Civil Aviation Authority

They started employment at all ages, from all backgrounds and in many different areas. They are Legal Advisers, Press Officers, Consumer Affairs Officers, Air Traffic Services Inspectors. And these are only just a few of the vital roles at the CAA, the UK's world class air transport regulator.

Many people are passionately interested in aviation and travel but, sadly, only a proportion can be employed as aircrew. That is why the Civil Aviation Authority is such a popular destination for those seeking to play an important role in shaping the future of air transport in the UK. Besides maintaining safety standards in the UK, the organization provides added value throughout the industry on an international scale. It promotes best practice regulation across Europe and aims to be a leading partner in EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency.

Apart from its well- known involvement in air safety, the CAA is also responsible for ATOL, the Air Travel Organiser's License scheme which protects holidaymakers from losing their deposits or being stranded abroad when their travel company goes under.

As it positions itself for the future, the CAA obviously needs to recruit and retain some of the very best professionals and provide a culture which inspires and rewards high performance. To drive continuous improvement of aviation safety and effectiveness, it clearly has to be committed to the ongoing development of its people and their capabilities.

Needless to say the CAA is an extremely varied organisation having a broad spectrum of business areas, each requiring particular skills, knowledge and experience. Consequently, the types of role for which it recruits are equally varied and, to ensure that it's drawing on the best talents available, it takes equality and diversity very seriously.

While many of the thousands who are employed by the CAA are engaged in highly specialist work specific to aviation safety, many others are active in all the back-up roles that you would typically expect to find in any large organization. Although it is based at two main locations, in Central London and Gatwick, it also maintains regional offices and exam centres at sites throughout England and Scotland in order to work closely with the aviation industry at the sharp end.

Refreshingly, the CAA maintains its own recruitment website so that prospective applicants can get a close insight into the organization and the opportunities on offer. It is possible to apply for individual jobs directly via the site and it even has a facility to register one's interest and file one's CV in anticipation of future vacancies in specific key roles.

Perhaps one of the biggest attractions of working for the CAA are the generous terms and conditions, including one of the very few remaining final salary pension schemes. Above all, the level of job security is almost second to none. The CAA is going to exist in one form or another for as long as people use air travel and, as it is funded by the airlines themselves, it is not subject to any public sector cutbacks.

The recent demise of the XL Group, a major UK travel company with its own airline and trading under established brands such as Kosmar and Medlife Hotels is an unnerving event for all holidaymakers. With over 20 airlines ceased trading in the past year, how can we be sure that we will not be placed in a similar situation of loss when we book with any travel company or airline?

It is interesting that the statement on the XL group's website said: "The companies entered into administration having suffered as a result of volatile fuel prices, the economic downturn, and were unable to obtain further funding." In a comment from rival holiday firm TUI, it is clear that the industry mandarins are warning that due to rising fuel prices, and less money available from banks due to lending restrictions brought on by the credit crunch "airlines with less than robust business models" - such as XL - were now failing. Clearly the mandarins of the bigger holiday companies are clear that their business models are indeed robust, and we should believe them of course.

But clearly, company size is not everything - XL was actually the 3rd largest operator in the UK - and so it is important always to understand what financial protection is available in the event that the worst happens and your holiday company fails.

In the UK, the Civil Aviation Authority oversees the ATOL licensing system whereby any operator or airline offering holidays by air pays into a bonding scheme based on its business turnover. Funds thus generated are used to repatriate holidaymakers, or refund money paid in advance for such bonded holidays. It seems even more important in these difficult times, to make sure that you ensure every element of your holiday is ATOL protected.

However, it is important to know that this scheme is no a "catch-all", when a holidaymaker has booked a "flight only" or a flight and accommodation separately. In the XL demise, it is estimated that more than 10,000 people were not ATOL protected because they booked separate flights and accommodation or flights only. In these days of do-it-yourself holiday packaging via separate bookings via the internet, this situation is unlikely to improve unless legislation changes.

Many consumer rights groups are vociferous in their demands that the Government should take steps to ensure all holiday companies must belong to the ATOL scheme, which offers package holiday makers financial protection. However, it is difficult to see how a scheme run via the Civil Aviation Authority should be able to cover elements of a holiday such as hotels which are purchased separately and are not in an "Aviation" remit.

Because such "Do-It-Yourself" holidays aren't protected by the ATOL scheme, it is important to think about alternative protection. Examples are:

Book with a credit card: But be careful here, because you still might not be covered. You must spend at least £100 on each element of the holiday - and charge cards or debit cards do not offer any protection.

Take out travel insurance: Look for policies which cover against holiday company or holiday provider insolvency. However, it is vital to check the small print, as many policies don't include this cover.

And also remember the important fact that you can only be covered for the component of your holiday that's gone out of business. You can't claim for the others and so you will need to rebook the missing element - possible at a higher price, or possibly with difficulty of any availability at all.

