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TERMS & CONDITIONS OF BOOKINGS IT IS OUR SINCERE WISH THAT YOU THOROUGHLY ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY, In the following information "us" "we" and "our" means The Global Travel Group Plc. "You" and "Your" means you and all members of your party (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date.) CHOOSING YOUR HOLIDAY We hope your holiday will live up to your expectations, so it is extremely important that you choose the holiday that's right for you. Whilst our staff are always happy to advise, this can only be an opinion. If you are unsure about the suitability of a destination etc., you must seek supplementary information which can be obtained from libraries, tourist offices and the internet etc. ACCOMMODATION GRADING We categorise all accommodation to give a general guide, however standards can vary between accommodation of the same class in different countries and even in the same country. For example city accommodation which often caters for business as well as leisure travelers may well have generally higher standards than beach resort accommodation where the whole atmosphere will tend to be more relaxed. It is important to read carefully the individual accommodation descriptions. A comparison of cost may also give some idea of how accommodation in the same resort / country is likely to compare in terms of general standards. Accommodation, whatever the rating, is based on a twin or double standard room unless otherwise stated. SINGLE/TWIN OR DOUBLE ROOMS It is an unfair fact of life that single travelers often have to pay over the odds for a room, often up to twice the price each person in a twin room might have to pay. So we have negotiated some super deals and are delighted to offer you some of the widest choice of single saver offers in the long haul market today. However please note that the standard and location of these single rooms is not always as good as that of twin/double rooms even when you pay the single supplement. TRIPLE/QUAD ROOMS A third or fourth person sharing a room either occupies existing beds or has an extra bed (which may be of camp bed style or sofa bed) placed in a double/twin room. As conditions may be cramped you may wish to consider booking additional rooms. BOOKING A ROOM FOR EARLY ARRIVAL OR LATE DEPARTURE Generally, your accommodation will be available from 2pm on the date of arrival, and is to be vacated between 10am and noon on the date of departure, irrespective of your arrival of departure times and unless we have stated otherwise. Should you wish your room to be ready prior to this time frame on your day of arrival or available after 10 am for an afternoon or evening departure, it may be possible to reserve the room at the time booking however this will be on a "subject to availability" basis. This could incur additional cost and is normally paid locally. Should we not be able to accommodate your request, you may also ask at reception (if applicable) on your date of arrival or at any time during your stay. ROOM UPGRADE/HONEYMOON/ANNIVERSARY OFFERS When the offer of a room upgrade is mentioned, it is usually an upgrade to the next category of room (not suite) available within the establishment. We will of course do everything possible to arrange this, but it is not always possible to guarantee the provision of, for example, a double bed for honeymoon couples. In order to qualify, your stay and/or your holiday must be started and completed within the date band specified, under the individual offers as stated. PASSPORTS/VISAS/HEALTH British Citizens will need a full 10 year passport to travel to the destinations we feature and are generally required to have 6 months remaining on it after the date of return. Some destinations also require visas. We will be happy to advise you at the time of booking. If you or any member of your party is not a British or EU citizen or holds a non British/EU passport, you must check passport and visa requirements with the Embassy or Consulate of the country(ies) to or through which you are intending to travel. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you or any member of your party are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry correct documentation. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, costs, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on or incurred by us or we incur any expense as a result, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly. You should contact your GP or a specialist vaccination centre for details on the health precautions you will need to take prior to departure. Requirements may change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure. Information on health is contained om the Department of Health leaflet T6 (Health Advice for Travellers) available from your local Department of Health office and most Post Offices. For European holidays you should obtain a completed and issued form E1 11 (details in leaflet T6 referred to above) prior to departure. CHILDREN ON HOLIDAY Discounts are available for children and offers are subject to availability of triple of quad rooms. We would like you to note that even infants under the age of 2 years on the date of return flight may pay a fee when traveling in economy class (other classes of air travel are available on request), please ask at the time of booking. There is no entitlement to a separate seat on the aircraft for an infant per adult. Any charge for a baby cot in the room and supplementary board basis are mostly paid by the guest direct to the establishment. We do not recommend holidays for children under 10 in escorted tours and coach tours (unless in private minibus). Some destinations, owing to their lack of special child or medical facilities may not be suitable for very young children but we would be happy to advise which accommodation or resorts we think are most suited to your requirements. Should any child qualify for a "Free Child Place" (where applicable) it should be noted that the same are normally required