NEW FINANCIAL PROTECTION FOR HOLIDAYMAKERS

01/05

The government are in negotiations with the Civil Aviation Authority and the Association of Independent Tour Operators over giving travellers more protection.

Currently, legislation protects the consumer on package holiday deals, but more and more people are booking fragmented holidays by booking the flight, travel insurance and hotel accommodation all separately. If, for example, they are stranded somewhere, then they would not be covered for scheduled flights.

What is being proposed is a voluntary bonding scheme for airlines, followed by new legislation by the end of 2005 to extend the law to separate bookings for the components of holidays to give consumers protection.

A MORI poll has revealed that 81% of people would be willing to add between 50p and £2 to the cost of their tickets to have this protection in place.