travel agent complaints uk

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Find the Nearest Travel Agent to You with These Tips

Traveling can be a daunting task, especially when you don’t know where to start. Finding the right travel agent can be the key to making your trip a success. Here are some tips to help you find the nearest travel agent to you.

Use Online Resources

The internet is a great resource for finding local travel agents. You can search online for local travel agents in your area and read reviews from previous customers. This will help you get an idea of which agents are reliable and experienced in helping people plan their trips. You can also use online resources such as TripAdvisor or Yelp to find out more about the services offered by different agents.

Ask Friends and Family

Another great way to find a local travel agent is to ask your friends and family for recommendations. They may have had good experiences with certain agents in the past, so they can give you an honest opinion about their services. If you don’t know anyone who has used a travel agent before, you can also ask around on social media or in online forums for advice from people who have used them in the past.

Check Local Tourism Offices

Local tourism offices are another great resource for finding nearby travel agents. They usually have information about local agencies that specialize in planning trips for tourists in the area. You can also ask them for recommendations on which agents they recommend based on their experience with them.

Finding the right travel agent is essential if you want to make your trip a success. By using these tips, you should be able to find the nearest travel agent to you quickly and easily. With the right agent, you’ll be able to plan an amazing trip that will leave you with unforgettable memories.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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Information on how to register a dispute

If something has gone wrong with your holiday, we can offer you advice and potential solutions. See our guide below on how we can help you.

ABTA Limited is approved by Government under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulation 2015.  

For any questions regarding FCDO travel advice, destination entry requirements or COVID-19 vaccination requirements to travel please check ABTA’s Ready Steady Travel hub of information and advice to help you travel during the pandemic. You should also speak to your travel company before you travel.

Please be aware that we review each case on a case-by-case basis and speak with the relevant ABTA Member about your complaint. Please register your dispute online, and give us as much information as possible, as this will help us to help you with the relevant advice.

Before registering a dispute, please note:

Airlines are not Members of ABTA. If you are having issues with an airline that you booked directly with, you will need to contact them in the first instance. You can also check the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority)’s website for more guidance on ATOL protection, flight-only refunds, airline delays and changes.

Check if your travel company is a current ABTA member here before registering a complaint with us as not all travel companies are.

If you have an enquiry about a non-ABTA Member, please contact Citizens Advice .

Disputes we can and can’t help with

Before and after travel, resolving disputes, register a dispute, i have a problem raising a dispute, i have a problem after registering a dispute, also in this section.

Disputes we can and can't help with Before and after travel Resolving disputes Register a dispute I have a problem raising a dispute I have a problem after registering a dispute

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This is your first stop for an effective resolution to any problems you have with delayed flights, airlines, tour operators, hotels, package holiday deals, online booking services, or rail companies. Whether it’s a booking problem, delays, or simply poor customer service, Resolver makes it easier to complain about any issues related to the travel sector.

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Association of British Travel Agents ABTA

ABTA are a member’s scheme, whose members are required to abide by their code of conduct, which includes engaging in the ADR process once any internal complaints procedure has been exhausted. ABTA have a two stage ADR process.  Only stage one is approved for the purposes of the ADR Regulations. There is no fee to the consumer for stage one ADR. To accept a consumer’s complaint, the business must be a member of ABTA, please check here .

Contact details

30 Park Street London, SE19EQ United Kingdom

Contact information

Email address: [email protected] Website: http://www.abta.com Phone: 0203 117 0599

Type or sector of disputes

The entity is competent for disputes in the following sector

Leisure Services

Package travel

Travel agency services

Services related to sports and hobbies

Cultural and entertainment services

Other leisure services

The entity is competent for disputes against traders established in

• United Kingdom

No fees have to be paid by the consumer

No fees have to be paid by the trader

Language(s)

The entity is handling the procedure in the following languages:

Average length of the procedure (in days or months)

The procedure has an average length of 50 day(s)

Conduct of the procedure

The procedure is done: in writing

The entity does not require the physical presence of the parties and/or of their representative 

Outcome of the procedure

The procedure is non-binding

Grounds for refusal

• Dealing with the dispute will seriously affect the functioning of the dispute resolution body

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• Complaints Procedure

What To Do If You Have a Complaint – advice for Members

Our Members’ satisfaction is of the utmost priority at all times. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer service, however, we understand we sometimes get things wrong. 