to share the same room as their parents. On some occasions, the child may also be required to share the same bed. HOLIDAY SEASONS Most of the destinations we feature/advertise are available all year round. Some do have quieter 'off peak' periods when you can take advantage of uncrowded beaches and more personal attention from staff. At the time it may be necessary for establishments to scale down the size of some of their facilities, such as restaurants, to match demand. Other recreational facilities such as outdoor pools/watersport activities may also be closed. Similarly, during peak periods, establishments often experience full occupancy which may result in a livelier atmosphere and slower service. PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Virtually all countries have public holidays, religious or otherwise. The festivities may temporarily disrupt your holiday and some religious holidays such as Ramadan, which affects many Muslim countries, may results in a reduction of facilities and entertainments. Others are somewhat chaotic but great fun to be a part of. We suggest that you take this into consideration when selecting your departure date. We will be happy to advise you at the time of booking and/or for additional information, please consult local libraries, tourist offices and the internet etc. OTHER GUESTS Many establishments, especially in cities and major beach resorts accommodate conventions and conferences. Also, at certain times of the year, some destinations have an influx of groups such as students, associations or clubs. The accommodation we feature is often shared with guests from many other countries with different cultures and customs and we have no-control over the acceptance of bookings at the accommodation we feature other than our own. We are therefore unable to accept responsibility for any limitation of facilities due to such groups or inconvenience that their activities may cause you. MEALS Meals if included, are based on table d'hote menus, or a meal voucher system unless specified otherwise. Holidays which include main meals generally commence with dinner on the day of arrival at your accommodation, terminating with breakfast (on half board) or lunch (on full board) on the day of departure. No refunds on meals "not taken" can be given. Special diets of any kind (including vegetarian) can seldom be catered for adequately within the constraints of a table d'hote menu and cannot be guaranteed. We would therefore strongly suggest that anyone with special requirements takes a holiday with no meals (or only breakfast) is included and simply buys the most acceptable dishes from restaurants available locally. In some cases you may find the cost of the meal cheaper however, we regret that it will not be possible to refund the difference. If you have paid a "half board" supplement, it may be possible at some establishments to ask for a credit from the table d'hote dinner to be used against a meal in an a la carte restaurant (within the same accommodation). Please note, if you book accommodation on an "all-inclusive" basis, accommodations booked on this basis will include for example "branded" spirits i.e. they may offer local alternatives. FLIGHTS: There are varying types of flights that we may book as part of your package i.e. Charter, No Frills, Full Published and Consolidated. Any flight element of your holiday is provided by an independent supplier. Each supplier has their own terms and conditions. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions (See "Our Responsibilities"). Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from ourselves or the supplier concerned. Please note: the carrier reserves the right to refuse carriage to any person who has acquired a ticket in violation of applicable law or carrier's tariffs, rules or regulations. Right of refusal may now be granted to Airlines under new and stringent ant-terrorism laws. We would now like to bring the following to your attention. If the flight element of your package is a : CHARTER FLIGHT: A charter flight is invariably where an ATOL licensed Tour Operator such as AVRO, Unijet, Thomson, Freedom Flights or Thomas Cook etc has "chartered" their own Aircraft - normally for months at a time. Charter flights are most common to "Beach / Sunshine" destination however, should not be confused with "No Frills Airlines" who may fly to the same destination. CHARTER FLIGHT CONDITIONS: When we book a charter flight on your behalf, we will identify that Charter Operator on your ATOL receipt. Full terms and conditions relating to individual charter airlines may be found in the relevant charter airline brochures. Where copies of these conditions are not readily available, copies of these terms and conditions are available on request from ourselves or the supplier concerned. By booking with us, you are agreeing to these conditions. NO FRILLS FLIGHT A "No Frills" flight may be one of the following Airlines: Easyjet, BMI Baby, MyTravelLite, Jet2, Ryanair & Air2000.com "No Frills" Airlines are most common to "City and Beach/Sunshine" destinations where the flight time is normally less than 3 hours. NO FRILLS FLIGHT CONDITIONS When we book a "No Frills" flight on your behalf, we will identify that "No Frills" Airline on your ATOL receipt. It should be noted, that "No Frills" airlines operate independently of each other and are normally quite inflexible. Furthermore, they will invariably charge more for amendments once the booking has been made and levy "severe" cancellation charges. By allowing or asking us to book a "No Frills" flight on your behalf, we regret and you accept that we are unable to take any responsibility for flights changes, or cancellation made to any part of your reservation by the "No Frills" Airline. For the avoidance of doubt, when we book a "No Frills" flight on your behalf, you are agreeing to the "No Frills" Airline booking conditions. We will of course endeavor to change / amend all other components of your package without charge through co-operation with our suppliers in the event of a