ABTA president Justin Fleming has called on the European Parliament to clear up confusion over dynamic packaging and ATOL protection following the latest row over the Court of Appeal ruling.
He said the trade remains confused by the ruling and the British Government is indifferent to resolving the issue, so Brussels must provide clarification in order to deliver effective consumer protection.
Last week, the Civil Aviation Authority claimed the ruling meant ATOLs are required for dynamic packages but ABTA claimed nothing had changed from the original court ruling in January and has set out the circumstances in which agents are creating a package holiday.
Fleming said: “The British Government doesn’t care if there’s fair financial protection for consumers in the UK. We all campaigned very hard for the £1 levy but the Government has abdicated itself of any responsibility.
“The ruling will expose more people to less protection. The only way forward in the long term is to go back to basics and back to Brussels.”
Former ABTA president and Hotels4U sales and marketing director John Harding called on the industry to adopt a united approach accusing the Government of disinterest.
“The industry is being hung out to dry by inaction, disinterest and total confusion in direction resulting in an unequal cost penalty falling on honourable and moral souls who still believe in the right approach,” said Fleming.
He added: “With the Federation of Tour Operators starting to make waves, TUI nailing its colours to the mast and ABTA and the CAA adopting a smoke and mirrors approach to the latest judicial review ‘clarifications’, is it any wonder that confusion reigns supreme?”