Consumer Protection

Each year the requirements imposed by the EU on travel companies become more stringent. Some of these obligations are so obviously sensible we've been doing them for years: for example we still send out a confirmation invoice and put a first class stamp on it.

Although, these days, there are such stringent credit-card checking procedures, that in theory, you could be standing outside the airport with your mobile 'phone, book and pay for a ticket, and by the time you get inside to the ticket desk, you've got all you need to travel.

In addition, the Civil Aviation Authority regularly scrutinises our level of turnover and pattern of trading. We pay to the CAA on your behalf a £1 levy for every passenger whose travel starts in the UK and involve a flight. This money forms a protective pool for all our passengers should we cease to trade. Once this protection is in place, and the CAA is satisfied that we are trading sensibly, they grant an Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL). This will cover us - and therefore our customers - for sales of tours and special-fare flight-only arrangements. This is renewed every year. Our ATOL number is 2828.

Incidentally, if you buy an airline ticket direct from the airline, and it ceases to trade, you have no protection of this sort.

In addition, Journey Latin America is a member of ABTA and AITO; both are largely trade associations, though, since only bonded companies may join, membership of either of these also brings with it consumer protection. Our ABTA number is V2522.

IATA

And last, but by no means least, Journey Latin America is IATA accredited. Most of the world's important airlines belong to IATA and an accredited agent is authorised to issue e-tickets. This means that for most flight arrangements, you may come into our London office, pay in cash and walk away with the 'tickets' in your hand. Consumer protection doesn't come more straightforward than that. And in the 21st century, as implied above, a mobile phone and a credit card gets you an instant e-ticket almost anywhere in the world.