Thousands of British holidaymakers face uncertainty after popular travel firm collapses — are you affected?
It arranges people already overseas to be flown home and reimburses financial losses suffered by those with future trips.
ATOL was first called on to help consumers in 1974 when Court Line, the UK's second largest tour operator at the time, collapsed, leaving around 35,000 travellers abroad.
It brought 140,000 people back to the UK after Thomas Cook went out of business in September 2019 - the UK's largest peacetime repatriation.
Other major operations include when airline Monarch went bust in October 2017 and when tour operator XL Leisure Group collapsed in September 2008.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Out
12-08-2025
- Time Out
The surprising country named Europe's most popular holiday destination this summer
Picture the summer holidays, and it's likely gold, sandy beaches and calm blue waters spring to mind. However, it seems that as temperatures soar, city breaks are becoming a summer go-to, for adventure and, dare we say it, air-con. According to data collected by online booking agent Thomas Cook, these are the destinations getting the most city bookings, and the top contenders are a little surprising. Coming in first? That'd be Poland, where 17 percent of bookings were made. The capital city, Krakow, with varieties of Romanesque, Modernist and Gothic architecture, its UNESCO-listed Old Town and historical significance during WWII, offers all the things a good city should, while remaining charmingly down-to-earth. To get your summertime waterside fix, wander along the Vistula River where you'll find Wawel Castle (which once housed Polish royals) and has now been transformed into one of Poland's top art museums. After the riverwalk, stay cool indoors with a visit the Museum of Contemporary Art, Krakow (MOCAK), which is home to work by talented Polish and international artists. For a lesson on Krakow's history, History buffs can visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, as well as the Rynek Underground museum beneath the Main Market Square (Europe's largest medieval square), for a lesson on Krakow's history. Hungary comes at a close second with 13 percent, with cities like Budapest blooming with contemporary hotels, rooftop bars and thermal baths that make the perfect alternative to beachy breaks. And the city has no shortage in culture either: Budapest boasts a shedload of museums that range from art and photography, to history and horror. The most predictable on the list might be Italy, ranking in third place with 11 percent. When it comes to cities in this ever-popular summer destination, travellers can take their pick. Feel the ancient history of gladiators course through the Colosseum in Rome, feast in the best restaurants in Florence or float along the Venetian Lagoon waters in Venice. Here's Thomas Cook's full list of Europe's top city break destinations. These are the most popular destinations for summer holidays, according to Thomas Cook Poland Hungary Italy Spain Ireland Did you see that Tokyo has been named the world's best city for a 'workation '?
Edinburgh Live
07-08-2025
- Edinburgh Live
TikTok travel expert warns British tourists of new passport rule coming in days
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Travel expert Vix Aguilera, an ATOL and ABTA protected UK travel agent, has issued a crucial warning to all British passport holders planning European trips from 12th October onwards. In a TikTok video, she detailed changes to eGates, the automated self-service border control systems. "A new EES [Entry/Exit system] is going to apply to all non-EU citizens visiting the Schengen area and basically it will replace the need to queue and get a stamp," she started. The shift will require travellers to provide facial recognition and fingerprints at a new self-service kiosk instead. "You will be giving your biometric data upon arrival to the country," Vix clarified. "This is then going to be stored on a central database and linked to your UK travel guru advised that this record will remain valid for three years, meaning you only need to undergo the process once when you first enter." Now this is the interesting bit - it's going to be rolled out from 12th October in a phased approach," Vix added." So although every country is within their rights to do it straight away to cut down on the need for extra queues, reports Bristol Live. "She continued: "The way they are going to be doing this is by staggering it, so from days one to 29 there's going to be no minimum requirement and after that there's going to be 10% of passengers required to scan etc. " However, according to travel expert Vix, there's no need for immediate worry as airport security staff will be on hand to guide travellers through the new process upon arrival. "You just turn up to the eGates then have yourself directed by staff," she also warned not to mix up these changes with the forthcoming ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorization System - a new requirement for visa-exempt nationals visiting 30 European countries. "That's not going to be rolled out until the latter end of 2026 - and that will require a pre-travel authorisation," she who will be impacted by the change on October 12? Vix continued: "Obviously if you are travelling from this date, if you are going to a Schengen area, and if you are a non-EU citizen and you are looking to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. "One TikTok user expressed their appreciation for the clear explanation: "Thank you for explaining this so well. I was confused thinking it's the ETS, and since I'm travelling in December, worried that it being new might give me issues, but this is good info to have. "The reason behind these changes? The UK government's website, which provides further details, explains: "EES is designed to improve border security within the EU and its neighbouring countries, and reduce illegal migration in the Schengen area. It will automate border control checks to help the EU stop visitors overstaying. " The statement further explains: "The checks may take a few minutes, so be prepared to wait during busy times. If you enter the Schengen area through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras International, EES checks will be completed at the border, before you leave the UK. You may also need to provide either your fingerprint or photo when you leave the Schengen area. ". The countries affected include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Edinburgh Live
07-08-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Travel expert issues warning to Brits heading to Europe after October 12
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A travel expert has issued a warning to all British passport holders who are planning a trip to Europe from October 12th onwards. Vix Aguilera, who is an ATOL and ABTA protected UK travel agent, took to TikTok to detail changes being made to eGates, which are automated self-service border control systems. "A new EES [Entry/Exit system] is going to apply to all non-EU citizens visiting the Schengen area and basically it will replace the need to queue and get a stamp," she began. The alteration will see travellers instead required to provide facial recognition and fingerprints at a new self-service kiosk. "You will be giving your biometric data upon arrival to the country," Vix explained, reports Bristol Live. "This is then going to be stored on a central database and linked to your UK travel agent advised that the record will remain valid for three years and therefore you only need to carry out the process once when you first enter." Now this is the interesting bit - it's going to be rolled out from October 12th in a phased approach," Vix added." So although every country is within their rights to do it straight away to cut down on the need for extra queues. "She went on to note: "The way they are going to be doing this is by staggering it, so from days one to 29 there's going to be no minimum requirement and after that there's going to be 10% of passengers required to scan etc. " However, according to travel expert Vix, there's no need for immediate worry as airport security staff will be on hand to guide travellers through the new process upon arrival. "You just turn up to the eGates then have yourself directed by staff," she also warned not to mix up these changes with the forthcoming ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorization System - a new requirement for visa-exempt nationals visiting 30 European countries. "That's not going to be rolled out until the latter end of 2026 - and that will require a pre-travel authorisation," she who will be impacted by the change on October 12? Vix continued: "Obviously if you are travelling from this date, if you are going to a Schengen area, and if you are a non-EU citizen and you are looking to stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. "One TikTok user expressed their appreciation for the clear explanation: "Thank you for explaining this so well. I was confused thinking it's the ETS, and since I'm travelling in December, worried that it being new might give me issues, but this is good info to have. "The reason behind these changes? The UK government's website, which provides further details, explains: "EES is designed to improve border security within the EU and its neighbouring countries, and reduce illegal migration in the Schengen area. It will automate border control checks to help the EU stop visitors overstaying. " The statement further explains: "The checks may take a few minutes, so be prepared to wait during busy times. If you enter the Schengen area through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras International, EES checks will be completed at the border, before you leave the UK. You may also need to provide either your fingerprint or photo when you leave the Schengen area". The countries affected include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
