Is package holiday covered by atol without flights

frugalfiz

I have just booked a pilates retreat holiday with an ATOL registered travel company. The travel company arranges the transfers, the accommodation, activities, food, etc., but I have booked my own flights direct with airline.

Have I got ATOL protection if the flights are not included in the package? I paid flights with credit card, but paid travel company on debit card.

If it is not covered, any recommendation on insurance with end supplier failure.

richardw

Which airline have you booked with from the UK and when is the flight?
Is the destination in the EU?

frugalfiz

Flight booked with Jet2 in June and going to Tuscany

dj1471

frugalfiz wrote: »

Hve I got ATOL protection if the flights are not included in the package?

No, not unless you booked them with the same agent within a day or so of booking the original holiday.

The clue's in the acronym - Air Travel Organisers' Licensing. No flight, no ATOL cover.

Most travel insurance policies should cover supplier failure. Since you paid by credit card Section 75 would also give you a degree of protection, assuming each individual flight cost at least £100.

leylandsunaddict

frugalfiz wrote: »

I have just booked a pilates retreat holiday with an ATOL registered travel company. The travel company arranges the transfers, the accommodation, activities, food, etc., but I have booked my own flights direct with airline.

Have I got ATOL protection if the flights are not included in the package? I paid flights with credit card, but paid travel company on debit card.

If it is not covered, any recommendation on insurance with end supplier failure.

You've not booked a package holiday because you've no transport. Unless the same travel company booked your flights within 24 hrs of you booking the accommodation then you've no Atol protection .

Jet2Holidays hold an Atol but the airline doesn't. If you've got travel insurance that covers independent travel then it probably includes supplier insolvency.

frugalfiz

Thanks for replies. Am a bit confused what cover is required. Presume the travel company is not an end supplier, but several policies say travel agents, tour operators and booking agents are excluded.

I have looked at a few policies and several state similar wording shown below. I am not so concerned about the flights, more concerned the main holiday costs, which have cost £1500 for all inclusive holiday: transfers, accommodation, activities, trips, meals, wine (everything except flights)

SECTION M2
END SUPPLIER FAILURE
What You are covered for under section M2
We will pay up to the amount shown in the table of benefits for each Insured
person named on the Invoice for:
1 Irrecoverable sums paid prior to Financial Failure of the Scheduled Airline,
hotel, train operator including Eurostar, car ferries; villas abroad & cottages
in the UK; coach operator, car or camper hire company, caravan sites, campsites,
mobile home, safaris; excursions; Eurotunnel; theme parks or
attractions all known as the End Supplier of the travel arrangements not
forming part of an inclusive holiday prior to departure or

What You are not covered for under section M2
1. Travel or Accommodation not booked within the United Kingdom, Channel
Islands, Isle of Man or Ireland prior to departure
2. Any End Supplier which is, or which any prospect of Financial Failure is
known by the Insured or widely known publicly at the date of the Insured’s
application under this policy
3. Any loss or part of a loss which at the time of the happening of the loss
is insured or guaranteed by any other existing Policy, Policies, bond, or is
capable of recovery from under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act or
from any bank or card issuer or any other legal means.
4. The Financial Failure of any travel agent, tour organiser, booking agent or
consolidator with whom the Insured has booked travel or accommodation

Alan_Bowen

I am not sure that policy which you describe is worth the paper it is printed on. The company providing the holiday is an 'end supplier' in the sense that it is providing accommodation and exercise but in doing so, it becomes a package organiser itself as accommodation and 'other tourist services' on their own, without any transport, can be an inclusive package and since the only reason you are going there is for the pilates, I would say exclusion 4 probably means there would be no claim.

However my advice is to telephone or email the company and ask them to confirm whether cover is definite or not. Is the company a member of any trade association that might provide protection? If they are selling packages, with or without flights, it seems to me they should be protecting you somehow, possibly by an insurance policy which they hold or by putting your money into a trust account. Have a look at their booking conditions and, if necessary, ask them!

You paid the company by debit card presumably because they wanted to charge too much for using a credit card ( they and all the rest of the travel industry will be banned from doing so from next January, but that is no help to you now) Visa debit cards have a voluntary scheme called 'chargeback' that may protect you but unlike section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, it isn't a guarantee.

frugalfiz

Thanks for this advice. The company appears very reputable but I would prefer to have some protection. I have still to organise my travel insurance so was hoping I could find one that would cover for failure by the holiday company - the whole industry seems to be very grey in this area.

Alan_Bowen

Begin by looking at the conditions of the company you booked with. If they have no other protection apart from the ATOL licence, then I am not sure they should ever sell without the flights as they may be committing a criminal offence, not that can give you any comfort if they disappear with your cash