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ABTA
For
your peace of mind, always check that the UK travel agent and/or
tour operator you are dealing with are ABTA members. If they are,
you can be confident;
-
that the tour operator or travel agent is
financially sound
-
that the descriptions in their brochure are
accurate
-
that they will handle your booking with the highest standards
of service and quality
-
that your money is safe
-
that you will never
be stranded abroad.
The Codes of Conduct and procedures that
lie behind this commitment have been developed over a number of
years. If there is any more information or advice ABTA can help
you with, you can write to them at
the following address:- ABTA, 68-71 Newman Street, London W1T
3AH. or phone (+44) 020 7637 2444.
For most people, their holiday
is the highlight of the year. Let ABTA help to make sure that
everything runs as smoothly as possible on your holiday.
Financial Protection
ABTA takes great care in checking the financial
position of your travel agent and tour operator to reduce the
risk of anything going wrong. In the unlikely event that it does,
ABTA’s discretionary scheme of financial protection will
be in place. This protects the monies that you pay to ABTA travel
agents and tour operators and means that: if you are already on
holiday, you will normally be able to continue as originally planned
you will never be stranded abroad. if you have not yet started
your holiday, you will get your money back or, where possible,
arrangements will be made for you to continue with the planned
holiday. If you buy flight-based packages or discounted air seats
from an ABTA tour operator, protection will normally be provided
by the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing Scheme (ATOL) operated
by the Civil Aviation Authority. Please note, however, that in
the event of the failure of a non-ABTA tour operator, even if
the booking was made through an ABTA agent, you may not be protected
by ABTA.
You should ask your agent to obtain from the tour operator details
of what financial protection is in place in the event of their
failure. Completed holidays or contracts that have been broken
at the time of the financial failure are not protected by ABTA’s
scheme of financial protection. If you have a holiday booked with
a failed ABTA travel agent or tour operator contact ABTA's Claims
Department for assistance and advice. Tel: (+44) 020 7637 2444
QUALITY THAT SHOWS. The ABTA Codes of Conduct mean that every
one of our travel agents and tour operators has to work to the
highest standards of service and quality.
Descriptions
of travel arrangements must be compiled according to comprehensive
guidelines set by ABTA to ensure clarity and accuracy. ABTA members
are required to give you comprehensive advice on insurance, visas,
passports, health requirements, and any alterations to your travel
arrangements. Each ABTA member's office contains properly qualified
staff. ABTA's Travel Training Company provide comprehensive courses
for staff at all levels, in order to help ABTA members give you
the best advice. When you see the distinctive ABTA symbol in your
tour operators brochure, in your travel agent's window, or on
letterheads and advertising, you can be sure you've picked the
right people to deal with.
Complaints
Resolved
Complaints about holidays are best dealt
with on the spot by our representative. If you need to take the
matter further you should first raise it with the travel agent
with whom you booked your holiday. The agent may be able to help
resolve the problem, but if not he or she will raise it with us.
If you've followed these steps but still have a dispute, ABTA
can help.
Because
ABTA provide a low cost independent arbitration service to their
members' clients, administered by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
It is a simple inexpensive way to reach a legally binding solution,
and does not require you to attend court as it is all done by
paperwork. The availability of this service does not affect your
rights to resolve a dispute through the courts. When you have
taken the matter up with your travel agent and / or ourselves
but have not had a reply after 28 days or have received an unsatisfactory
reply please write to ABTA's Consumer Affairs Department.
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