A company called Bargain Flight Desk have the best prices for some flights, but I normally just use skyscanner/opodo.

Thanks

See if they’re ABTA registered. Can’t think of much else.

+1 for ABTA and don’t take a logo on their site as proof. Check on the ABTA site/call them and check the registered address etc.

They have ATOL and IATA. Thanks

or those I guess. Check they are really members though.

Cool ATOL reckon they’re legit!

ABTA, ATOL and IATA all have websites where you can check a company’s membership.

If they’re not on there, stay clear – last year saw countless industry alerts for “agencies” selling holidays that they never had contracts to sell, leaving people stranded in foreign countries with nowhere to stay.

Self managing may sometimes be a little cheaper but you lose all the security of an ABTA, ATOL or IATA bond.

There is lots of advice on the radio about this recently: basic advice – this is probably useless – but travel agents that are on the verge of going bust tend to sell deals that are too good to be true to try and stay above water.

Sadly – usually – you’ll never get on a plane to get any benefit from the abta / atol stuff. Worst case is you’ll be stuck at Gatwick / Preswick etc. You’ll just not get to go anywhere and have a beef with your credit card company til they settle up (if you’re lucky and used your credit card). By the time you get the money back the kids holidays are over and its all pointless.

Anyway, if its too good to be true, well, you know.