Manx holidaymakers can still 'book with confidence'

Travel agent responds to ATOL concerns

There has been no change to the arrangement between Crown Dependencies and the Civil Aviation Authority with regards to holiday cover.

That's from chairman of Mann Link Travel, Brian Kelly, who has been responding to concerns raised by reports which suggested Manx holidaymakers had been left unprotected.

A report from BBC Guernsey last week suggested the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which offers ATOL guarantees on package holidays, 'may remove' Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man from the list.

The ATOL - or 'Air Travel Organiser’s Licence' - scheme protects customers if their holiday provider goes bust before or during their holiday, often focussing on helping holidaymakers get home.

Last month, trade publication Travel Gossip reported that ABTA (the Association of British Travel Agents) had written to its members, saying it had received clarification that its ATOL protection scheme only covers residents of the UK.

As the Isle of Man is a self-governing Crown Dependency, it would therefore not fall under the scheme.

However, Mr Kelly says Manx holidaymakers can still book with confidence:

THE DETAILS

Back in 2019, the CAA changed the wording with regards to ATOL cover in response to Brexit.

It was amended to cover 'UK residents only'.

This was to prevent Europeans being covered by the scheme who were travelling specifically from the UK to go on holiday.

The change would therefore also exclude Crown Dependency residents.

However, the CAA has never had jurisdiction here in the Isle of Man, meaning no flight from the Island has been covered by ATOL anyway.

The ATOL protection was instead activated when a Crown Dependent resident booked a holiday through a travel agent or directly with an ABTA UK tour operator, who by law have to provide financial protection.