The government and Civil Aviation Authority have deferred implementation of the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) scheme to April 2012 to allow the events industry more time to prepare.

Eventia, a trade body for the events industry, has welcomed the decision and applauded the exemption of flight-only and flight-plus sales to corporate entities from the scheme, but they continue to lobby its induction to the B2B sector.

ATOL will provide financial protection for airline passengers and prevent them from being stranded by carrying out stringent checks on the tour operators and travel organisers it licenses.

Participation in a financial guarantee scheme run by the Air Travel Trust (ATT) will also be a requirement if firms wish to receive the license.

Chairman of the Eventia Regulation Committee, Brian Kirsch said: “It is often not possible within a business environment to include passenger names and other basic information at the point of first raising an invoice or even a second invoice... this information will ultimately be communicated, but not necessarily at time of issue of invoices/ATOL Certificate nor directly to the traveller.”

Kirsch pointed out that in B2B, the passenger rarely pays for their own ticket and if it is to be imposed on the sector then an agreement needs to be sought with the Civil Aviation Authority on a practical implementation that recognises protection is for the corporate client via a named representative and not each individual passenger.

Pictured: Eventia's Brian Kirsch