Winter sports & active holidays

Start by checking that the company is an ATOL holder if it sells flight-inclusive packages, as the Civil Aviation Authority publishes the register and ATOL protects your money if the company fails. Then confirm whether it is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and compare the resort, transfer, ski school and insurance details it offers against your own requirements.

Compare the total price including flights, transfers, lift passes, equipment hire and any mandatory extras, as well as the level of accommodation and the distance from the slopes. Check the cancellation terms, the deposit and balance payment dates, and whether the company offers a guaranteed ski school or instructor level.

If you book a package holiday that includes flights, ATOL protection from the Civil Aviation Authority covers your payment if the company goes bust, and you should receive an ATOL certificate listing the protected parts of your trip. If you book flights and accommodation separately, the protection differs, so check whether your credit card payment is covered under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 for purchases between £100 and £30,000.

Your cancellation rights depend on the booking terms, and the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 entitle you to cancel a package holiday without penalty only when exceptional circumstances occur at the destination. If you cancel for other reasons, the company's cancellation charges apply, so read the schedule before you pay, and consider cancellation or disruption cover in your travel insurance.

Under the Package Travel Regulations 2018, the organiser must provide help if you are in difficulty and must bear the costs of reasonable alternative arrangements when the trip is significantly disrupted. You can claim compensation under retained EU Regulation 261/2004 from the airline for flight delays of three hours or more or cancellations, and the Civil Aviation Authority can help if the airline does not respond.

Raise the complaint in writing with the company as soon as possible during your holiday or within a reasonable time afterwards, giving your booking reference and a clear description of the problem and the outcome you want. If the company does not resolve it, escalate to the ABTA dispute resolution service or the relevant ADR scheme, and for a package holiday you can take the matter to small claims court in England and Wales or the sheriff court in Scotland.