• Home
• Company
• Standards
• Services
• MyTimelinx

• Standards & Ethics
• Code of Conduct
• Advice to Consumers

Standards & Ethics

Operations and services offered by Timelinx to the public, our partners and our corporate clients are executed within a very specific framework of standards and ethics.

Our decisions are guided by economics without compromising our integrity. Through research and prudent planning, we seek to minimise risk and maintain a selective, conservative and knowledgeable approach to our business.

We are currently members of associations and organisations that we believe sincerely share our ideals and passions about standards and ethics.

ABTA

The Association of British Travel Agents is the UK’s Premier Trade Association for Travel Agents and Tour Operators.

For more than twenty years ABTA has sought to ensure that there is a scheme in place to protect you, as a customer of an ABTA bonded Travel Agent and Tour Operator member. ABTA provides assistance to you if you have a complaint against a member company – a company that carry their logo.

The quality of the holidays and services provided by ABTA companies is crucial to the reputation of the industry. When you book a holiday, a legally binding contract is made with the Travel Agent or Tour Operator – the company that organises your holiday. By law you have the right to expect the holiday that you booked and paid for.

ABTA maintains a strict Code of Conduct. The Code aims to ensure that you receive the best possible service from your ABTA bonded Travel Agent and Tour Operator from before you book your travel arrangements, through the booking process, the after-sale service and information you get, to the way they handle any complaint you may have.

At present, ABTA Travel Agents and Tour Operator offices are responsible for the sale of some 85% of the UK's sold holidays.

ATOL

Our ATOL number is 6844.

ATOL provides Total Financial Protection for Air Holidays.

ATOL is a protection scheme for flights and air holidays, managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Most firms who sell air travel in the UK are required by law to hold a license called an “ATOL”.

ATOL protects you from losing money or being stranded abroad when a tour operator goes out of business. All licensed firms have to lodge bonds with the CAA so that if they go out of business, the CAA can give refunds to people who can’t travel and arrange for people abroad to finish their holidays and fly home.

ATOL protection is included in the price of a holiday booked with an ATOL holder, and there’s a government-backed fund called the Air Travel Trust that steps in if any ATOL bond is not sufficient to look after everyone affected by a failure.

I.A.T.A.

The International Air Transport Association is a universal trade association representing the airline industry. They bring together approximately 270 airlines, including the world’s largest, cooperating to offer a seamless service of the highest possible standard to passengers and cargo shippers. Flights by these airlines comprise more than 98 percent of all international scheduled air traffic.

Continual efforts by IATA ensure that people, freight and mail can move around the vast global airline network as easily as possible. In addition, IATA contributes to simplify the travel and shipping process, and help to ensure that airlines operate safely, securely, efficiently and economically under clearly defined and understood rules.

A.E.D.A.V.E.

AEDAVE Is the Asociacion Empresarial de Agencias de Viajes Espanolas, which means in English the Association for sales in travel agencies and tour operators in Spain. The association was constituted under the law 19/1977 on 22nd February 1979.

The association is financially and administratively independent and covers the whole of the Spanish Territory; it is non-political and non-profit making association dedicated to quality services and ethics within the industry. AEDAVE also benefits its members by being a member of the following organizations:

• C.E.O.E. : Spanish Confederation of business organization (Confederacion Espanola de Organizaciones Empresariales
• O.M.T. : World Wide tourism Organization (Organizacion mundial de Turismo)
• F.U.A.A.V. : Universal Federation of Association of Travel Agencies (Federacion universal de Asociaciones de Agencias de Viajes.
• E.C.T.A.A. : European Group of Association of Travel Agencies (Agrupacion Europea de Asociaciones de Agencias de Viajes.)
• C.O.T.A.L. : South America confederation of tourist organization ( Confederacion de Organizaciones Turisticas de America Latina.

A.S.T.A

ASTA, the American Society of Travel Agents, is the world’s largest association of travel professionals. Their membership of over 20,000 includes travel agents and the companies whose products they sell such as tours, cruises, hotels, car rentals, etc. They are the leading advocate for travel agents, the travel industry and the travelling public. The American Society of Travel Agents’ mission is to enhance the professionalism and profitability of member agents through effective representation in industry and government affairs, education and training, and by identifying and meeting the needs of the travelling public.

ASATA

The Association of South African Travel Agents, simply known as ASATA, was formed in 1956. Its founders created a representative forum in the industry to promote professional service with security for both Members and their clients. As a Section 21 Company not for profit, membership of ASATA is entirely voluntary and extends to South African Retail Travel Agents, Travel Management Companies and Wholesalers. A Partners section for those suppliers of travel related products to the industry also exists. Currently the Membership represents more than 85% of the industry including the head offices of most of the major brands.

ASATA´s emphasis is on free trade without violating rules and regulations. Accordingly we have entrenched a Constitution and a Code of Conduct that self-regulates the travel industry and provides the consumer with a benchmark and the comfort that the Members are compliant with ASATA’s guidelines. As an indicator of the effect of our governance processes, more than 97% of the complaints we receive from the Consumer relate to non-ASATA members!

ASATA is administered by a full-time Secretariat headed by a Chief Executive Officer, with the day-to-day functions being monitored by a Members Council and its continued role and direction are guided by a Board of Directors. All the Members of the Regional Committee’s, Council and Board are elected by the Members at an Annual General Meeting.

The association interfaces with key opinion leaders in the industry and senior Government officials in representing its Members on all issues of common interest to ASATA Members. This includes policy, planning, operational and regulatory issues ensuring the ongoing sustainability of the travel industry.

Our representation includes affiliation to; The Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA), Tourism, Hospitality & Sport Education & Training Authority (THETA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), The Airline Association of Southern Africa (AASA), The Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA), World Travel Agents Association Alliance (WTAAA), The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT), Tourism Empowerment Council of South Africa (TECSA), Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA), Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA), South African Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (SAVRALA) and South African Tourism (SAT).

The make up of the Membership base is directly related to the outbound travel market. ASATA values tourism into this country and supports the vital growth opportunities it presents for South Africa. More recently ASATA has made every effort to distinguish travel from tourism as our Members tend to focus on fulfilling the South African traveller’s requirements. It is important to make this distinction as the effect of bundling travel and tourism impacts training needs, statistics, service delivery and understanding the economics of this dynamic industry.

The primary focus of ASATA is directed at any issue related to improving the continued sustainability and profitability of its Members and ensuring the delivery of a professional service to the travelling consumer. This is achieved through strong relationships and open dialogue with all stakeholders.