As a Member of The Travel Network Group, if you have reason to complain, you should follow the Members’ Complaints Procedure outlined below:

When a complaint is received via the  Members’ only complaints form ,  email ,  call or face-to-face meeting , the complaint will be escalated to the relevant Head of Department. 

The timescale, from the moment we receive your complaint, is outlined below: – The Head of Department will acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours – The Head of Department and relevant team will source answers to the query or resolve the complaint, and respond to you within 7 days. Should you be dissatisfied with the outcome, we will escalate your grievance to the relevant Director.

What To Do If You Have a Complaint – advice for Customers

If you have booked a holiday through one of our Members and you have reason to be dissatisfied or to complain about the service received from your travel agent, please follow the  Customers only Complaint form  and give us the details of your complaint.

Our timeframe to respond to Customers’ complaint is outlined below:

–        The relevant team will acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours

–        The relevant team will source answers to the query and contact you directly with next steps and time frames on your complaint

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Travel and Holiday Regulatory Bodies Complaint

If all the avenues of complaint with a tour operator or travel agent have been exhausted then the next level to consider is taking to problem to a higher authority.

Many people accept unfair practises and dodgy service as fact of everyday life and have to be pushed over the edge before taking appropriate action. However, the travel sector is an exception to this rule.

Holidays are the one time of the year when we can leave behind all the frustrations of everyday life, so if anything infringes on the good times then it is often a step too far for most people. This explains why the travel industry attracts a particularly high number of complaints.

Trade Associations

The ABTA or ATOL symbols are a reassuring sign when considering a package holiday, because they mean a customer will be financially protected if the operator goes bust.

When a customer books a holiday with a ABTA-approved travel agent they should be reassured that the company is financially sound, that the descriptions in the brochures are accurate, money can be refunded if the booking is unsatisfactory and that they will never be left stranded overseas for whatever reason.

This tight control ensures that when a customer purchases a holiday through one its operators they should expect quality, security and professionalism.

Flight Regulation

For instance the Air Transport Users Council (AUC) monitors the airline industry on behalf of consumers, offering advice and support with compensation claims. Whilst the British Airport Authority (BAA) is responsible for the management of seven large UK airports and the British Air Transport Association (BATA) is a non-profit trade association for airlines.

Resolving a Complaint on Holiday

Most tour operator’s terms and conditions specify that a complaint should be registered to the appropriate holiday representative whilst actually on holiday. A large number of complaints are solved at this stage. Holidaymakers are usually aware that if a complaint is lodged upon return it is too late to save the holiday by that point. If a resolution is accepted whilst on the trip then it is usually impossible to reopen the case upon return home.

If a problem arises before the holiday then the travel agent, or booking office, should be informed immediately.

Upon Return

If these local resolution efforts prove futile then the complaint can then be taken up with the appropriate trade association.

Independent Holidays

Time shares.

Many timeshare resorts in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East are represented by OTE. This organisation offers consumer advice and a free conciliation service for problems between their membership companies and disgruntled customers.

The non-profit organisation Association of Timeshare Owners Committees (TATOC) also represents Timeshare owner interests by promoting high-standards and good relations within the industry.

If the timeshare company is not a member of OTE then the case should be forwarded onto the local Trading Standards office or Citizens Advice Bureau.

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See how we helped Liz

" It's not just a website... there are people there on call who can help answer your queries. "

• 1.1. Air Travel Organisers' Licensing
• 1.2. Association of British Travel Agents
• 1.3. Civil Aviation Authority
• 1.4. Association of Independent Tour Operators
• 2.1. Transport Focus
• 2.2. London TravelWatch
• 2.3. Bonded Coach Holidays
• 2.4. Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
• 2.5. Other contacts
• 3.1. Tourism For All
• 3.2. GOV.UK

A number of organisations exist to promote consumer interests. These are either trade associations or government organisations that have a duty to the travelling public.

