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Monarch Collapse: Are You Protected?

The collapse of Monarch Airlines is affecting those with future bookings and those already on holiday, stranded abroad. If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of Monarch customers impacted by the largest-ever UK airline failure, here’s what to do and how to get home.

I’m Already Abroad—How Can I Get Home?

The Civil Aviation Authority is organizing flights home for the 110,000 passengers already abroad. These flights will be at no additional cost to you. To find out the details of your replacement flight, check the CAA website.

Flights are constantly being updated, so keep checking if your details are not up yet. You should be given 48 hours’ notice in advance of your original departure time. Your new flight will not depart any earlier than the original, so holidays should not be cut short. However there may be delays getting you home.

ATOL Protection

Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) is meant to protect consumers who book package holidays (e.g., flights and accommodation; flights and car hire; or flights, accommodation and care hire) from being stranded abroad or losing money if a travel company collapses. Travel companies pay £2.50 into the government scheme for every person they book; consumers don’t pay directly but should receive an ATOL certificate when the booking is complete.

You may be ATOL protected if you booked:

  • An ATOL-protected Monarch holiday
  • An ATOL-protected flight only before 14 December 2016
  • A holiday through a separate ATOL travel company

Am I Covered by ATOL?

You would have received an ATOL Certificate by post or email shortly after making a payment towards your booking. If you are covered, ATOL comes into play for both those already on holiday and those with future bookings.

  • In the case of holidaymakers already stranded, the scheme ensures you finish your holiday and get a flight home
  • In the case of future bookings, ATOL provides a full refund for the holiday

What Does ATOL Cover?

ATOL provides different types of cover, depending on whether you are stranded abroad or have a future booking.

ATOL Coverage—Stranded Abroad

ATOL Protection will provide for food & drink, phone charges and car parking for flight delays, plus additional accommodation if your new flights departs on a later date and you are required to stay overnight.

If you need a roof over your head for another night or two, first request additional nights from the original Monarch accommodation. If you must stay somewhere different, the new accommodation must be reasonably-priced and comparable to your original holiday accommodation. In either case, if you are required to pay for your accommodation, be sure to keep receipts as they will be required for reimbursement, as will your ATOL certificate.

See the table below for reimbursement limits for "care" (e.g., food, drink, phone and parking):

ATOL Care Limits

Delay after Original FlightFood & Drink (per passenger)Phone Charges (per booking)Car Parking (per booking)
4 to 8 hours£15.00£5.00£20.00
8 to 12 hours£30.00£5.00£20.00
More than 12 hours£45.00 per day£5.00£20.00 per day

ATOL Coverage: Refunds for Future Bookings

The CAA Monarch site will soon have details on how to claim for a full refund for future bookings. Be aware that it may take until the end of the year to receive your money back.

Will Travel Insurance Help?

Travel insurance may or may not cover the Monarch collapse. It may, if your policy includes "travel abandonment" cover, but even so you’ll need to check your terms and conditions.

Call for Help

While a significant amount of information is available on the CAA ATOL page, those who want to talk to someone can call the CAA on +44 (0) 333 103 6350.

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The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.

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