Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
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Pilgrims warned to be wary of dodgy tour operators
Consumer Affairs Minister Gareth Thomas today reminded British pilgrims to know their rights and be wary of dodgy tour operators when booking for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
In previous years many pilgrims have been left disappointed and angry by tour operators offering a bad service. With the average cost of a round-trip at £2,500 the Minister has written to Mosques and community groups to highlight the risk of scam artists and urge them to be vigilant.
Gareth Thomas said:
"People are entitled to get what they are paying for and this is even more important in the current economic climate.
"Tour operators should have an Air Travel Organiser's licence (ATOL) which means they are covered by industry-wide regulations which will ensure that pre-payments are protected and, in the event of a tour operator going bust, flights home are guaranteed."
Since meeting with tour operators and pilgrims' groups last year applications to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) from Hajj tour operators seeking an Air Travel Organiser's Licence (ATOL) have doubled.
The CAA's Deputy Director of Consumer Protection, David Moesli, said:
"Every year tens of thousands of British Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. If you are one of these it is important to ensure your arrangements are ATOL protected so that you don't lose out if the company you've booked with goes bust. On the CAA website you can use the Check an ATOL facility to check that your Hajj tour operator is ATOL protected."
Notes for Editors
1. Pilgrims can check whether their operator has an ATOL on the Civil Aviation Authority's website at http://www.atol.org.uk or by calling 020 7453 6424.
2. Any firm arranging flights as part of a package must have an ATOL, which ensures that payments are protected if the company goes bust. Travellers will be refunded, or can finish their trip and be flown home if they are already abroad when the company collapses.
3. After the collapse of Luton-based tour operator Go4 Hajj last year, pilgrims were refunded £270,000 from the firm's ATOL protection.
4. It is important that pilgrims who find fault with aspects of their Hajj travel arrangements, contact their local Trading Standards Department for advice when they return home.
5. Contact details for trading standards offices are available from Consumer Direct on 08454 04056, at http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk or from local town halls.
6. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provide helpful information on how to prepare for and what to expect from Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages on their website http://www.fco.gov.uk/hajj.
7. More information for pilgrims on consumer rights can be found at http://www.berr.gov.uk/consumers/fact-sheets/page38205.html.
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