Holidaymakers facing chaos as UK travel company loses ATOL licence
Holidaymakers have been left in limbo this summer after a travel company lost its ATOL protection. Great Little Escapes, a firm based in Berkshire, ceased to be a holder of an Air Travel Organisers' Licence (ATOL) on Friday, June 13.
The downgrading has thrown holiday plans into chaos for its customers. Great Little Escapes, which is based in Berkshire, sold holiday packages and claimed to offer the "best cheap breaks in the UK".
On the company's website it says: "Holidays to the most iconic cities in the world. Find your next city break with Great Little Escapes." But it is feared that thousands of summer breaks are now at risk after the company stopped trading as an ATOL holder last week.
An ATOL is crucial for companies selling holidays that include flights.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said Great Little Escapes traded under several names. The CAA advised concerned customers they were working to gather information at this time and would provide updates when they could.
They said: "The company based in Sandhurst, Berkshire, traded under the names Your Holidays, Great Little Escapes, Tunisia First and websites www.themaldives.co.uk, www.yourholidays.co.uk, www.thecaribbean.com and www.greatlittleescapes.co.uk.
"We are currently collating information from the company and will update this page as soon as possible. Whilst waiting for further information, please do not submit a claim as these will be rejected."
The company is different from and not connected in any way to Great Little Breaks.
The ATOL scheme is a UK financial protection scheme which aims to protect those who book package holidays with flights.
The CAA also issued advice to travel agents saying: 'If you are a travel agent of Great Little Escapes LLP and you are currently holding consumer payments which you have not yet paid to Great Little Escapes LLP, you must not use these funds to refund consumers until you have received instructions from the Air Travel Trust.
"Travel agents will be individually contacted by the CAA with specific instructions for these bookings."
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The closure follows Balkan Holidays ceased trading in the UK in April and cancelled all future trips. Customers were left scrambling to make other arrangements.
The company was founded in 1966 and specialised in trips to the Balkan region of Europe. This included trips to Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Malta and Northern Cyprus.
Those who had booked holidays were told to expect refunds in the coming weeks.
Also in April, Jetline Travel went into administration. It came a month after the 25-year-old company's ATOL status was removed. It also traded under several other names including Bargain Late Holidays, Best Priced Holidays, Cruise and More, Elegant Getaways, Our Best Holidays and Save on Sun.
The London-based company is also the parent of Jetline Cruise.
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