ATOL protection: what it covers and how to claim a refund

ATOL protection is a scheme run by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that protects a traveller's money and holiday if a travel firm collapses. It covers package holidays that include a flight and so-called Flight-Plus trips. Here is how it works and how to get a refund. The details come from CAA and ATOL pages.

What exactly does ATOL protect?

ATOL protects trips where a flight is sold together with accommodation or other services as a package. When you buy a protected trip you must be issued an ATOL Certificate — your proof of protection, which you should keep. Non-air packages without a flight are not covered by ATOL: other schemes, such as ABTA and AiTO, apply to those.

ONLYWAY NEWSLIVEJobs & Business · 03.11Confirmation statement: a company's yearly Companies House filingLife · 03.11Illness and driving: when you must tell DVLA and what silence costsTravel · 03.11ATOL protection: what it covers and how to claim a refundTax · 03.11Marriage Allowance in 2026: how couples can cut their tax by up to £252 a yearMoney · 03.11Attendance Allowance in 2026: up to £114.60 a week for older people needing careLife · 03.11NHS specialist referral: who makes it and how to choose a hospitalTravel · 03.11Baggage lost, delayed or damaged: how to get your money backMoney · 03.11Carer’s Allowance in 2026: £86.45 a week for looking after someoneTax · 03.11How to register as an employer for PAYE in the UKLaw · 03.11Statutory declaration: what it is and when you need oneONLYWAY NEWS · appInstall the ONLYWAY NEWS appFresh UK news, classifieds, key dates and exchange rates on your home screen, one tap away. Free.NewsClassifiedsCalendarRates

What happens if the firm fails while you are abroad?

The CAA checks the status of the services in your package and tries to help you finish your stay and return as planned. Most return flights run as scheduled; if they do not, the CAA may arrange replacements and publishes the times and departure airports on its website and social media. If a supplier (such as a hotel) demands payment again because the failed firm never paid them, you can include those costs in an ATOL claim.

What if you have not travelled yet?

Then the trip may not go ahead if the services are no longer available; the CAA publishes advice for each failure on its latest-failures page. ATOL Flight-Only tickets are a separate case: check with the airline whether the ticket is still valid. Where it is, you have no ATOL claim — you simply fly.

How do you make a claim and get your money back?

Complete an ATOL Claim Form and attach the documents the travel firm issued, plus proof of payment — to the firm or to an overseas supplier. For some card payments you may be referred to your card issuer, with an ATOL Negative Response Letter. If the failure caught you abroad, you can also claim replacement costs, such as accommodation. The CAA says it aims to process claims promptly.

How can you be sure a trip is protected?

Look for the word ATOL and the certificate before you pay. If a flight is part of the package but no ATOL Certificate is issued, that is a warning sign. The scheme is run by the CAA — a public regulator, not the travel firm — so your protection does not rest on the seller's promises.

ONLYWAY NEWS explains travellers' rights and procedures in plain language.