Accreditations and Governance
Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC)
Key Travel has been a member of the GTMC since 2003 and Ajaya Sodha, our Chairman, is Chairman of the GTMC. The GTMC is a member of the Guild of European Business Travel Agents (GEBTA) of which Ajaya is Board Director.
The Guild of Travel Management Companies is far more than an association. It works to promote the interests of our clients to suppliers, regulatory bodies and government and plays an increasingly important role in influencing the future of travel management.
It has become the industry's seal of quality and a guarantee of high standards whenever a Guild member agency is used.
Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA)
Key Travel is a member of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) which means you benefit from ABTA’s assistance and Code of Conduct. Many of the travel arrangements that we sell are protected in case of the financial failure of the travel company. Please ask us about the protection that applies to your booking.
ABTA’s main aims are to maintain high standards of trading practice for the benefit of its members, the travel industry, and the consumers that they serve.
As a member of ABTA Key Travel must comply with ABTA's code of conduct, which is monitored regularly by way of an annual audit.
The primary aims of the ABTA Code of Conduct are to ensure that the public receive the best possible service from members, and to maintain and enhance the reputation, good name and standing of ABTA and its members. It’s essentially a guide to good practice, although some of what it contains is also required under UK and European law.
International Air Transport Association (IATA)
We are bonded agents of the International Air Transport Association. Each of our offices has an independent license to trade under IATA.
IATA's goal is to help its members provide a seamless travel experience to their customers. As today's business is driven by consumer expectations, our challenge is to meet those expectations in a financially sustainable business environment.
Members of IATA enjoy the support of an internationally renowned organisation that represents, leads and serves one of the most dynamic industries in the world.
IATA aim to simplify the travel experience, to minimise hassle and give more control to each passenger. In addition, IATA have the environment as one of their top priorities. Airlines are working constantly to limit their climate change impact, emissions and noise. IATA is committed to helping them do so.
ATOL
We are bonded by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and carry an Air Travel Organisers Licence to protect our clients.
ATOL is a financial protection scheme for air holiday packages and flights managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). All tour operators and travel firms selling air holiday packages and flights in the UK as a principal are required by law to hold a licence called an Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL), and contribute to a central protection fund called the Air Travel Trust (ATT). In some cases they must also provide the ATT with a bond.
People booked and contracted with a licensed tour operator for a complete air holiday package or a flight are protected from losing money or being stranded abroad if their tour operator goes out of business. Refunds can be made to people who can’t travel and arrangements can be made to fly people home. The scheme does not protect people who book flights directly with an airline.
For more information see the Civil Aviation Authority website.
Investors in People
The Investors in People Standard is a business improvement tool designed to advance an organisation’s performance through its people.
Ensuring that we remain accredited with Investors in People allows us to focus on just that. All our employees have dedicated 1-1 time with their line managers, their own personal development plan and formal bi-annual performance and development reviews. In this way we ensure that we can effectively evaluate training and coaching needs and respond in a way which will provide the best development for our people.
The Investors in People requirement ensures commitment to this process in order to maintain the development of our employees consistently across the business. It is also a great recognition award for all of our managers who dedicate their time to coaching their teams in order give them the tools to succeed.
http://www.investorsinpeople.co.uk
School Travel Forum
Key Travel is an Assured Member of the School Travel Forum. The School Travel Forum is a democratic, leading not-for-profit organisation of leading school tour operators that promotes good practice and safety in school travel.
All Assured Members are required to adhere to a rigorous Code of Practice and Safety Management Standards and are externally verified by Argent Health and Safety, the UK's leading Health and Safety Consultancy specialising in travel.
ISO14001
Key Travel is proud to have achieved ISO 14001 certification in July 2011 in recognition of our high standard of environmental best practice.
ISO 14001 is an environmental management standard that is awarded to companies who are able to demonstrate their commitment to the environment by passing an audit endorsed by the International Organisation for Standardisation. Companies that pass the audit must demonstrate an understanding of the environmental impact of their work and take steps to minimise this impact.
Tourism Flanders
Our Brussels office is a member of Tourism Flanders. Tourism Flanders Brussels is the public body responsible for the Flanders' policy on tourism.
As well as promoting tourism in Belgium, Tourism Flanders is responsible for the implementation of the regulation relating to hotels, travel agencies and camping businesses. It is investing in specific projects of tourist infrastructure to improve the tourism trade.
http://www.visitflanders.co.uk/
Garantiefonds Reizen
Our Brussels office is also a member of Garantiefonds Reizen, a Belgian Travel Guarantee Fund which offers financial protection to insure you in the event that Key Travel were to become financially insolvent or bankrupt. In other words, it ensures that your money is safe.
