Sunglasses, first-aid kit and currency – they’re probably all on your holiday must-haves list, but what about financial protection of your holiday? According to a survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of the Department for Transport, over half of holidaymakers (57%) don’t always check if their holiday is protected when they book. To help with your travel planning, the Government has published information on financial protection aimed specifically at holidaymakers on the Directgov website…
Sunglasses, first-aid kit and currency – they’re probably all on your holiday must-haves list, but what about financial protection of your holiday? According to a survey carried out by YouGov on behalf of the Department for Transport, over half of holidaymakers (57%) don’t always check if their holiday is protected when they book.
To help with your travel planning, the Government has published information on financial protection aimed specifically at holidaymakers on the Directgov website www.direct.gov.uk/holidayprotection. Almost half of those surveyed (43%) admitted not knowing where to go for advice on whether their holiday is protected, or for advice on what to do if their travel company or airline goes out of business (49%). So now is the right time, as the peak travel season approaches, to inform travellers that this information is now available on the Directgov website.
It is very rare for an airline or tour operator to go bust but it’s essential to know what protection is available to make sure your holiday is as stress free as possible should plans go wrong.
The information available at direct.gov.uk/holidayprotection will help you understand the various types of financial protection available, which can be different depending on whether you have booked a package holiday or made plans independently. The YouGov survey showed 32% of people planning holidays would not be booking a package holiday; the money they have paid could be vulnerable whereas air package holidaymakers are protected under the ATOL scheme.
Even amongst those holidaymakers surveyed who had travel insurance, at least 34% fail to check if their travel insurance covers them against airline failure. Many policies exclude scheduled airline failure insurance (SAFI) so consumers should read the small print if they want this.
This new Directgov ‘holiday protection’ page aims to help you make smart travel plans and includes some essential facts.
Did you know…?
- There are different types of travel protection available depending on the type of holiday you book
- Independent travellers who book with an airline by credit card may be able to reclaim the price of the lost flights (for amounts over £100)
- ATOL is a financial protection scheme which all companies selling air holiday packages in the UK are bound by. Under ATOL, if any part of the package fails, the tour operator (or if that fails, the CAA) provides a 100% refund or replacement holiday and repatriates holidaymakers who are already abroad, after completion of their holiday
- Your invoice, issued by your travel company, will show whether your holiday is ATOL-protected. This is an important document and you should take it on holiday with you as proof of cover
- Passengers who are abroad in the event of a failure (and who are not protected under the ATOL scheme) normally have to organise their own journey home
- Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance (SAFI) is included in some but not all travel insurance policies
The Government suggests that you should think about whether you want cover for the cost of your holiday and any extra costs you could face if the company you are travelling with goes bust. This might depend on:
-The cost of your trip
– How cheaply or easily you could get home if something goes wrong
Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick said: “Half of the people surveyed are planning a trip in the next 12 months so we want to ensure that holidaymakers have the right information about what they can do to protect their holidays. There are numerous types of financial protection available, so the launch of the ‘holiday protection’ information on Directgov aims to outline the facts and help you make the right decisions according to your travel plans. It’s only very occasionally that holidays go wrong, but smart planning can make all the difference in helping you return home with minimal problems and expense”.
Michelle Shambrook, operations manager, Consumer Direct commented: “Having handled many calls from confused holidaymakers in the past, we know just how essential it is for consumers to have the right information. If there is any uncertainty when booking holidays or flights our recommendation to consumers is to seek advice about the protection available.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
