A long-established UK travel company has collapsed into liquidation after more than five decades in business, leaving customers relying on ATOL protection to recover costs or rearrange parts of their holidays.
The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that Ickenham Travel Group stopped trading in November, marking the end of a company that had operated in the UK travel sector for 55 years.
Travel firm ceases trading
Ickenham Travel Group formally ceased trading as an ATOL licence holder on 20 November 2025, according to the aviation regulator.
The London-based business previously operated under several trading names, including Abu Dhabi Holidays, Ras Al Khaimah Holidays and Letsgo2.
The company was founded in 1970 by chief executive Peter Reglar and began with a single travel shop before expanding its operations.
Advice for customers already abroad
The CAA said customers who were already overseas at the time the company stopped trading should not have been affected in terms of their return flights.
Passengers were advised to check in with their airline as normal using their existing flight tickets, which should remain valid.
The regulator said it has been working with service providers to ensure other elements of trips, where possible, continued as planned.
Guidance for future travel bookings
For customers with ATOL-protected package holidays due to travel after 20 November 2025, the CAA issued specific guidance.
The regulator said flight tickets issued as part of an ATOL flight-inclusive package may still be valid, but customers must confirm this directly with their airline.
However, the CAA warned that other parts of the holiday, such as accommodation or transfers, may not have been paid to local suppliers and could need to be rebooked and paid for again.
Options for affected travellers
The CAA outlined two main options for customers due to travel after the collapse.
Travellers can choose to claim a full refund if they do not wish to use their flight.
Alternatively, customers can use their flight and make their own arrangements for replacement services, such as hotels or transfers, and then submit a claim to recover those additional costs.
Claims and deadlines explained
Customers whose bookings were cancelled before Ickenham Travel Group ceased trading as an ATOL holder are entitled to submit a claim under the ATOL scheme.
The deadline for submitting an ATOL claim is 19 November 2026, giving affected customers a year to seek compensation.
The CAA directed customers to the ATOL website for detailed guidance on how to make a claim and what documentation is required.
UK travel industry under pressure
The collapse of Ickenham Travel Group is the latest in a series of failures within the UK travel industry, which has faced rising costs, weaker consumer demand and ongoing financial pressures.
Several UK travel firms have gone out of business this year, leaving holidaymakers facing cancelled trips and uncertainty over refunds.
Just last month, a UK airline ceased operations after more than two decades in business, cancelling all flights and stranding passengers abroad.
Consumer protection remains vital
The CAA said the ATOL scheme continues to provide crucial protection for travellers when licensed firms fail.
Customers are urged to always check whether a travel company is ATOL-protected before booking and to keep all documentation in case a claim is needed.
