Financial Protection

Team Sports International Travel Ltd, trading as Breakaway Tours is bonded with ABTA V6881.

All monies paid by you for the air holiday package shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority.  Our ATOL Number is 4033.  For more information see our terms and conditions.

To obtain an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence from the CAA and to become a member of ABTA, a travel business has to demonstrate not only that it can meet the strict financial criteria required by both of these organisations, but also that it trades according to their strict Code of Conduct.  Team Sports International Travel Ltd has met all of the criteria, both financial and in the way it trades.  Therefore you can rest assured when you book with Team Sports International Travel Ltd that you have complete financial protection.

Breakaway Tours is a trading name of Team Sports International Travel Ltd.

However there are some tour operators arranging tours without their own Financial Protection.  Instead the financial protection is placed with other agents and clients may find themselves making a payment for the flights to a travel agent and the payment for the ground handling - hotels, coaches etc - to the tour operator.  These tour operators work at the very limit of the laws on financial protection and if something goes wrong with the tour, the client has great difficulty in working out who is responsible and obtaining financial redress.  We strongly urge you to check carefully before confirming your tour.

Information from ABTA

Great Service

ABTA Members follow our Code of Conduct, which means that you’ll receive a high standard of service, fair terms of trading and clear and accurate information.

Complaints Resolved

In the unlikely event of things going wrong, our Code of Conduct ensures that ABTA Members respond to any complaint within strict time limits.  If you can’t resolve a dispute, we offer a low-cost independent arbitration service.

Many of the travel arrangements provided by ABTA Members are protected in case of the financial failure of the travel company.  You should, however, always ask the travel company if protection applies to your travel arrangements. 

In the case of Team Sports International Travel Ltd, trading as Breakaway Tours, all our packages are financially protected with either ABTA or through our ATOL. 

Information from the CAA

School Tours - Enhancing a child‘s education and development by providing an overseas school trip has undoubted benefits.  But probably the last thing to go through your mind when booking your school‘s next tour is that the tour operator you have made your arrangements with might go out of business and leave your teachers and pupils stranded or without their trip and their money.

Sadly there have been tour operator failures in the past that have affected schools, and, with an array of travel industry logos and badges in brochures and promotional material, it can be difficult to know which one would look after you if your tour operator went out of business.  ATOL has been providing financial protection to air travellers for nearly 30 years and we‘ve put together some advice and a check list to ensure that your next school trip is fully protected.

ATOL stands for Air Travel Organisers‘ Licensing.  Managed by the Civil Aviation Authority and Government backed, ATOL financially protects all flights and air packages sold by UK tour operators, covering 29 million passengers each year.  From the moment you pay, ATOL protects your money against the insolvency of over 1800 of the UK‘s licensed tour operators.  If an ATOL operator stops trading, the CAA will refund your money.  If you‘re already on tour, the CAA will bring you and your group home as planned.  No worry, no expense.

To check you‘re ATOL protected, look for the ATOL Protected logo in brochures and on websites.  If a tour operator offering air packages hasn‘t got one, don‘‘t book.  You may be putting your school and your pupils‘ money at risk.

Does ATOL Protection cover just flight bookings?  If you book and pay a deposit for a flight with a tour operator or travel agent, your invoice is your proof of booking with the ATOL tour operator.  If you get an ATOL invoice or receipt, your money is protected.  if you pay in full and receive your tickets straight away, the airline is responsible for your flights.

What if the airline goes out of business?  If a scheduled airline goes out of business you‘re protected only if the seat is bought from an ATOL holder or as part of an ATOL package.  If you receive tickets straight away, or you book direct with an airline, you may not be protected, unless you take out insurance or you pay by credit card and are covered by the Consumer Credit Act.  When booking direct with an airline, including the so-called "no-frills" carriers, you are not ATOL protected.

What if I want to buy our travel arrangements independently with different suppliers?  If you book each element of your tour arrangements direct with airlines, accommodation suppliers and coach transfer operators, these won‘t be ATOL Protected.  If one of the suppliers fails, you could find yourself having to make other arrangements at extra cost.  ATOL tour operators can put together packages to suit all needs, and all elements of an ATOL Protected package are covered – even when suppliers fail.

The European Union has established a Community List of carriers subject to an operating ban within the Community.