cancellation of change by the No Frill Airline however cannot guarantee this will be the case. We are therefore obliged to inform you that compared to Charter Airlines, your reservation carries financial risk. We would also like to refer you to "Changes or Additions to Your Holiday" - FULL PUBLISHED/CONSOLIDATED FLIGHT A "Full Published/Consolidated" Flight is normally identified as a flight operated by a "National Carrier" such as British Airways, KLM, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific etc. "Full/Published/Consolidated" Flights are most common to major City destinations throughout the world. FULL PUBLISHED/CONSOLIDATED FLIGHT CONDITIONS When we book a "Full Published/Consolidated" flight on your behalf, we will identify that "Full Published/Consolidated" Airline on your ATOL receipt (identified as "BSP" OR "Global Airfares Consol"). It should be noted Full Published/Consolidated Airlines normally levy "severe" cancellation/amendment charges dependent on the type of ticket booked. We would also like to refer you to "Changes or Additions to your Holiday" UPGRADING YOUR FLIGHT & FLIGHT SEAT REQUESTS When flying in economy class, a short/long haul flight in certain circumstances/conditions may be an unpleasant one due to seat pitch or restriction in legroom etc especially for taller passengers. Unless you have pre-booked your seats (where this facility is available), it may not be possible to obtain them together. Please bear in mind that even when you do pre-book seats, in most cases we will not be able to confirm the actual seat numbers or position on the aircraft. Where possible, we will offer you a further range of upgrade options designed to give you a more comfortable journey at a reasonable supplement. DIRECT FLIGHTS The flight routings used in connection with our holiday may be based on special fares which do not necessarily take the most direct route. Some itineraries require a change of aircraft on route. A flight that is described as direct is one where there is no need to change aircraft during the journey. However, should you require this information at an earlier stage, please check with your Travel Agent and/or our Sales staff at the time of booking. FLIGHT CHANGES Unfortunately, Airlines may occasionally change the type of aircraft on a particular flight without advance warning. Flight timings and days of operation are subject to change and we will advise you of any significant change as soon as we ourselves are informed by the airline. Minor timing changes will be shown on the flight tickets, which you should check carefully when received. It is possible that flight times may be changed even after tickets have been dispatched - we will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs. We are not always in a position to confirm the airline, aircraft type and airport of destination which will be used in connection with any flight included in your holiday. When this information is provided at the time of booking or subsequently, it is subject to change. Any such change will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements without paying our normal charges. We cannot be held responsible for Airline re-scheduling/re-routing flights via other aiport/destinations following your confirmation of booking. Unfortunately, Airlines who re-route flights are not obligated to make a refund or reduction of any kind should a change to your original itinerary take place. FLIGHT DELAYS In the event of a flight being delayed we will normally arrange for the following to be provided, whenever reasonably practical, and subject to the airport being able to cater for this:- over 4 hours, an appropriate meal, and for delays of at least 8 hours extending beyond midnight, overnight accommodation will be provided whenever reasonably possible. However, this will depend on such factors as the type of flights you have booked (please see FLIGHTS section above) expected length of delay, local availability of accommodation, immigration rulings etc. Where long flight delays will result in lost holiday time, no refunds are given by accommodation owners for unused accommodations, as rooms are held for delayed arrivals, not re-let. Similarly airlines do not offer compensation for flight delays. It is in recognition of the above that your holiday travel insurance policy normally offers monetary compensation for flight delays. SMOKING ON FLIGHTS The majority of airlines have introduced a total no smoking ban on most or all of their flights. Please ask at the time of booking if this information is important to you. OTHER ELEMENTS OF YOUR BOOKING a)Car Parking/Airport Lounges Element When we book Car Parking or an Airport Lounge/s on your behalf, we will confirm your reservation through "Holiday Extras" and this operator will be identified on your ATOL receipt. Full terms and conditions relating to Holiday Extras will be made available to you at the time of booking and by booking with us, you are agreeing to these conditions. The exception to this is cancellation where the charges shown below will apply and not those of Holiday Extras. b)Theme Park/Attraction Passes Element When we book a Theme Park/Attraction Pass/es on your behalf, we will confirm your reservation through "Seligo" and this operator will be identified on your ATOL receipt. Full terms and conditions relating to Seligo will be made available to you at the time of booking and by booking with us, you are agreeing to these conditions. The exception to this is cancellation where the charged show below will apply and not those of Seligo. c) Car Rental Element When we book Car Rental on your behalf, we will confirm your reservation through "Holiday Autos" and this operator will be identified on your ATOL receipt. Full terms and conditions relating to Holiday Autos will be made available to you at the time of booking and by booking with us, you are agreeing to these conditions. The exception to this is cancellation where the charges shown below will apply and not those of Holiday Autos. SPECIAL REQUESTS Where special requests i.e. dietary requests, room location, twin or double bedded room, a particular facility at an accommodation, flight seat requests and/or particular meals etc. are an important factor in the choice of a holiday, you must advise us when the booking is made. We are happy to pass your request on to the relevant supplier but cannot guarantee that it will be met. We will pass on any dietary requests to airlines but we recommend that you check directly with the airline once your tickets have been issued. For your own protections, you should obtain confirmation in writing from us that your request will be compiled with (where it is possible for us to give this) if your request is important to you. Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier or the inclusion of the special request on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met. Unless and until specifically confirmed, all special requests are subject to availability. We regret we cannot accept any conditional bookings, i.e. any booking which is specified to be conditional on the fulfillment of a particular request. All such bookings will be treated as "standard" bookings subject to the above provisions on special requests. TRANSFER VOUCHERS Please note, where applicable, transfer vouchers will be issued prior to your departure and it is essential that you are able to produce this document to those requiring proof at time of transfer/s. IF YOU ARE DISABLED We are happy to give you advice and to assist you in choosing a holiday that will meet your requirements. However, because of the nature of destinations, many lack even the simplest facilities such as ramps for wheelchairs, lifts etc. Therefore in order to assist, we must at the time of booking be provided with full details in writing regarding your disability and any special requirements as a result of this. Where applicable, an appropriate medical form will be sent to your for this purpose and once returned will be passed onto your Airline and/or Accommodation Supplier. OUR STAFF We pride ourselves on the quality and friendly professionalism of our staff. In our search to continually try and improve our level of service, we are committed to on-going training, part of which may sometimes involve the recording of phone calls mainly in the case of telephone bookings. YOUR COMMITMENT TO US When you or your Travel Agent wish to confirm a holiday booking you must, if requested, sign a booking form and pay the required deposit which will be advised to you at that time. If you book within 10 weeks of departure please note that the full balance is payable at the time of booking. By making a booking you are confirming that you understand and have accepted our Important Holiday Information which forms our booking conditions and is the basis of the contract between us. YOUR CONTRACT Your contract is with The Global Travel Group Plc. We will arrange to provide you with the various services which form part of the holiday you book with us. Once all appropriate payments and, where required, a signed booking form have been received from you, your holiday will, subject to availability be confirmed by the issue of a confirmation invoice. No contract between us exists before this point. Please check this invoice carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact your originating booking office immediately if any information which appears on the confirmation or any other document appears to be incorrect or incomplete as it may not be possible to make changes later. We both agree that English law (and no other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us (except as set out below). We both also agree that any dispute, claim or other matter of any description (and whether or not involving any personal injury) which arises between us must be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only unless you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In this case, proceedings must either be brought in the Courts of your home country or those of England and Wales. If proceedings are brought in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you may choose to have your contract and any dispute between us governed by the law of Scotland/Northern Ireland as applicable (but if you do not so choose, English law will apply). Please note, advertised information and prices may have changed by the time you come to book your holiday. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information and priced when published, regrettably errors do occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking. PRICES We reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before your holiday is confirmed. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware and of the then applicable price at the time of booking. The prices we advertise may be based on specially negotiated/charter/no frills/published/consolidated airfares which quite often have to be booked in a specific airline booking class. At the time of booking, if there is a lack of availability in the specified class on any particular flight, we will endeavour to secure seats for you in an alternative economy class and the applicable flight supplement will be advised to you at the time. Once the price of your chosen holiday has been confirmed at the time of booking, then subject to the correction of errors, we will only increase or decrease the price in the following circumstances. Price increases or decreases after booking will be passed on by way of a surcharge or refund. A surcharge or refund (as applicable) will be payable, subject to the conditions set out in the clause, if transportation costs or dues, taxes or fees payable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports or airports increase or decrease or our costs increase or decrease as a result of any adverse or favourable changes in the exchange rates which have been used to calculate the cost of your holiday. Even in the above cases, only if the amount of the increase in our costs exceeds 2% of the total cost of your holiday (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges), will