Poll highlights confusion over airline failure protection
More than half of holidaymakers wrongly believe that booking a scheduled flight directly with an airline means they are financially protected in the event of failure.
A poll of 1,000 TUI UK travellers found that 90% said that having their holiday financially protected was important to them.
But there was confusion over what is protected.
Despite a government commitment to encourage scheduled airlines to communicate that flight-only bookings are not protected by the ATOL scheme, over 50% of passengers wrongly believed that having paid upfront for their flights in good faith, their money would be protected if the airline went bankrupt, Thomson said.
The operator’s commercial director David Burling said: “The collapse of Zoom highlights that it is time the government puts in place a proper system of financial protection for its citizens.
“The EU wants all consumers to be protected whilst on holiday; however only approximately a third of UK holiday makers travel on a package which is financially protected, which means continued lack of government action leaves the remaining two thirds at risk.
“Until action is taken, the only sure way for UK citizens to holiday knowing their money is financially protected is to travel on an ATOL bonded package holiday.â€
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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