Travellers in limbo after British holiday firm loses licence
The company, based in Berkshire, stopped trading as an Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) holder on June 13.
The Civil Aviation Authority 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."
It added: "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."
The Civil Aviation Authority has the power to prosecute under section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006. The maximum sentence for this offence is 10 years' imprisonment.
What do I do if my holiday company goes bust?
Check that you have ATOL protection. If the travel provider was an ATOL holder, you may be ATOL protected if you purchased a flight and have not received tickets and have been given an ATOL Certificate.
This was introduced in 1973, as the popularity of overseas trips grew. The scheme is run by us at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). When you purchase an ATOL protected trip which includes a flight, you should be given an ATOL Certificate.
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If your travel company becomes a failed ATOL holder when you are abroad, they help you to continue your trip by:
Assisting you to stay in your holiday accommodation, if possible.
Reimbursing you for any money you may have spent to replace ATOL protected parts of your trip, e.g. accommodation, car hire, transfers.
Arranging flights home, depending on the circumstance.
It is important to check that the travel company you are looking to book with holds an ATOL.
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North Wales Live
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UK holiday firm Great Little Escapes, identifiable under various guises such as Our Holidays, Great Little Escapes, and Tunisia First, has ceased trading, sparking chaos for many travellers. British tourists' travel plans have been thrown into disarray after Great Little Escapes was struck off the ATOL scheme and stopped trading. The company, based in Berkshire, boasted of offering the 'best cheap breaks in the UK,' with a particular focus on city escapes, whereas Your Holidays catered to a wide array of trips including hen and stag do's, LGBT getaways, and tailored packages. Stay in the loop with what's happening across Wales by subscribing to our newsletter right here. Industry news outlet TTG has revealed that the travel operator reported a loss close to £77,000 last year and had a deficit accumulating to £186,000 in 2023. British legislation mandates that all holiday companies selling trips and flights must be covered by an ATOL licence, providing financial safeguards to their clientele. This protection plan ensures that should a travel business fold, customers are entitled to complete their holiday or receive full reimbursement, reports Wales Online. In the wake of the company's collapse, ATOL (Air Travel Licensing Scheme) stated that it was "currently collating information from the company" and would provide advice as soon as possible. It advised people who might have been affected not to submit claims yet, as they would be rejected. But hundreds of summer holidays are now at risk and people are scrambling for answers. 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The first call should be to your travel agent, if you booked through one, to ensure your booking is still in place. All businesses that provide services in the EU must comply with consumer protection rules. The European Consumer Centres Network states: "If you book a holiday, rental car, accommodation or a flight in the EU, Norway or Iceland and encounter any issues, your consumer rights are there to protect you. If your flight is cancelled, your baggage is lost, your cruise doesn't go smoothly, or you miss your train connection, EU legislation will ensure you obtain redress." In the UK, travel companies that provide packages, including a flight, and sell them to customers must protect your money through the ATOL scheme. As the Post Office notes, this means that if you booked your overseas holiday with an ATOL member and it goes bust before you travel, you can apply to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for a full refund. 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Look for the ATOL logo when booking, and you should receive an ATOL certificate immediately after booking. You can also check a company's ATOL status on the CAA website. If you can't reach the travel company, contact your airline and accommodation provider directly to confirm your booking and check that they've received your payment. If everything checks out, you should be all set to go on your hols. However, if the booking doesn't exist or you can't get through to those companies, possibly because they've gone out of business, check your paperwork to determine whether you've ABTA or ATOL protection. Making a claim The Civil Aviation Authority notes that the refund process is quite straightforward. ATOL-protected consumers complete an ATOL Claim Form, and it then requests the documentation from the ATOL holder issued to the customer. They will request evidence of payment to the ATOL holder or overseas supplier, depending on your claim type. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox In some cases where you've paid by credit card, they may direct you to contact your card issuer for a refund. For more details, visit their website. How to make a claim Check your ATOL certificate or invoice to confirm that the trip was ATOL-protected and lists the ATOL holder. Visit the CAA ATOL Claims Portal to submit your case as the Lead Passenger You'll need to provide an ATOL certificate/reference, booking and payment details, receipts for any extra costs The CAA then processes the claim and may seek reimbursement through a credit card provider (Section 75), in some cases. Will Travel insurance cover me? Travel insurance doesn't usually cover you if your holiday company goes bust - but some policies do include cover for things like "end supplier failure" or "scheduled airline failure." It's definitely worth having a quick look at the fine print to see if you're protected. Do I have Credit card protection? 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