The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been called in to protect customers booked with Allbury Travel Group after the company ceased trading today.
Allbury Travel Group, trading as Libra Holidays, Argo Holidays and JetLife, held ATOL licence 0324 and was based in Hertfordshire. It operated air package holidays and flights out of Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and Leeds Bradford airports to Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt and sold mainly through travel agents.
There are fewer than 100 holidaymakers currently abroad and approximately 4,000 customers with forward bookings who are yet to travel.
The CAA, under its ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licensing) scheme, is making arrangements for customers abroad to complete their holidays and return to the UK and to fully refund those with forward bookings.
The CAA is currently issuing the following advice to Allbury customers:
Customers due to travel
If you are due to travel on an Allbury Travel Group holiday do not go to your departure airport as all holidays have been cancelled. You should submit a claim to the CAA. Claim forms are available on the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. Allbury customers with forward bookings can contact the CAA for more information on 0844 856 2585.
Customers currently abroad on holiday
The CAA will be making arrangements to ensure customers on Allbury Travel Group holidays remain in their holiday accommodation and fly home as planned. Information will be made available to representatives and hoteliers in resort. Allbury customers who are currently abroad should contact the CAA for more information on 0044 203 441 0846.
For media enquiries please contact the CAA press office on: 0207 453 6030.
Notes to Editors:
ATOL (short for Air Travel Organisers' Licensing) is managed by the CAA and gives comprehensive protection from losing money or being stranded abroad to over 26 million people in the UK who buy air holidays and flights from tour operators each year. It is by far the largest travel protection scheme in the UK, and the only one for flights and air holidays sold by tour operators.
All tour operators selling flights and air holidays must hold a licence from the CAA. If a Licence holder fails, the CAA is responsible for ensuring customers are either repatriated to the UK or receive a refund of payments made.
Repatriation costs and refunds are met by the Air Travel Trust Fund, the funds of which come from a £2.50 per person contribution, called the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC), each licence holder is required to make when it accepts a booking under its ATOL. In some circumstances a licence holder will have also provided a bond, which is used in the first instance to protect customers.
Further information about ATOL is available on the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk.
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