TRAVEL PROBLEMS

ABTA Members follow our Code of Conduct. This means that you'll receive a high standard of service, fair terms of trading, and clear and accurate information on issues such as passports and visas, health requirements, and details of any alterations to your holiday.  In the unlikely event of things going wrong, the Code of Conduct ensures that Members respond to any complaint within strict time limits.

How to Complain
Further Options
Court Proceedings

How to Complain

If you have a complaint against an ABTA Member, please make sure that you follow the four steps below.  Before you commence a complaint, you may find it helpful to refer to our Frequently Asked Questions. 

Step 1: Complain to the ABTA company

If you haven’t complained to the ABTA company, you must do so first of all so that they have the opportunity to resolve the dispute. You can complain to an ABTA company by

• writing a letter
• writing an email
• phoning them – although it’s best to follow this up in writing, as you may need documentary evidence at a later stage.

To check a company’s ABTA membership details click here

Step 2: Consider the ABTA company’s response

Hopefully the company’s response will help you to settle the matter in a way that’s acceptable to both parties. If, however, you aren’t satisfied with their reply, then you should proceed to Step 3.

Step 3: Write to the ABTA company again

Write a further letter clearly detailing what you’re looking for to settle the dispute. Tell the company what would be acceptable to you. Remember to be reasonable in what you are asking for – if you do end up having to take your complaint to arbitration or court, you'll have to justify the amount you’re asking for. For a helpful guide, see our Key Facts About the Law.

Hopefully the company’s response will help you to settle the matter in a way that’s acceptable to both parties. If, however, you feel that you’ve reached deadlock, you can use ABTA’s online complaint form.

Step 4: Complain to ABTA

Use the form at the end of this page to send us your complaint. 

When you submit the form, a new window will open with a record of the information that you've submitted. The record will also contain an ABTA reference number.

If you haven’t yet travelled, that’s all you have to do. We’ll contact you as soon as possible - normally within 14–21 days of receiving your complaint.

If you’ve already travelled, you’ll need to send us documentation relating to your holiday. Please print off a copy of the record and send it to us with

• a copy of your holiday confirmation invoice
• copies of your letters to the ABTA company
• copies of the ABTA company’s replies to you

Please don’t send the originals. You may need them at a later date.

We’ll register your complaint on our database and may be able to help you resolve the dispute.

Please send all correspondence to:

Consumer Affairs Department
ABTA Ltd
68-71 Newman Street, London W1T 3AH

Further Options

Once you’ve been through the four steps of the complaints process, if we can’t help you to settle the dispute, we can offer an independent arbitration scheme that’s administered by IDRS Ltd, part of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. And for personal injury and illness claims, there’s a mediation scheme.

Court Proceedings

You may have already started court proceedings. If so, please note that alternative dispute resolution schemes such as arbitration won’t be available to you.

Please also make sure that you know the costs of going to court and arbitration. You’ll find details under Arbitration in the left-hand menu.

We strongly advise you to check first whether you have a good chance of winning your case. You could contact:

Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
Your local Trading Standards office

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