of other holiday companies.
frequently asked questions
Failed ATOL holder has a specific meaning.
“Failure of an ATOL holder” occurs where paragraphs (a) and (b) of Regulation 23 of the ATOL Regulations, have been satisfied.
- the CAA holds an opinion that an ATOL holder or a person who held an ATOL within the previous 6 months—
has gone into insolvency and cannot or will not, be able to meet its obligations to its consumers, or will fail to meet its obligations to its consumers. - the CAA publishes a notice of the failure of that ATOL holder in the Register of Failed ATOL Holders on the CAA website.
The name of the ATOL holder will be placed on the Register of failed ATOL holders on the CAA website.
Details of the failed ATOL holder and how you may make a claim are published on ATOL.org
If the travel provider was an ATOL holder, you may be ATOL protected if you purchased a flight and have not received tickets and have been given an ATOL Certificate.
Or if you purchased a flight inclusive package holiday and have been given an ATOL Certificate.
If you are ATOL protected, you should follow the instruction and advice published on our website ATOL Failures – ATOL and social media pages for the latest information. If you are abroad and experiencing difficulties, you may contact us via the telephone number shown on your ATOL Certificate.
We aim to acknowledge claims within 5 working days of submission. Our Claims Handling Agencies will request information and documentation from you about your booking and once all the required information is received, we aim to assess your claim within 28 working days.
There are some circumstances that may mean your claim will take longer to assess and process, such as:
- We are administering a high volume of claims.
- Your claim was booked through a travel agent, and we are requesting information from the travel agent.
- Your claim is incomplete, and we require more information.
If you were issued with an ATOL Certificate, check under the ‘Who is protecting your trip?’ section, this will show who the ATOL holder is. If the protector of your trip is still trading, you should contact that ATOL holder for further assistance.
If your trip is protected by a failed ATOL holder, you may be eligible to submit a claim and you should read the details that are published on the failed ATOL holders pages of our website.
You should contact the travel provider you booked your flight through or contact the airline directly for further assistance. You will not be able to submit an ATOL claim for a cancelled flight.
In this instance the ATOL holder has not failed and therefore your trip may still be able to go ahead. Please contact the agent or company you arranged your ATOL package trip with.
You cannot make a claim from ATOL.
Details on how to make a complaint against and airline or airport are available on the CAA website
We must receive your claim within 12 months from the date of the ATOL holder’s failure.
Once the deadline has passed, you will no longer be able to submit a claim to ATOL. You may be eligible to submit a claim to the companies appointed Insolvency Practitioner. Details will be provided with information on the failure of the ATOL holder. ATOL Failures – ATOL
If the travel provider you booked through has not failed as an ATOL holder you will not be able to make a claim from ATOL. You should contact your travel provider for any issues you encounter.
ATOL is not a form of Travel Insurance. You are advised to purchase Travel Insurance to make sure you have cover for medical or other issues, when planning a trip away.
If the travel provider, you booked through has not failed as an ATOL holder and has cancelled your holiday or you have a dispute with a travel provider. You should contact the travel provider, who will advise you of your options. You cannot claim from ATOL for cancellations, complaints, sickness, injury, or substandard hygiene during your holiday.
If the travel provider you have booked with is a member of ABTA, you may wish to contact them. You can also contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau .
Not all travel companies are required to hold an ATOL. The travel provider may be acting as an agent on behalf, and with the authority of a disclosed ATOL holder, or acting as an airline ticket agent.
If you purchase an airline ticket from an airline or travel business and you receive a valid ticket in exchange for payment, ATOL protection does not apply to this type of flight sale.