ATOL Information
Financial Protection Through ATOL
The Adventure People & ATOL
ATOL stands for Air Travel Organisers License. Any holiday that sells flights plus other elements such as accommodation or cruises must have an ATOL, it is a legal requirement in the UK.
ATOL is managed by the civil aviation authority.
ATOL is important because it offers customers robust financial protection.
If you're booking a holiday, even if not with The Adventure People, do check how you are financially protected!
Below are some commonly asked questions and answers. Please do make contact if you'd like to discuss further.
What is ATOL?
ATOL stands for Air Travel Organisers License and is both a license to sell flights and a financial protection scheme for customers. In the UK if you sell flights with other elements such as accommodation or a tour (a 'package') you are legally bound to have an ATOL.
ATOL is governed and managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
How does ATOL work?
Upon a successful application we're granted the license, this means we can sell flights with other elements without breaking the law. Good!
The second part is all around financial protection for you, our customers and is really important. Whenever a flights plus other element booking is made the customer will receive an ATOL certificate. This is really a certificate of financial protection. At the same time we, The Adventure People, pay into something called the Air Travel Trust (ATT).
All companies who have an ATOL pay into the ATT which is a bank account run by the CAA. Now, if any company with an ATOL sadly becomes insolvent and goes bust then the customers money is protected. The customer can either continue to go on holiday or get a refund. If the customer is overseas at the time of the insolvency the customer will get back home as normal thanks to the ATOL protection.
It is important to note that not everyone can get an ATOL, the application process is rigorous and takes months.
Why we joined ATOL
We had a number of reasons we wanted to acquire a license:
- We really want to be able to sell flights and tours!
- Our customers asked us all the time if they could book flights with us
- It offers more financial protection to our customers
- It is a stamp of approval from a regulatory body
- It helps further differentiate The Adventure People
What does ATOL mean for customers?
The main thing to know is that you have further financial protection should anything happen to The Adventure People.
Not only do we protect your money when you make a booking by ensuring it goes to another bank account rather than our business account until your booking is delivered but if you're booking a flight you also have ATOL protection too.
Another element of financial protection can only be a good thing.
We are insistent that your money must be protected until your booking is delivered and anything we can do which improves the financial protection of our customers money we will incorporate.
Please our ATOL FAQs page for more information and answers to common questions.
