Standard ATOL

Application for a Standard ATOL

Making an Application

Please note that it is not possible to provide detailed information on the likely requirements for the grant of a licence, as each application is different. When an application is received it is allocated to a case officer and they will write to the applicant, usually within two weeks, to introduce themselves and request any additional information required. This case officer will remain responsible for the application until a licence is granted and will be in a position to provide more detailed advice to an applicant.

Our fees for making a Standard ATOL application are £1,890 plus 11.85p per passenger is required. A full list of ATOL charges can be found in the Official Record Series 5 - Scheme of Charges

General Requirements

You will need to apply for a Standard ATOL if:

  • You intend to carry more than 500 passengers a year.
  • You intend to carry less than 500 passengers a year, but fall into one of the categories restricting you from holding a Small Business ATOL such as:
    • the people in control of the business have previously been involved with a failed ATOL holder, in particular where there was a call on the back-up fund, the Air Travel Trust;
    • you expect your business to carry annually more than 500 passengers within the first three years during which you hold a licence.

General Financial & Fitness Requirements

As part of the Standard ATOL application process, the CAA will assess the finances of your business, which will need to meet our financial criteria. This is based around a surplus of free assets sufficient to support the levels of turnover projected. Surplus free asset levels vary dependent upon the experience/trading record of the people in control of the business and the level of risk involved, but will not be lower than 5% of projected turnover.

Legally, the CAA must be satisfied that the people who own/control the business are fit to hold a licence. It will request details of the history of the people in a position of influence within an applicant and consider if they are likely to operate in a proper manner if granted a licence. If its preliminary view is that the people are unfit to hold a licence, it will issue a proposal to refuse the licence application, setting out the reasons for reaching the view and giving the applicant an opportunity to make representations against the proposal.

The CAA has issued a policy note which sets out the personal fitness criteria.

Apply for a Standard ATOL

Application Form
How to Apply Guide
Bond Forms  

Please send to:

ATOL New Applicants
CAA House
45-59 Kingsway
London
WC2B 6TE

Application Process

Submit an Application

An application form should be completed and sent to us, together with the applicable application fee. We have produced a guide to assist in the completion of the application form. The application form includes financial projections which needs to be completed for a minimum period of 12 months. If you are unsure of how to complete the projections please talk to your accountants/auditors.

Initial Assessment

The application will be allocated to a case officer who will aim to undertake an initial assessment within two weeks, and will contact the applicant to request any additional information. No further progress can be made until any requested additional information, is provided by the applicant.

Once all requested information has been received, the case will be submitted to a Manager who will consider setting up a meeting with the applicant.

Formal Meeting

At the meeting, we will go through the financial aspects of the case in detail, setagainst our published criteria, and outline set out any necessary cash injections. We will also outline any fitness aspects relevant to the case. Finally, we will briefly run through the administration requirements to maintain the licence, and give the applicant the opportunity to raise any queries.

In most cases, a decision on the application will be concluded at or very soon after the meeting.

Offer Letter

Provided the applicant accepts the decision proposed at or following the meeting, a formal decision letter is issued, listing all the requirements necessary to grant a licence. The decision letter allows the applicant up to two months to meet the requirements. Once all the requirements specified in the letter have been met the licence is granted and the ATOL number will be given to the company.