Time running out for Flight Plus licences
Agents are being urged to register for the new Flight Plus ATOL regulations as time is running out.
The Government has ratified the Flight Plus ATOL regulations in Parliament, confirming that 30 April will be the date the new licences are implemented.
The travel trade has been sceptical about whether the deadline can be achieved but agents selling flights without the proper licence could face enforcement further down the line.
ABTA has today accused the Government of underestimating the complexity of the administration process.
Chief executive Mark Tanzer said the Government’s unwillingness to budge on the deadline "represents a missed opportunity to ensure that more travel arrangements are financially protected from the date of launch. That will lead to more consumer confusion".
"There are now just 14 working days to go until the April deadline for travel businesses to secure their ATOL licensing arrangements yet we are still waiting for clarity on key elements of the proposals such as what is included and what is exempt, and what is required in the wording of an Agency Agreement. Until the list of exemptions and Standard Terms are published, many travel businesses may still be unsure what kind of ATOL cover they need," he said.
The Civil Aviation Authority says its one-to-one briefings have been fully subscribed but urged all agents to get in touch.
A spokesman said: "We’ve released a guide and we hope people have been looking at it and seeing how it affects their business.
"If they haven’t, they should get in touch.
"There isn’t a great deal of time between now and then. We realise it’s a lot of change for some agents but down the line enforcement action will take place if they are selling flights without a licence."
Click here for more information on the ATOL reform.
Diane
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