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Holidays with AITO members offer 100% full financial protection
Financial protection is something that we don't normally think about until something goes wrong, of course - and that's the time when we regret not having looked into it properly. It's a complex issue, particularly in the travel industry - but you can relax when you book an AITO holiday because AITO members comply with the highest standards of consumer protection. Every AITO holiday is backed not only by AITO's Quality Charter but also by full financial protection.
Quite simply, if an AITO operator goes out of business for any reason, you will (depending on your holiday dates) either receive a full refund or will be able to complete your holiday as planned, with repatriation arranged at the end of your holiday. You will not be required to pay anything else and all arrangements will be made on your behalf. This is the security offered by financial protection
In these times of change - the web and no-frills airlines being two key areas - it's even more important to know your hard-earned money is safe. Did you know that, when you book direct or via the web with a scheduled (including no-frills) airline, you do not have financial protection? Did you know that over 15 no-frills airlines have gone out of business in the last 24 months? Did you know that national carriers such as Swissair and Sabena have also ceased to trade?
In the last few months we have seen Zoom, XL and Silverjet all collapse leaving customers stranded abroad and tens of thousands of customers losing their money having paid in advance. Many have found that they were unable to claim it back (even when they have paid with a credit card, because there are so many exclusions with different credit card companies).
AITO Bonded tour operators, however, offer full financial protection - and many operators will happily book a no-frills flight for their customers, which means the flight will then be protected via the operator's consumer protection.
There are many different ways for tour operators to arrange financial protection for their clients. Air-inclusive holidays are, for example, protected by the Air Travel Organisers' Licence (ATOL) and monitored by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Non-air holidays (self-drive by car, or travel by coach or train, for example) can be covered by a wide range of DTI-approved organisations, including AITO Trust (AITO's own bonding arm), ABTA, the Travel Trust Association and others.
AITO holiday protection makes it simple for you, however. No matter the type of holiday you book, you can relax in the knowledge that AITO monitors its members closely and that AITO offers you its own guarantee of financial protection. It means that you can relax and enjoy your AITO holiday from the moment that you book it!
For further information about Financial holiday protection, please visit: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/TravellingAbroad/BeforeYouTravel/DG_175232 or visit the ATOL website: www.caa.co.uk
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