With so many airlines in financial trouble these days, I am worried about booking my next flight. Are there any precautions that I can take, so that at least I will get my money back in case of failure? Oliver Bailey, Bristol

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: First off, it's impossible to guess which airline might be next to go under, and with another 30 expected to go bust in the next six months or so, you definitely have the right attitude. The best plan is to go ahead and get the best deal you can, regardless of the airline, but to make sure you are covered if the worst should happen.

For starters, you should always pay for flights by credit card. This is because the Consumer Credit Act sees to it that if the airline does go bankrupt, you'll get all of your money back, providing that the single purchase cost £100 or more. So a return flight for over £100 would be covered, but two single flights booked separately for £50 each wouldn't be.

If you pay by debit card or a cheque, then you could find yourself at the back of a very long queue of creditors, and with little hope of ever seeing more than a small fraction of your money back.

The CAA administers the ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licence) scheme, which ensures that any ATOL bonded company ceases trading ­ and there have been nine tour companies in the first three weeks of September, including XL, then you will get your money back.

If you are on holiday when this happens, then you are covered to continue your holiday and be flown back as near as possible to your original plan by other airlines.

So it is a very good idea to book with an ATOL bonded company. To check if a company is bonded, and to find out how to claim in the worst-case scenario, see www.caa.co.uk

And to be completely copper bottomed, or if you are booking direct with an airline and paying by Debit Card, make sure that your travel insurance policy includes SAFI (Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance).

Many don't, but STA Travel, Easyjet4insurance.com, and the Post Office do. You might sometimes get an option to buy this when for a single trip when you are making the online booking direct with the airline.

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