we levy a surcharge. If any surcharge is greater than 10% of the cost of your holiday (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges), you will be entitled to cancel your booking and receive a full refund of all monies you have paid to us (except for any amendment charges) or alternatively purchase another holiday from us as refund to under "Changes and Cancellation by us". If a surcharge is payable, there will in addition be an administration fee of £1 per person together with an amount to cover agents commission. Although insurance (where purchased through us) does not form part of your contract with us or of any "package", we will consider an appropriate refund of any insurance premiums you have paid us if you can show you are unable to use/reuse or transfer your policy in the event of cancellation or purchase of an alternative holiday. You have 14 days from the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice to tell us if you want to choose option (b) or (c) as set out under "Changes and Cancellation by us" below. If you do not tell us that you wish to choose either of these options within this period of time, we are entitled to assume that you do not wish to do so and will pay the surcharge. Any surcharge must be paid with the balance of the cost of the holiday or within 14 days of the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice, whichever is the later. Please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place. We promise not to levy a surcharge within 30 days of departure. PEAK SEASON SUPPLEMENTS During peak periods such as Christmas and Easter when demand totally outstrips the supply of airline seats and accommodation, you may find that supplements are added to the cost of your holiday. The supplements may be for certain holiday departures and/or accommodations on specific dates. They do not necessarily indicate that additional services will be provided. The cost of these supplements will be quoted to you at the time of booking. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES (1) We promise to make sure that the holiday arrangements we have agreed to make, perform or provide as applicable as part of our contract with you are made, performed or provided with reasonable skill and care. This means that, subject to these booking conditions, we will accept responsibility if, for example, you suffer death or personal injury or your contracted holiday arrangements are not provided as promised or prove deficient as a result of the failure of ourselves, our employees, agents or suppliers to use reasonable skill and care in making, performing or providing, as applicable, your contracted holiday arrangements. Please note it is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us. In addition, we will only be responsible for what our employees, agents and suppliers do or do not do if they were at the time acting withing the course of their employment (for employees) or carrying out work we had asked them to do (for agents and suppliers). - the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or - the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or - "circumstances beyond our control" as defined below (3) Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised by us and we have not agreed to arrange them and any excursion you purchase in resort. In addition, regardless of any wording used by us in any advertising, in any of our brochures or elsewhere, we only promise to use reasonable skill and care as set out above and we do not have any greater or different liability to you. (4) The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract - and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred - will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint compiled with local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be the case even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of the UK which would have applied had those services been provided in the UK. The exception to this is where the claim or complaint concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable holiday maker to refuse to take the holiday in question. (5) As set out in these booking conditions we limit the maximum amount we may have to pay you for any claims you may make against up. Where we are found liable for loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions (including money), the maximum amount we will have to pay you is £50 per person affected, as you are assumed to have taken out adequate and appropriate travel insurance. For all other claims which do not involve death or personal injury, if we are found liable to you on any basis, the maximum amount we will have to pay you is twice the price (excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges) paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total unless a lower limitation applies to your claim under sub clause (6) below. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you have not received any benefit at all from your holiday.
(6) Where any claim or part of claim (including those involving death or personal injury) concerns or is based on any travel arrangements (including the process of getting on and/or off the transport concerned) provided by any air, sea, rail or road carrier or any stay in a hotel, the maximum amount of compensation we will have to pay you will be limited. The most we will have to pay for you that claim or that part of a claim if we are found liable to you on any basis is the most the carrier or hotel keeper concerned would have to pay under the international convention or regulation which applies to the travel arrangements or hotel stay in question (for example, the Warsaw Convention unamended or as amended and the Montreal Convention for international travel by air and/or for airlines with an operating license granted by an EU country, the EU Regulation on Air Carrier Liability for national and international travel by air, the Athens convention for international travel by sea). Please note: (7)Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any description (1) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you or (2) which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by ourselves or our employees or, where we are responsible for them, our suppliers. Additionally we cannot accept liability for any losses or expenses which relate to any business. (8) You must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require. You must also tell us and the supplier concerned about your claim or complaint as set out below. If asked to do so, you must transfer to us or our insurers any rights you have against the supplier or whoever else is responsible for your claim or complaint (if the person concerned is under 18, their parent or guardian must do so). You must also agree to cooperate fully with us and our insurers if we or our insurers want to enforce any rights which are transferred. PAYING FOR YOUR HOLIDAY After your booking is accepted and where applicable a deposit received, a balance invoice will be sent to you detailing the total cost due. Full payment is due not less than 10 weeks prior to departure. If you do not make all payments in full and on time, we reserve the right to cancel your booking and cancellation charges will apply. If you make a booking within 10 weeks of your departure date, you must pay the full cost of the holiday at the time of booking. All monies paid to an authorised agent for your holiday with us will be held on our behalf until they are paid to us or refunded to you. CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO YOUR HOLIDAY If you wish to change any part of your holiday arrangements after the invoice has been issued, we will do out utmost to make that change, however we would like to advise you that it may not always be possible. Any request for changes must be made in writing by the person who made the original booking, or his or her travel agent. If it is possible to make the change, it will be subject to an administration charge which will be notified to you at that time together with any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. You should be aware that there may be extra charged applicable dependent on the change you make. Full Published/Consolidated and No Frills Airlines normally regard name changes after tickets have been issued as a cancellation charge. We would like to draw your attention to the above flight conditions as these conditions vary from other components of your holiday. Please note, it may not be possible to make changes within 28 days of your scheduled departure date. We will however, do our utmost to accommodate your requested change or addition. TRANSFERRAL OF BOOKINGS If you are unable to travel, in certain circumstances which we consider reasonable we may allow you to transfer your booking to another party. Where a transfer to a person of your choice can be made, all costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers as a result together with an amendment/administration fee which will be notified to you at the time must be paid before the transfer can be effected. IF YOU WISH TO CANCEL YOUR HOLIDAY If you or anyone on your holiday booking decided to cancel any part or all of your holiday, we must be notified of this decision in writing. The cancellation will take effect from the day the written confirmation is received. The following scale of charges will be payable depending on when the notification of cancellation is received and which component of your holiday you are canceling. FOR CANCELLATION OF: a) Charter/No Frills/Full Published/Consolidated Flights Element b) Accommodation & Other Elements Prior to 70 days: Deposit forfeited 69 - 42 Days: 30% of total cost of accommodation/elements cancelled 41 - 34 Days: 70% of total cost of accommodation/elements cancelled 33 - 7 Days: 90% of total cost of accommodation/elements cancelled Less than 7 days: 100% of total cost of accommodation/elements cancelled CHANGES AND CANCELLATION BY US We start planning the holidays we offer many months in advance. Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors in any marketing material and other details both before and after bookings have been confirmed and cancel confirmed bookings. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so. Most changes are minor. Occasionally, we have to make a "significant change". A significant change is a change made before departure which, taking account of the information you give us at the time of booking and which we can reasonably be expected to know as a tour operator, we can reasonably expect to have a major affect on your holiday. Significant changes are likely to include the following changes when made before departure; a change of accommodation to that of a lower official classification or standard for the whole or a major part of the time you are away or a change of accommodation area for the whole or a major part of the time you are away. Please note, where your booking includes a "no frills flight", changes imposed by the airline (for example, change of departure or return time or UK or overseas airport) and the consequent effect on your holiday will not generally be treated as "significant changes" in accordance with this clause as your booking with us us made on the basis that you accept the airline's right to make such changes without liability on our part see No Frill Flight above. For all flights, a change of departure or return time by less than 12 hours will be a minor and not significant change. If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible. If there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:- (a) (for significant changes) accepting the revised arrangements (b) purchasing an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available. Where possible, we will offer you at least one alternative holiday of reasonably equivalent or higher standard for which you will not be asked to pay any more than the price of the original holiday. If this holiday is in fact cheaper than the original one, we will refund the price difference. If you do not wish to accept the holiday we specifically offer you, you may choose any of our other then available holidays. You must pay the applicable price of any such holiday. This will mean your paying more if it is more expensive or receiving a refund if it is cheaper. (c) Canceling or accepting the cancellation in which case you will receive a full and quick refund of all monies you have paid to us. Please note, the above options are not available where any change made is a minor one. If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will (as a minimum where compensation is due), pay you the compensation payments set out in the table below depending on the circumstances and when the significant change or cancellation is notified to you subject to the following exceptions. Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. No compensation will be payable and the above options will not be available if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirements of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (such as paying on time) or if the change made is a minor one.
Period before departure Compensation Per Person More than 56 days Nil 56-29 days £10 28-14 days £15 Less than 14 days £20 Very rarely, we may be forced by "circumstances beyond our control" (see below) to change or terminate your holiday after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result. CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL Except where otherwise stated, we will not be liable to pay any compensation or to otherwise accept responsibility where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract is prevented or affected or you otherwise suffer any loss of damage as a result of circumstances which neither we nor our suppliers could foresee or forestall even with all due care. Such circumstances are likely to include technical problems with transport, changes imposed by rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline or main charter, the alteration of the airline or aircraft type, war or threat or war, civil strife, industrial disputes, natural disaster, bad weather, actual or threatened terrorist activity. BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT WORK Many accommodations and resorts are continuing to develop, sometimes rapidly and intensively and often with little or no advance warning. Whilst we have no control over such work, as a responsible Tour Operator, it is important to us that you are aware of any significant building/refurbishment work that may be going on during your stay. General refurbishment at these establishments are necessary to maintain standards but if we are informed of such work, we will Endeavour to notify you of any activity as soon as possible, however near to your departure this may be. INFORMATION ACCURACY We rigorously check the information we supply to ensure it is correct. However, please bear in mind that accommodation owners, restaurateurs, night club owners etc, may wish to maintain or improve their facilities, or even take a break themselves. Flight times and carrier are given for guidance only as there may be charges. Final details will be shown on your tickets. Tours or excursions may change as a result of local conditions. Circumstances such as these, or weather conditions, time of the year etc., may cause some of the amenities we have described to be unavailable or different from those advertised. When we are told of any significant or long term changes we will always Endeavour to advise you prior to you departure. WATER/ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES In many of the less sophisticated destinations we feature the water and electricity services struggle to keep up with the increased demands from tourism. Limited rainfall can put further pressure on their provision. Establishments do everything possible to maintain full services. However, occasional power cuts and/or water restrictions may be experienced ACCOMMODATION In many establishments, especially beach resorts 'insects' in the rooms (i.e. cockroaches etc) are almost inevitable. It should by no means be taken as a sign of dirtiness, simply as a fact of life in these destinations. Furthermore, views from some accommodation may be partly obscured by palm trees and other vegetation that can grow very quickly in tropical climates. WATERSPORTS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES Many establishments offer water sports and other sporting activities, in some cases these may be free of charge. Please note that in the interests of your personal safety, the operators of these activities may require that you demonstrate your competence (for example a swimming test) prior to commencement and reserve the right to refuse participation for any reason if they feel this may compromise your or another guests safety. You should also ensure that you are adequately insured prior to venturing into such activities. As a responsible tour operator, we do not recommend the use of Mopeds/motorcycles and cannot be held responsible for your safety. HOLIDAY INSURANCE We strongly recommend that you take out fully comprehensive travel insurance, which dependent on reason, will normally cover you in the even of cancellation against loss of deposit or cancellation fees and for medical costs in the event of your becoming ill or having an accident whilst on holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. Premiums must be paid as soon as possible as cover will not be effective until they are paid in full. BEHAVIOUR Most people go on holiday for rest and relaxation, so if in our reasonable opinion or in the opinion of any airline pilot, accommodation owner/manager, tour leader or any other person in authority, your behavior is causing or is likely to cause danger or damage to property or is persistently affecting the enjoyment of others, we reserve the right to terminate your holiday. Should this happen, no refund or compensation would be paid. BOOKING IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 It is a condition of our accepting your