Sometimes, it seems much easier to book a complete package supplied by a single ATOL bonded operator - but taking these few small steps will at least ensure you have the same financial protection outside the scheme, even if you are more "on your own" in the event of a business failure.

The aviation industry is failing to provide passengers with adequate protection if airlines fail, according to a report by the Air Travel Insolvency Advisory Committee (ATIPAC). ATIPAC, which advises the Civil Aviation Authority, called for an end to the current system in which scheduled airlines are able to operate without offering passengers the same financial security that package holidaymakers enjoy, through the Air Tour Organiser’s License (ATOL) system.

Passengers flying as part of a package holiday with ATOL-protected operators automatically have a £1 charge added to the price of their holiday, which contributes to a regulated travel insurance fund. The news comes in the wake of a report by Blue Oar investments claiming at least 50 European airlines face bankruptcy if the current decline in the aviation industry fails to improve.

Rising fuel costs and the worldwide credit crunch have already seen at least 25 airlines go bust this year, including Silverjet, Eos, Maxjet, ATA and Oasis Hong Kong, while EasyJet, Ryanair and British Airways have announced cutbacks in flights this winter and falling profit in the last few weeks.

So how do you you protect yourself when an airline or tour operator goes bust? Who or what is out there? Some insurers offer Passenger Protection Insurance sold separately or Dynamic Packaging Protection as part of a travel insurance policy but always check the small print if this is offered because these are quite often restrictive in their cover. You can reduce the risk further by organising your travel through companies and agents covered by ATOL or who hold bonding through an approved body, such as ABTA or AITO.

ATOL stands for Air Travel Organiser’s licensing and is a protection scheme for flights and air holidays, managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and protects the customer from losing money or being stranded abroad when a tour operator goes bust. All licensed firms have to lodge bonds with the CAA so that, if they go out of business, the CAA can give refunds to people who can’t travel and arrange for people abroad to finish their holidays and fly home. And ABTA? Members of the Association of British Travel Agents are required to provide financial protection for their customers which means that you can book your holiday knowing that if an ABTA member fails financially while you are on holiday, you can continue your holiday as planned.

If your holiday has not started, then you will receive a full refund or be given help to make alternative arrangements for the trip to proceed. Likewise AITO, or Association of Independent Tour Operators to give it its full title, require their members to protect their customer’s money in the event of an AITO member going into liquidation. Above all of this, it is vital you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy incase the worth was to happen.

You are probably raring to go on that long awaited and well deserved overseas holiday with your family. However, like most people going on foreign tours, you must be carrying some apprehensions concerning the safety of yourself and your family. After all, your family is your most prized possession and the last thing you want is that they be stranded in some strange and unfamiliar foreign land in the event of something going awry.

In these days of economic turmoil, we often hear of companies going bust and the frequent cancellation of flights. In such a scenario, it is not alarmist to make safeguards for such a situation against the airlines and travel company you bank upon. After all, god forbid, if something like this does happen in the middle of your vacation, you would not want to face the avoidable nightmare of fending for yourself and watching your hard earned money going down the drain!

Thanks to Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) scheme, you can get yourself an iron clad guarantee against such unforeseen circumstances. ATOL is a scheme for ensuring the financial protection of travellers. Under this scheme, in case a travel operator listed under ATOL goes bust, then passengers of that tour operator do not have to suffer hassles like losing money or staying marooned. For instance, if you plan your itinerary with Southall Travel, which is an ATOL member, you won't run such risks. To be thorough in your homework, always make sure that you check out the operator's website, which in this instance is Southall Travel UK.

ATOL makes it mandatory for its travel operators to be part of a financial guarantee scheme for passengers. This scheme is under the management of Air Travel Trust (ATT) and this is the agency responsible for providing bailout funds that ensure passenger safety, when things go wrong. You simply cannot afford to overlook ATOL, especially when you book tickets for long haul air travel like flights to India further eastwards. The significance of ATOL can be gauged from the fact that it falls under the responsibility of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which is the number one specialist aviation regulator in the UK.

The UK government even mandates that all tour operators selling flight packages within its boundaries need to hold the ATOL license. This license is granted only when the tour operator in question satisfies the licensing requirements laid down by the CAA. Every ATOL holder has an exclusive ATOL number, and this number can be cross checked by visiting the CAA website, CAA UK.

In a way, ATOL is like your travel insurance. In fact, ATOL members do need to acquire insurance bonds from the CAA. The purpose behind the entire exercise is to make sure that passengers face the least possible inconvenience in the event of flight cancellation. Not only are passengers entitled to refund of fares and alternative flights, they also get other amenities promised in the holiday deal package.

So, next time you think about saving some money by booking DIY holidays, keep it in mind that you would be much better off with an ATOL protected holiday package anytime. Saving a few pounds by not ensuring ATOL protection and then blowing off a major chunk of your savings in case of some misfortune is not a wise deal at all.

Thousands of holidaymakers are currently facing the prospect of losing or having to re-book their summer holidays after another UK travel group ceased trading.

Last night aviation regulators worked hard to ensure that all 13,000 holidaymakers that were abroad when the travel company Flight Options and its main trading arm Kiss Travel collapsed at 5pm yesterday were able to return as planned.

This marks the third UK travel group to cease trading in just over a month, which has sparked concerns that other companies could follow before summer ends.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has urged all Flight Options customers that were due to leave before 6pm tonight to travel to airports as planned. "Because the company has failed at the height of summer, the CAA is also putting in place arrangements to allow people to travel out on their holidays for the next 24 hours, to minimise confusion and protect passengers," it said in a statement.

All holidaymakers with later bookings have been advised to speak to their travel agents to discuss their options for alternative arrangements, and consult their travel insurance companies if appropriate cover was purchased. Most other customers who booked flights to the Mediterranean for next month and beyond should be able to receive refunds as protection is offered through the CAA's Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (Atol) protection scheme.

Flight Option's demise means more than 200,000 people have now been affected as a result of recent travel company collapses – the latest following Goldtrail Travel which failed in mid July and Sun4U last week. It is possible that some of those affected by last night's collapse could have been caught-up in Goldtrail's failure and were making their second attempt at a holiday as Kiss covered many of the same routes.

A number of underlying factors are likely to have contributed to the recent gloom in the travel industry, which include the closure of airspace due to the volcanic ashcloud, combined with months of uncertainty over British Airways flights from the cabin crew dispute and general uncertainty after the recession hit family finances hard.

Gary Ash, chief executive of Flight Options, told the travelweekly website: "I am devastated by this unfortunate turn of events. Over the past nine months we have been fighting in a difficult market.

"However, recent developments have made it impossible to continue the operation of the companies. He said the company's last annual results filed for the year ending 31 October 2009, revealed Kiss Flights had made an operating profit of £500,000.

Bob Atkinson, a travel expert with the website travelsupermarket.com said: "Unfortunately for some, Kiss Flights catered for many of the same routes as the recently collapsed Goldtrail. It may be the case the some unlucky holidaymakers will be affected all over again. At this stage it is unclear how many passengers will be protected by the Atol scheme and we are waiting for advice from the CAA.

"This is sadly yet another collapse in what could become a rash of company failures this autumn."

The CAA provided some reassurance after saying that most Flight Options customers will be covered by Atol as most of its business came from selling seats on planes. But it also expressed fears that many consumers hit by earlier collapses will lose out because the components of their holidays were sold separately which may not be seen as a 'package holiday'.

For example, only those who paid for flights, accommodation and hire car with a single credit card transaction will be protected under the Atol scheme. Those that paid for these components separately are not.

Flight Options also traded under several other names, including Africa Options, America Options, Canada Options, Caribbean Options, Dubai Options, Elgouna Options, Elgouna Villas and Apartments, Florida Options, Florida Owners Club, Golf Options, Holidayops.com, Orlando Villas Direct, Sportops.com, Travel Options Direct and Travelplus.

As the effects of the credit crunch are felt globally and increasing numbers of vulnerable businesses falling by the way side, it appears that against the odds, the travel industry looks set to weather the storm and come out the other side intact if not unscathed.

However it is not going to be all plain sailing, the CAA is taking a decidedly hard line in their bid to ensure there won’t be a repeat of last year’s XL Leisure debacle that left over 85,000 tourists stranded and cost the CAA millions of pounds to repatriate the stranded travellers. Therefore any travel company found to be underperforming will find them self under the Civil Aviations Authority’s microscope in a bid to either weed out or strengthen the weaker players in the industry before the busy summer season.

In order for tour operators to be awarded an ATOL licence they must measure up to the stringent standards specified by the CAA. It’s vital for agents to retain their ATOL (Air Travel Organisers’ Licencing Scheme) affiliation as it is a major selling point that provides peace of mind for almost thirty-million Britons who take a package holiday each year, ensuring that they will either receive a refund or be brought home should their travel company run into trouble.

The credit crunch has brought the matter of reliability to the forefront and it has become apparent that the CAA would rather see the less able companies cease trading now, rather than face another huge bill for bringing home British holiday makers stranded abroad. They are now considering asking some tour operators to provide a larger bond this year and if they are unable to meet the criteria, they will be forced to stop selling flights.

A spokesman for the CAA stated that; “Our responsibility is to passengers and to ensure companies meet the criteria for the ATOL licence. If they do not, that is a matter for them”.

The upshot is that the CAA is playing hard ball and is determined to keep a reign on spending. The overall cost of the XL operation not only grossly exceeded XL’s £42 million bond but it could possibly exceed the Air Travel Trust Fund’s £60 million pounds over draft, which is run by the industry as a passenger compensation scheme.