ATOL, Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing, is the UK Civil Aviation Authority scheme which gives financial protection to people who have booked flights and package holidays from a member.
What Does ATOL Cover?
ATOL protects you when you book a flight or holiday with a UK travel firm. It ensures that you don’t lose the money you paid out for flights and holidays if your travel company collapses. It also protects you if you become stranded abroad if they cease trading whilst you are away so you will be able to continue your holiday and return home on another flight.
How Does A Company Get an ATOL?
Before a company receives an ATOL it is thoroughly checked by the Civil Aviation Authority to reduce the risk of failure. As an ATOL protected company, The Savvy Flyer pay money into the Civil Aviation Authority financial protection scheme which is where the money comes from if you get stranded or your holiday company collapses.
Booking Your Flight or Holiday
You may book flights or holidays with a travel firm from other European countries. If this is the case you will not be ATOL protected and would fall under the jurisdiction of the country where the travel firm operates which may not offer stringent checks. You should always book your flight or holiday with an ATOL protected UK business.
How to Check if A Company is ATOL Protected?
It is easy to check whether the company you are booking with is ATOL protected. The company website will often display the ATOL logo but this is not always a guarantee the company is ATOL protected.
The Civil Aviation Authority has a website that allows you to check an ATOL
CAA ATOL Checker
Our ATOL number is T7562 which you can check at the CAA.
Situations Covered By ATOL
(The below information is taken from the ATOL website – https://www.caa.co.uk/ATOL-protection/Consumers/About-ATOL/ )
ATOL protection applies to virtually any overseas air holiday booked with a UK travel company. The law says your holiday must be protected if you book a holiday with a single travel firm that includes:
flights and accommodation (including a cruise), or
flights and car hire, or
flights, accommodation and car hire.
The scheme also applies when:
You book flights (including UK domestic flights) but do not receive your tickets immediately. This is most common with charter flights, but can also apply to discounted scheduled flights. Please note that ATOL does not apply to holidays or flights booked direct with scheduled airlines or to flights booked with airline ticket agents.
Your holiday involves at least one flight to or from the UK. For instance, a fly/cruise break where you travel out by ship and fly home, or a holiday in France where you travel out by Eurostar but fly home.
You book a package that includes UK domestic flights
Savvy Flyer are a responsible travel agent specialising in business class flights, first class flights and premium economy flights to long haul destinations across the globe.