Atol

Has travel hit ‘peak package’? Or is there more to come?

With Atol authorisations hitting their highest levels ever, Gary Noakes dissects the latest round of Atol renewals – and explores where the industry has hit ‘peak Atol’

InteleTravel explains decision to cut down Atol size

InteleTravel president James Ferrara has told TTG that only a small number of homeworkers can operate under InteleTravel’s Atol licence of 501 passengers

New Atol portal to automatically verify consumer claims following failures

Alongside the new claims portal, the CAA will roll out a master booking database to better manage data provided by failed Atol holders

EasyJet holidays hikes Atol capacity by a third as Jet2 retains top spot

EasyJet holidays will operate around 750,000 extra Atol-protected seats over the next 12 months, while Jet2holidays has extended its Atol past the seven million mark

Industry veterans Kevin Coles and Andy Speight join forces to launch trade-only brand

Former Travel 2 exec Kevin Coles joins forces with Travelgenix boss Andy Speight to launch new online operator aimed exclusively at agents

Court Line at 50: how travel's then biggest failure shaped its future for the better

Court Line’s failure 50 years ago changed travel’s trajectory for ever – this month, Dave Richardson explores the lessons the industry and the trade learnt

Limited failures sees Air Travel Trust pot rebound to nearly £200 million

The Air Travel Trust Fund stands at £199 million following a few small failures in 2023/24, the CAA has confirmed in its annual report – albeit still well down on pre-Thomas Cook levels

Agency run by disqualified director wound up as potential victims urged to come forward

Zulu Travel Services, which had business addresses registered in Birkenhead, Chester, Manchester and London, was wound up last month

Trailfinders proposes ‘interim’ measure for Atol scheme

Agency’s bosses say their plan would “further remove risk” for the Air Travel Trust

Abta chief urges next government not to price out travellers with green measures

Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer has spelt out what he thinks the incoming government should do for the travel industry, warning net zero requirements must not penalise ordinary consumers

Party manifestos – what should we expect for travel?

Abta’s Luke Petherbridge outlines what the travel industry should expect - or not - from party manifestos forming the state of play for the upcoming general election

Advantage confident package travel and Atol reforms will deliver better rules

Variable Atol protection contribution likely but proposed new rules around segregation of client monies likely to be ’watered down’ says Advantage chief operating officer Paul Nunn

The Big Question: Has travel added too much capacity for summer 2024?

Travel is hopeful of a bumper summer with record Atol capacity available to sell, but is there sufficient demand to shift it all without a fire sale?

Captivating Cuba's demise 'should be a wake-up call to government' – Aito

Chair Chris Rowles urges ministers need to ensure the views of the specialist tour operator community are heard following the failure of one of the association’s members

Captivating Cuba ceases trading as Atol holder after more than 25 years

CAA confirms failure of Stevenage-based Cuba specialist

Brexit blamed as ski operator Alpine Action ceases trading after 30 years

Alpine Action’s collapse has been blamed on Brexit by its agency partner Ski Line

European tailor-made brand targets agents with UK market launch

Paris-based Worldia has launched in the UK after it was granted an Atol, aiming to become a go-to tech-led B2B brand for agents

CAA chiefs plead to MPs for powers to tackle rogue airlines and match rising consumer expectation

Parliament’s transport committee told the authority need similar powers to other watchdogs to bring airlines into line on issues like consumer welfare and refunds

Travel entering ‘pivotal five-year period’ as general election looms – Abta

The association has published a manifesto ahead of the imminent poll to ensure travel’s needs are publicly outlined to parliamentarians

UK's largest OTA adds more than one million seats to its Atol

Loveholidays has cemented its position as the UK’s biggest OTA and third-largest Atol-holder with a big leap in licensed capacity added during the spring renewal period

Spring Atol renewals indicate ‘growing demand for packages’ – CAA

CAA says the March round of Atol renewals indicates healthy demand for package travel

AmaWaterways shifts to flight-inclusive pricing following agent feedback

AmaWaterways will offer UK guests flight-inclusive pricing as well as cruise-only options in response to agents’ wishes

'More top Atol holders must make firm commitments on sustainability'

Less than a third (30%) of the UK’s biggest travel companies have proactively and publicly published comprehensive sustainability plans, new research carried out in partnership with the ITT’s Sustainability Committee has revealed.

We at TerraVerde Sustainability analysed the websites of the UK’s top 50 Atol holders for evidence of their sustainability commitments and strategies, while also evaluating their efforts to promote sustainable travel choice.

The findings revealed:

More than £12 million lost to holiday fraud last year

Victims were defrauded out of a combined total of £12.3 million last year, according to Action Fraud