What changed
Barnes Worldwide Travel Ltd, ABTA member C724X in Liverpool, ceased trading on September 9.
What happens to existing bookings
ABTA says the tour operator or other principal travel business will be named on the customer’s paperwork. For a flight-inclusive holiday, the relevant company appears on the ATOL certificate under “Who is protecting your trip.”
The booking should continue normally with that principal, but the customer must contact its credit-control department and have the documentation ready.
The financial exposure
No system-wide loss figure has been published. Exposure depends on whether the principal received the money, whether the booking remains confirmed and what commission or service-fee arrangements apply to the individual file.
Your move: collect the confirmation, receipts and ATOL certificate; contact the named principal’s credit-control team; and obtain written confirmation that the booking and payment remain intact.