ATOLS
Thanks for that info re exclusions, Kirbymoorside. It does not appear that Varsity Express paid Links Air, but immaterial anyway. Without an ATOL Bond being in place, pax will, I think, just have to join the line of V.A. 's Creditors. They can usually get a refund on a credit card payment, if goods not supplied, but not always on a Debit card. When ATOLs were being set up, we had discussions with the CAA about airline bonding. It was considered unworkable because the CAA did not have powers to force foreign carriers to be bonded, and thus forcing UK ones would put them at a disadvantage. Since then the picture has changed beyond their dreams, with a huge percentage of air tickets no longer paid for over an agency counter in exchange for a paper ticket, but sold directly by carriers on line and paid for in return for an email. Although it has been an unwritten law that other carriers pick up the pieces if a rival goes under, these days most of them will not fly stranded pax free, so can finish up paying much higher price.