Protection

Peace of mind – ATOL protected, ABTA membership, Crisis Travel Management
When booking a trip with Michael that includes flights then you will have ATOL protection. Michael’s travel company is affiliated so that he also offers ABTA membership in case there is the need for any form of dispute resolution. As part of a global travel company Michael also can offer crisis management travel solutions in the case of any global emergencies.

ATOL Protection

UK law states your holiday must be protected if it is a curated holiday. ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) is a UK financial protection scheme, and it protects you against any cancelled trips or if you are stranded overseas by the financial failure of the airline. It will support you whilst abroad and provide financial reimbursement for the cost of replacing parts of an ATOL protected trip. The scheme is designed to reassure you that your money is safe, and Michael will provide assistance in the event of a travel business failure.

The UK CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) runs ATOL. It is able to provide assistance by requiring ATOL holders to pay a fee of £2.50 for each traveller, which is held in a fund managed by the Air Travel Trust. This fund is used to refund, repatriate, or reimburse travellers for the cost of repaying for the affected parts of their trip.

Recent examples of where ATOL was used was in the collapse of Thomas Cook and before that Monarch Airlines. All customers were protected and repatriated. Your Riverstone Travel Designer only works with major national airline carriers and established operators but especially in times of the Covid pandemic and travel uncertainty ATOL gives an extra layer of protection. Any trips booked and arranged by an individual consumer are not protected.

ABTA – Association of British Travel Agents

ABTA has been a trusted travel brand for more than 65 years and is both a trade and consumer super brand (recognised by 74% of consumers). ABTA’s purpose is to support and promote a thriving and sustainable travel and tourism industry, within which it helps members to build successful businesses. As the UK’s leading travel association, ABTA helps members grow strong businesses through better regulation, fairer taxation, and financial protection. The association has a strong influence with stakeholders, with the media and with consumers – through the offer of support, protection, and expertise. Consumers have confidence in ABTA, and a strong trust in ABTA Members. ABTA helps members use their membership to strengthen relationships with their customers and boost their marketing and sales opportunities.

ABTA’s dispute resolution service is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, helping members and our customers resolve holiday complaints without the costs of going to court. Consumers consistently rate this as a key benefit of booking with an ABTA Member.

In addition, access to promotional offers provided by ABTA partners, many of which are exclusive to ABTA. This includes offers with leading travel technology providers, private healthcare schemes, preferential rates from merchant service providers and much more.