If things go wrong on holiday and you haven't been able to resolve the matter with the individual travel company, you can approach these consumer bodies to try to resolve the matter. The fact that a travel company is a member of a particular organisation means that the company has met some standard of service that the consumer can rely on.

Flights and package holidays

Air travel organisers' licensing.

The Air Travel Organisers' Licence (ATOL) scheme is a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority. All companies established in the UK and selling holiday air packages and air flights must hold an ATOL. If they are established in the EU or the European Free Trade Association, they'll need to provide similar protection but under their national legislation. Given the difficulty in researching and enforcing foreign rules, we'd suggest you book with operators with an ATOL.

ATOL is the only UK scheme that protects the vast majority of flights and air holidays. If a holiday is booked through an ATOL holder, you're protected from losing your money or from being stranded abroad if a travel firm goes out of business, either before you travel or while you're on holiday.

You should always ask for an ATOL confirmation certificate so that you'll be protected, regardless of whether the ticket has been issued or not. It will also establish whether the tour operator or air travel firm has a licence under the ATOL scheme.

Visit ATOL for more information.

Association of British Travel Agents

The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) is a trade body whose members must follow a strict code of conduct and provide high standards of service.

Members can be fined, required to make promises about future conduct or can have their membership terminated or suspended.

If you buy a flight-based package or seat through an ABTA tour operator, the financial protection will normally be provided by ATOL (see above). ABTA has its own discretionary financial protection scheme for non-air holidays, such as ferry and coach travel. In order to benefit from the protection of ABTA, the consumer should ensure that the tour operator is a member of ABTA.

ABTA provides an independent arbitration service to resolve disputes about the quality of holidays provided by its members. The decision of the arbitrator is final and legally binding. If consumers use this service and they're not happy with the result, they can appeal the decision for a further fee or take the matter to court.

ABTA also has a mediation service for disputes that aren't covered by their arbitration scheme.

Visit ABTA for more information.

Civil Aviation Authority

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) handles consumer complaints about airports and airlines.

It has a complaints procedure that you can use if you've already written a complaint to the airline or airport and you're not happy with the outcome.

Visit CAA for more information.

Association of Independent Tour Operators

Some tour operators are members of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). AITO has an independent mediation service that you can use to resolve a complaint with a member firm. If you want to use this service, there is a non-refundable fee.

Visit AITO for more information.

Trains, buses and coaches

Transport focus.

Transport Focus is an independent consumer watchdog dealing with journeys taken by road, rail, bus, coach and tram (but not London Underground).

You should first make any complaints about a rail operator to the relevant rail operating company. If you're not happy with how it's been dealt with, you can refer your complaint to Transport Focus.

Transport Focus doesn't deal with individual complaints about bus or coach travel (see below).

Visit Transport Focus for more information.

London TravelWatch

London TravelWatch (LTW) is an independent, statutory watchdog for transport users in and around London.

It advises passengers on refunds and compensation available from train, tube and bus operators in London and its surrounding area. It also can deal with consumer complaints from passengers unhappy with the response they've received from their transport provider.

Visit LTW for more information.

Bonded Coach Holidays

Bonded Coach Holidays (BCH) is part of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK (a trade association authorised by the government). BCH runs a scheme to protect customers who have booked a package holiday that includes coach travel.

The scheme requires each BCH member to provide a bond from a bank or major insurance company, which ensures you'll get either your money back or be provided with alternative transport if your coach company goes out of business.

Visit BCH for more information.

Consumer Council for Northern Ireland

If you have a complaint about a rail operator in Northern Ireland, you should complaint to the relevant rail operating company. If you're not happy with how the company deals with your complaint, you should refer the complaint to the Consumer Affairs Officer of the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.

Visit CCNI for more information.

Other contacts

For individual complaints about bus or coach travel, you can also contact Bus Users UK , an independent consumer watchdog for bus passengers.

Special needs organisations

Tourism for all.

Tourism For All (TFA) is a private registered charity that provides holiday and travel information, support and a booking service for older people and people with a disability. It includes a Travel Planner that provides information on accessible holidays in England and Wales for people who have a disability or impairment.

Visit TFA for more information.

More transport information for the disabled can be found on GOV.UK .

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