ATOL Protection?

[Wilba]

I hope someone can help with this conundrum. When going long haul, cruise, land or both, with very few exceptions, I have always booked my own flights, with ‘cruise only’ direct with the cruiseline or agent.

I recently asked for a quote via an agent for a two week cruise and long haul flights. Naturally I was asked if I had already got a price in mind, to which I replied yes, the cruise via the cruiseline website and air via the airline website, and was looking for a discount on both.

I negotiated a fair discount on the cruise and she would call me back with a total price on the airline, times and airport of my choice. Transfers were not required.

Ten minutes later I got the call back and was gobsmacked that the price was over £300 more for the two of us than I had anticipated. Why? Because when the two elements were wrapped in ATOL Protection, there is a price to pay. I stupidly expected ATOL to be a free service/agent requirement.

So my question is.

What does ATOL give me over and above my overpriced comprehensive travel insurance, which covers me for flight and hotel/cruise failure?

I resent paying twice over for the same thing, so c’mon guys and gals tell me where my assumptions are misguided……………Wilba

[annie, Glasgow]

There are agents out there packaging cheaper often when the cruise line dump.

Airlines also dump, Virgin fare last year £1k for a late booking(next couple of days) available for £450 once the searches were in.

I know that - I have taken advantage of such deals.

However when a TA wants hundred of pounds more that the cost of the individual components and calls it 'ATOL fees' - that is dishonest - JMO.

More pertinent what is provided to the consumer for this surcharge??


Annie

[Topdeck, London]

Thanks cc.

To cut to the chase again, they are 'padding' the package to increase the agency earnings and their commission - JMO.

Reasonable and transparent fees please.

Annie

There are agents out there packaging cheaper often when the cruise line dump.

Airlines also dump, Virgin fare last year £1k for a late booking(next couple of days) available for £450 once the searches were in.

[Topdeck, London]

One other thing to watch out for booking cruises.

Unless you package(add a component) you are probably not covered by the TAs ABTA membership.

Most sell cruises on an agent only basis so your fall back for package regulations and ABTA cover is the cruise line.

[annie, Glasgow]

When dynamic packaging first happened Atol was used by agents to panic travellers into having protection that wasn’t automatically there by packaging separately.

My take on it would be that you know the cost of the flight and you know the cost of the cruise. You’ve asked an agent to package it for you. They’ve added a booking fee of sorts to make some commission and are telling you it’s ATOL to try and hide their packaging procedures and thus their earnings.

Thanks cc.

To cut to the chase again, they are 'padding' the package to increase the agency earnings and their commission - JMO.

Reasonable and transparent fees please.

Annie

[annie, Glasgow]

I agree Annie, and that is made worse by me dictating exact flights and times, even quoting the actual airline prices.............Wilba

Snap - I quoted the airline prices from their website. The response was as an agent, those 'low' prices are not always available to them - yeah right!

Caveat emptor.

Annie

[cymrucruiser]

When dynamic packaging first happened Atol was used by agents to panic travellers into having protection that wasn’t automatically there by packaging separately.

My take on it would be that you know the cost of the flight and you know the cost of the cruise. You’ve asked an agent to package it for you. They’ve added a booking fee of sorts to make some commission and are telling you it’s ATOL to try and hide their packaging procedures and thus their earnings.

[Wilba]

Let's cut to the chase, they were not honest.

BTW the flights were exactly the same as I was pricing. I dictated the flights.

Annie

I agree Annie, and that is made worse by me dictating exact flights and times, even quoting the actual airline prices.............Wilba

[Mrs M]

My guess is, the flights were more and they couldnt get the cheaper flights you wanted within their package so misled you into saying it was to do with ATOL protection

As we don't place any restrictions on pricing, that wouldn't apply in our case.

[annie, Glasgow]

My guess is, the flights were more and they couldnt get the cheaper flights you wanted within their package so misled you into saying it was to do with ATOL protection

Let's cut to the chase, they were not honest.

BTW the flights were exactly the same as I was pricing. I dictated the flights.

Annie

[Bradbury, Coventry]

My guess is, the flights were more and they couldnt get the cheaper flights you wanted within their package so misled you into saying it was to do with ATOL protection

[annie, Glasgow]

I suspect your cruise allowance is much higher than ours, if your discounts on the cruise portion are not significant then along with your admin/flight premium I can see why your TA may be on call.

I am a value cruiser and on a recent quote the cost of the Atol protection effectively doubled the cost of my flight. Whether that was down to the booking portal I do not know but I do know it was not ATOL fees.

Annie

[Topdeck, London]

I think that's been established. I can only think the extra is a possible admin premium and definitely on the loaded side of premium. We just absorb it into the overall cost, and grimace and bear it.

I suspect your cruise allowance is much higher than ours, if your discounts on the cruise portion are not significant then along with your admin/flight premium I can see why your TA may be on call.

[Mrs M]

ATOL is a requirement of package regulations if the package includes flights.

Based on what ATOL costs, the £100s differences are not ATOL fees.


https://www.caa.co.uk/ATOL-protectio...ATOL-licences/

I think that's been established. I can only think the extra is a possible admin premium and definitely on the loaded side of premium. We just absorb it into the overall cost, and grimace and bear it.

[Topdeck, London]

ATOL is a requirement of package regulations if the package includes flights.

Based on what ATOL costs, the £100s differences are not ATOL fees.


https://www.caa.co.uk/ATOL-protectio...ATOL-licences/