booking that the person who makes it is at least 18. We are entitled to assume that this is the case. Under no circumstances can we accept bookings from anyone who is under 16. At our discretion, we may accept a booking someone who is 16 or 17 and not accompanied by an adult providing we have written confirmation from their parent or guardian that they may travel, that the parent or guardian will accept responsibility for the booking and that the party does not include anyone who is under 16. We are entitled to cancel any booking which is made in breach of any of these requirements. In this case, full cancellation charges will be payable. LOST ITEMS If you lose any personal items whilst on holiday, please obtain a written report from the local representative (where applicable), or police, to help with any insurance claim on your return. IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT WHILE YOU ARE ON HOLIDAY If you have cause for complaint whilst on holiday, you must bring it to the attention of the local Representative or Agent (if there is one) and the establishment of where you are staying who will do their best to rectify the situation and prevent your holiday being spoilt. If there is no local Representative or Agent, you must contact us on the Emergency Number mentioned below/given to you at the time of booking by your agent. You should note that it is unreasonable to take no action whilst on holiday, but to then write a letter of complaint upon return. If you remain dissatisfied you must contact/write to the agent who made your booking within 28 days if your return from holiday giving your booking reference and full details of your complaint. If you fail to follow this simple complaints procedure (in resort and on your return home), your right to any compensation you may otherwise have been entitled to may be affected or even lost as a result. 24 HOUR EMERGENCY NUMBER Your agent operates a duty office and you will advised of a 24 hour emergency number at the time of booking. FINANCIAL PROTECTION We are a fully bonded ATOL holder. This means the air inclusive holidays we sell are ATOL protected. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not left stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk For packages which do not include any flight(s), your booking is protected by insurance which again will ensure, in the unlikely event of our insolvency, you are not left stranded aboard and that you receive a refund of any money paid to us for an advanced booking. In addition, by booking through a Global Member agent, you are dealing with only one company - The Global Travel Group. In our case, the outlets through whom you make your booking ("outlets") are not owned by The Global Travel Group nor are the staff employed by us, Instead, they are run by independent businesses who are tightly contracted to the group as agents to sell travel products on our behalf. The Global Travel Group Head Office ("Head Office") pays these businesses commission on the sales they make, and they pay their overheads from this commission. PROTECTION FROM FAILURE OF THE OUTLET It is important to appreciate that your money is not held by the outlet at any time. It is always in Head Office's control. You must make your cheque payable to The Global Travel Group. It is banked into the client account of The Global Travel Group and all necessary payments to the suppliers, and to the outlets are made from Head Office. Head Office, not the outlet, are responsible for the payments. Once a booking has been made, payments must be made by Head Office, whether they have been paid or not. In this way, the consumer and the supplier are protected from the failure of the outlet. PROTECTION FROM FAILURE OF THE GLOBAL TRAVEL GROUP All money you pay to an outlet of The Global Travel Group is paid into a client account set up in the same way as a solicitors client account. It is money held on behalf of third parties and is not an asset of the Company. As such it is not available to the creditors should the Company fail. At any time all of the Company's liabilities to suppliers will be available for distribution within the client account. PROTECTION FROM FAILURE OF THE SUPPLIER As your contract is with The Global Travel Group, you will not be affected by the failure of any supplier. PROTECTION FROM FRAUD OF THE OUTLET If you pay the outlet in cash, for example, and the money never reaches The Global Travel Group's client account, then the outlet owner vanishes, the liability rests with The Global Travel Group. Neither the customer nor the supplier suffer any losses. This risk is covered by fidelity insurance cover. FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION A sophisticated PC based management system, BORIS, (Booking On Line Reservation and Information System) is in use. All bookings and takings made by these outlets are recorded by their computer system. At the end of the day the takings are reconciled with the banking reports. Head office computers extract the details of the bookings overnight. The takings are banked into the client account the next day. Head office reconciles the banking reports with the sums actually banked when it reaches the account with the on line connections to the bank. Head office makes payments from the client account on the due date, normally weekly. Commission is paid from the client account to the outlets and the Head Office trading account, in order to pay suppliers, weekly. SELECTION OF THE OUTLETS It is important that all the outlets must pass normal credit searches and provide satisfactory references. Head Office also ensures that their businesses are properly funded to ensure that they can trade without recourse to clients funds. SUMMARY The Global Travel Group Plc provides a method of trading which provides both the supplier and the consumer with total security, and high quality service. 'Registering Trading Address - The Global Travel Group PLC, Glendale House, Glendale Business Park, Sandycroft, Nr Chester, CH5 2DL |
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