All contact I made with Kaye Mansbridge was responded to quickly and questions always answered fully. Good communication via various methods. I am very happy with the result of my claim.

E.L.Nash

Blog

Evidence that ATOL really does provide protection for holidaymakers

Fri 30th Dec 2011 Claims abroad

As we reflect on 2011, the travel industry can look back at a year which has seen 24 travel companies collapse leading to some 74,000 holidaymakers benefiting from the protection offered by the ATOL scheme.

If you thought 2011 was a bad year for travel company failures then you only need to compare the figures with those from 2010. Back then, 239 companies collapsed causing chaos for some 189,000 travellers. While the number of travel companies going bust fell over 2011, it was the timing and the type of companies going bust that seems to have caused the problems. Many went under during the peak summer travel period. There was also an increase in the number of long haul specialists who ceased trading. The knock on effect was an increase in the average compensation award under the ATOL scheme, inevitable given that long haul holidays cost more.

What is clear from these numbers is that ATOL is offering effective protection to thousands of holidaymakers each year. With an uncertain outlook for the economy in 2012, and reforms of the ATOL scheme expected in the early part of next year, this is set to continue.

For more information contact Chris Deacon, a Solicitor in Blake Lapthorn's Claims Abroad team on 023 8085 7399 or christopher.deacon@bllaw.co.uk