Travellers reminded to check holiday cover

Holidaymakers should ensure they have the correct holiday protection in place before jetting off on cheap flights, advises the Department of Transport.In excess of 30 million holiday flights leave UK airports each year but many travellers do not consider the risks of tour operator failure. Therefore, the government is planning to update the current ATOL holiday protection scheme to reflect the recent changes in how consumers book cheap flights and holidays.

Theresa Villiers, aviation minister, explained: “We are working right now on what can be done to make the scheme better suited to today’s holiday industry and improve the clarity of the scheme.”

She added any holidaymakers should refer to the DirectGov website to learn more about the scheme as well as finding more about holiday protection provided by travel insurance and credit card companies.

All UK travel companies offering holidays and flights are required to hold a special licence in order to operate. Such firms are then issued with a special number that can be checked on the ATOL website.

Written by Erin Marshall.