Holidays Rights
Package Holidays – What are your rights?
We all want our holidays to run smoothly. For many of us, this proves to be the case, but what happens when things don’t go to plan? Holidaymakers are often unsure where they stand with their Tour Operator and what rights they have with the Package Holiday they have booked.
Below are some of the frequently asked questions relating to package holidays and your rights.
- The Tour Operator has changed the hotel
- The Tour Operator has forced us to upgrade
- Can the Tour Operator ask me for more money?
- My holiday has been cancelled
- Making a compensation claim against the Tour Operator
How to Get Compensation for Holiday Problems
As the summer 2022 holiday season gets underway, a large group of holidaymakers will find that their travel plans have been placed into chaos by their tour operators and through airline cancellations.
Of course, the best thing you can do is make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance to deal with significant delays and cancellations.
With flights being cancelled by some major airlines, you should establish your rights before you travel. The most useful guidance can be found in the Civil Aviation delays and cancellation pages which can be found in the link below.
Delays and cancellations | Civil Aviation Authority (caa.co.uk)
What can you do if your holiday is changed at the last minute, or you arrive in the resort to find you have a holiday nightmare on your hands, or your holiday was simply the holiday from hell?
There are steps you can take thanks to the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements 2018 – FAQ’s are answered below:
Who’s accountable for providing the holiday you paid for?
You may book your holiday through a travel agent or directly with a tour operator. Travel agents usually act as middlemen between the tour operator and you. The holiday company who has responsibility for you if things go wrong organises your accommodation, flights, and any other components of your holiday. However, the travel agent may still be responsible if they give you false information – such as the star rating of the hotel.
Your contract is with the tour operator that provides and organises your holiday, no matter how you book it. It is this company’s responsibility to sort out any problems you have and provide the holiday that you ask for.
Make sure that you know who the tour operator is before booking. It should be obvious at the time of booking but if you are unsure, ask:
- If your holiday is cancelled or changed
- Your right to get your promised holiday
- If you cannot go on your holiday
- If your holiday company goes out of business
If you suffer an accident or contract food poisoning on your package holiday, we suggest that you contact us right away. However, if your complaint does not involve an accident or injury, you will usually be best off pursing a complaint yourself. If you cannot get anywhere with your tour operator, you can use the ABTA Arbitration process or claim in the Small Claims Court in England and Wales.
The Citizens Advice offers useful tips for quality issues: