The APC, which is set at £2.50, is a per passenger charge payable by licence holders to the Air Travel Trust Fund which becomes payable each time a consumer books a product covered by your licence. A passenger is defined as a person who is two years of age or more, on any date of travel.
To find out more, click on the questions below:
How often do I need to report and pay the APC?
The type and size of your licence will determine when and how frequently you make APC payments. APC reporting is retrospective, please refer to the APC Return and Payment Frequency Chart to see what category you fit in to.
How do I know how much APC is needed from my company?
Your APC figures are based on sales of flight inclusive packages (Single-contract and Multi-contract) or flight only seats that are sold under your ATOL licence to members of the public, both direct and through a retail travel agent.
The APC is not required for 'ATOL to ATOL' business.
For example, on a booking for four people, £10.00 APC will be due.
How do I report my figures to pay my APC?
You can report your figures in two ways:
Online reporting
The CAA's preferred method for collection of your passenger figures is via the online reporting facility for ATOL holders accessible via ATOL Online
Paper reporting
If you don't have regular access to the internet, or you do not wish to report your figures via the APC website portal, you will be able to continue to submit paper returns which are available to download on the APC Forms page. The CAA must receive these returns within 14 days of the period end to avoid breaching the terms of your licence.
How and when do I pay my APC?
The CAA's preferred method is to set up a Direct Debit. To use this method simply complete the Direct Debit form and return to the APC team at the address provided.
You may also pay by bank transfer, to the ATT account shown here. Payment must be made in GBP only and you will need to ensure your APC payment is received by the ATT within six weeks, as set out in the APC Return and Payment Frequency Chart, to avoid breaching the terms of your licence.
For any other methods of payment please contact a member of the APC team on 020 7453 6470 or by email on apc@caa.co.uk for details.
What happens if we do not pay our APC on time?
The requirement to report the APC is included in the ATOL Standard Terms. Failure to report the APC is therefore a breach of the Standard Terms and the Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers' Licensing) Regulations 2012 (as amended) ATOL holders' would risk action being taken against them.
Missing the payment deadline is an offence under Regulation 7 (standard ATOL Holders) or 8(2) (SBA's) of The Civil Aviation (Contributions to the Air Travel Trust) Regulations 2007 (as amended).
What happens to my APC contribution?
Your APC contribution will go into the Air Travel Trust Fund (ATTF). The ATTF's primary function is to protect consumers in the event of a tour operator going out of business. This fund will be used to refund passengers with forward bookings and repatriate passengers stranded abroad.
Is APC a charge on consumers?
No, the APC is a per passenger charge payable by ATOL holders to the Air Travel Trust, not individual passengers. This means it should not appear as an additional passenger charge or 'tax' in brochures, websites or on ATOL Certificates.
What should I say to consumers who ask about the APC?
You can say that the APC is a £2.50 per person contribution ATOL tour operators make to the CAA to protect the money they pay for their holiday or flight. In the unlikely event of a business going bust, the CAA will refund money paid over and arrange for people abroad to fly home.
Is APC due on cancelled bookings?
Yes, APC is a charge generated on the booking of a licensable trip. When a booking is made, the passenger's money will be protected from that moment until they return from their trip. In the event of a cancellation consumers' deposits are protected until a refund is paid to the consumers.
How to contact the APC Team
You can contact ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) by email on apc@caa.co.uk.
Before submitting an enquiry, please ensure that the answer you seek is not contained within these FAQs.
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