With the collapse of yet another airline, Scotland’s Flyglobespan.com, over 3,000 Flyglobespan customers may have an additional worry – how to get home. This is because they booked their flights direct with the airline, rather than a travel agent, thus leaving them uncovered by the ATOL Protection scheme.
Why is this important?
In summary the ATOL protection scheme protects you from losing your money or being stranded abroad if your airline or travel agent goes bust.
This means, if you book your holiday as a package i.e flight and hotel, from a single travel company, your entire holiday is protected by the ATOL scheme, which entitles you to help to get home.
If, like me, you book your flight direct with an airline, or buy your holiday in bits i.e flight and hotel separately, the ATOL scheme does not cover you. This means should you be stranded you may have to make your own way home; making that cheap tickets not such good value.
ATOL advice
So what should you do, if like me you will continue to book your travel direct?
ATOL advises us to
… take out travel insurance making sure it covers airline insolvency and any possible indirect loss as a consequence. Be careful though because many policies don’t give this cover, while those that do limit the amount you can claim or have exclusions, so read the small print.
You should also consider paying by credit card, since you should be covered under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Be careful though, you have to pay more than £100 and you won't be covered for any indirect loss as a consequence.
For more on the ATOL protection scheme visit the ATOL website and watch Channel 4 report on this issue.
