ABTA leaders are keen to get a proposal to widen the ATOL scheme included in a government consultation on increasing the consumer-protection levy on holidays.
Association officials believe millions of holidays sold outside the ATOL scheme could be brought in through a change in regulations.
The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed last week it will consult on a rise in the £1 ATOL Protection Contribution, sparking fury in the trade about the likely increase – due from October 1.
ABTA wants the levy to stay at £1 and be extended beyond package holidays and seat-only sales to any booking of a flight plus one or more travel elements. It believes changing the ATOL regulations to cover ‘flight-plus’ sales rather than packages would be a solution.
However, time is tight with the consultation due in March. ABTA head of development Andy Cooper hoped to win support for the plan from the ABTA board this week, but a scheduled meeting was postponed because of the school half term.
A hearing into the CAA’s case against Travel Republic over alleged breach of the ATOL regulations was also postponed last week and is now scheduled for March 11.
Read more on protection in this week’s dynamic packaging special…