Skip to content
Travel & your money · UK guide

Travel company gone bust? You’re often protected.

Last verified 21 Jun 2026 · Source CAA (ATOL) + ABTA + Citizens Advice

If a travel company or airline collapses, don’t panic — there’s usually a safety net. ATOL covers package holidays that include a flight (a refund if you haven’t gone, a flight home if you’re abroad). ABTA and the Package Travel Regulations cover packages without a flight. And for a flight-only booking you usually claim through your card or travel insurance. Here’s how to get your money back.

ATOLPackage + flight
ABTAPackage, no flight
Card / insuranceFlight-only
~6–8 weeksTypical claim time
Find your protection → Section 75 & chargeback

How you’re protected — by how you booked

The first thing to work out is which scheme covers you, because it decides where you claim:

You booked…ProtectionWhat you get
A package holiday with a flight (flights + accommodation/car together)ATOL (run by the CAA)Refund if you haven’t travelled; if you’re abroad, you can finish your holiday and be flown home.
A package holiday without a flight (e.g. coach/rail + hotel)ABTA / Package Travel Regulations bondRefund if not yet travelled, or help completing the trip / getting home.
A flight only, direct with an airlineNot ATOLClaim via your card (Section 75 / chargeback) or travel insurance with airline-failure cover.
Separate parts you put together yourselfVaries — may be a “linked travel arrangement” or unprotectedCheck each booking; card/insurance may be your route.
Check your ATOL Certificate

If your trip is ATOL protected you’ll have been given an ATOL Certificate when you paid. Dig it out — it’s your proof for a claim. No certificate usually means it wasn’t an ATOL package (so card or insurance is your route).

How to claim

  • ATOL (package with a flight): complete an ATOL claim form on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) website. You’ll need your ATOL Certificate, booking confirmation and proof of payment. If you’re abroad when the firm fails, follow the CAA’s instructions for that failure — arrangements are usually made so you can stay and fly home.
  • ABTA (package without a flight): claim through ABTA (or whichever approved scheme the operator used). Send all paperwork and receipts.
  • Flight-only / unprotected: claim through your credit card under Section 75 (for anything costing over £100), or chargeback on a debit card, and/or your travel insurance if it includes “scheduled airline failure” / “end supplier failure” cover. See our Section 75 & chargeback guide.

Claims commonly take around 6–8 weeks and refunds are usually paid by bank transfer (BACS). Send complete evidence first time to avoid delays.

Don’t double-claim — but do have a backup

You can’t be paid twice for the same loss, but it’s sensible to know your fallback: if an ATOL/ABTA claim is somehow declined, a card claim (Section 75/chargeback) or travel insurance may still cover you. Keep every receipt for extra costs you had to pay (e.g. replacement accommodation).

If it’s happening right now

  1. If you’re abroad: don’t check out or pay twice in a panic — check the official CAA/ATOL (or ABTA) page for that company’s failure for instructions; protected travellers are usually looked after to the end of the trip and flown home.
  2. If you’re due to travel: don’t rebook replacement travel until you’ve checked your protection — you may get a refund or a replacement holiday.
  3. Gather evidence: ATOL Certificate, booking confirmation, payment proof, and receipts for any extra costs.
Do this now
  1. Find your ATOL Certificate / booking confirmation and how you paid (card matters for a backup claim).
  2. Check the CAA (ATOL) or ABTA website for the company’s failure notice and the right claim form.
  3. Submit the claim with full evidence — or a Section 75/chargeback + travel-insurance claim if it’s flight-only.

Free help: the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL) · ABTA · Citizens Advice consumer service 0808 223 1133. This is general information, not legal advice.

Source verification Primary sources: the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL), ABTA, GOV.UK and Citizens Advice. Last verified 21 June 2026. Confidence: High — ATOL (CAA-run) protects package holidays that include a flight (refund if not travelled; stay and flight home if abroad), claimed via the CAA ATOL claim form with the ATOL Certificate + proof of payment; ABTA and the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 protect package holidays without a flight; flight-only airline bookings aren’t ATOL protected, so card (Section 75 over £100 / chargeback) or travel insurance with airline-failure cover is the route; claims commonly take ~6–8 weeks and pay by bank transfer. SortedUK is independent — not a travel company or the CAA/ABTA — and this is general information, not legal advice. Check the official failure notice for your operator.

Travel company failures — common questions

How do I know if my holiday is ATOL protected?

If it’s a package including a flight booked through a UK tour operator, it should be — and you’ll have an ATOL Certificate from when you paid. If you only booked a flight directly with an airline, it’s not ATOL protected; use your card or travel insurance instead.

My airline went bust and it was flight-only — can I get my money back?

Possibly, but not through ATOL. Claim via Section 75 (credit card, over £100) or chargeback (debit card), and check whether your travel insurance includes scheduled airline failure cover. Keep your booking confirmation and proof of payment.

I'm abroad and my tour operator has collapsed — what do I do?

If you’re ATOL protected, you’re usually able to stay and be flown home — follow the CAA/ATOL instructions for that failure rather than booking and paying for everything yourself. Keep receipts for any costs you do have to cover.

How long does a refund take?

Around 6–8 weeks is typical once you submit a complete claim, paid by bank transfer. Sending all your paperwork and receipts up front helps avoid delays.

A collapse doesn’t have to mean a loss.

Find your ATOL Certificate, check the official failure notice, and claim through the right route — with a card/insurance backup. Want help working out where to claim?

Ask Sorted to help → Section 75 & chargeback
Want this handled, not just explained?
Tell Sorted what actually happened and it will check your rights, money, deadlines and next action.
Sort this for me →