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The following Terms and Conditions apply to all holidays booked with Grasmere Travel Ltd trading as Balkan Escape (“we”, “us” or “our”). Together they form the basis of your contract with us. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective obligations. In these Terms and Conditions “you” and “your” means all persons named in the booking including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date.
We organise tailor-made holidays, where we will source and create a holiday for you using a number of different travel suppliers on whose behalf we act as agent (“Tailor-made Holidays”). We will act as “package organiser” and your contract will be with us for both types of holidays. Our obligations to you are set out in these Terms and Conditions and particular focus should be taken with regards to the cancellation charges and provision of service obligations. For those holidays that are operated by another travel company and we are acting as an agent, the terms and conditions in this document do not apply to you.
Insurance: Please Note: Adequate and valid travel insurance is compulsory for all our travellers and it is a condition of accepting your booking that you agree you will have obtained adequate and valid travel insurance. We recommend you take out insurance as soon as your booking is confirmed. See section 7 for more information.
FCDO advice
Please note that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) currently advises against all but essential travel to a number of overseas destinations, including popular holiday destinations in which we operate. However, many of these destinations remain open and welcoming to UK tourists and flights to and from these destinations continue to operate. Whilst holiday destinations remain open to UK tourists, flights continue to operate and holiday services can be performed, we will continue to offer holidays to our customers who wish to travel.
If you book a holiday with us during the Covid-19 pandemic, you confirm that you have checked, understand and accept the FCDO travel advice relating to your chosen destination, including where there may be a requirement on you to quarantine upon your return to the UK (or in destination), and understand and accept that there is a heightened risk of travelling during the Covid-19 pandemic, beyond that associated with travel during ordinary times. You are also required to purchase a specialist travel insurance which includes certain cover for Covid-19.
Where, at the time of booking, your chosen destination is exempt from the FCDO advisory against all travel or non-essential travel, you acknowledge that this may change with very little or no notice, and if it does, and you do not want not to travel due to the FCDO advisory, your cancellation charge will be 100% of your deposit amount. If however the destination country goes from a green or amber list country at the time of booking to a red list country we will refund you 100% of the booking. You may also be able to postpone the holiday to a later date. We will notify you of any impact on the price the postponement may have.
You maybe required to read and accept this Acknowledgment of Risk which hereby forms part of your contract with us. Please contact us to find out whether it needs completing.
Travel advice
For up-to-date travel advice from the UK government, visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and https://travelaware.campaign.gov.uk. We recommend that you consult these websites before booking in order to make an informed decision about your chosen destination, and again before departure.
Insurance
You must purchase specialist travel insurance policy available which includes specific cover for Covid-19 related issues and incidents which may affect your travel arrangements [and travelling to a destination subject to a FCDO advisory against travel]. It remains your responsibility to read and understand the insurance policy and ensure that it is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses suffered by you in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.
Cancellation – the following clauses are in addition to our standard cancellation terms and charges:
Important information regarding cancellation can be found on our Acknowledgment of Risk page which hereby forms part of your contract with us.
Please note that we will have no liability for any refunds, compensation, costs, expenses or other losses of any kind incurred by you (including, where applicable, the cost of medical treatment), in the following circumstances:
(a) If you, or anyone in your booking party, test positive for Covid-19, or are notified or otherwise become aware that you have, or suspect you may have, come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 (or where they otherwise suspect they may have Covid-19) and have to self-isolate for a period of time.
If this happens within 14 days of your departure date, you must contact us immediately as you may no longer be able to travel. We will offer you the following options where possible and subject to availability:
If this happens whilst you are on your holiday, please notify us immediately and we will provide such reasonable assistance as we can in the circumstances. However, we will not be responsible for covering the cost of any curtailment of your holiday, missed transport arrangements, additional accommodation required, or other associated costs incurred by you. Your travel insurance may cover some of these costs for you – please check the policy wording.
(b) You fail any tests, checks or other measures imposed by a supplier, airline, port or airport, border control authority or other government body or local authority or fail to submit for testing or assessment when requested to do so, and as such you are denied boarding, entry to the destination, access to the travel services or you are otherwise unable to proceed with your holiday, or any part of the holiday, or you are required to self-isolate within the destination. Your travel insurance may cover some of these costs for you – please check the policy wording.
Your holiday experience
You acknowledge that the suppliers providing your holiday will need to comply with national and/or local guidance and requirements relating to Covid-19 and have implemented certain measures as a result. This will likely include specific requirements regarding personal protective equipment, such as use of face-masks by staff (and you may be required to wear a face-mask as well), social distancing, maximum number restrictions on the use of certain facilities, designated alternative entrance and exit routes, mandatory hand sanitisation, limited entertainment options and limited food/drink availability and temperature testing. We do not expect these measures to have a significant impact on your enjoyment of your holiday and all measures will be taken with the purpose of securing your safety and those around you.
Events Beyond Our Control
In these booking conditions, “Events Beyond Our Control” means a situation which is beyond our or the supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Such situations are likely to include, whether actual or threatened, war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, flood, epidemics and pandemics, fire, airport, port or airspace closures, restrictions or congestion, flight or entry restrictions imposed by any regulatory authority or other third party, an FCDO advisory against travel to a particular destination and any other government restrictions on travel. Except where otherwise stated in these booking conditions, we have no liability including for compensation, costs and expenses in such situations.
Should you wish to make any alterations to your confirmed holiday the party leader must notify us as soon as possible in writing. Whilst we will endeavour to assist we cannot guarantee that any request will be met. If we can make the requested change you will be provided with a quote detailing any additional costs incurred by ourselves and any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers and our amendment fees of £25 per person.
Please note that some accommodation is priced according to the number of people in the booking. If you wish to change the size of your party, the per person cost of the holiday for other members may increase significantly and that some airline tickets (e.g. advance purchase and net fare tickets) cannot be changed once booked, without incurring considerable cost.
Transfer of Booking: If any member of your party is prevented from travelling, the person(s) concerned may transfer their place to someone else (introduced by you) as long as the following conditions are met:
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 fee of £25 must be paid. Any overdue balance payment must also be received. You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out in clause 3 will apply. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.
Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.
Cancellations must be notified to us in writing by the party leader. Your notice of cancellation will only be effective when we receive it in writing at our offices. As we incur costs from the time you make your booking, the following cancellation charges will be payable. Where the cancellation charge is shown as a percentage, this is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling (unless reducing the party size increases the per person cost for those not cancelling) excluding insurance premiums, late booking and amendment fees. Insurance premiums, late booking and amendment fees are not refundable in the event of cancellation.
Period before departure we are notified:
More than 56 days: Deposit amount
55 days or less: 100% of total holiday price
In all cases your deposit will be non-refundable.
Occasionally we have to make changes and correct errors in our booking information both before and after bookings have been confirmed. We may also have to cancel confirmed bookings due to factors outside our control, mistakes, or if the minimum number of bookings required for a particular holiday have not been received. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so. We will notify you (or your travel agent) of cancellation at the earliest opportunity and, in the case of group arrangements which depend on a minimum number of bookings (which is not achieved), at least 30 days before departure.
Most changes will be minor (in which case the change will not entitle you to a refund or to change your holiday and no compensation will be due) but occasionally we may 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 organiser, we can reasonably expect to have a major effect on your holiday. Significant changes include
(i) a change in your flight departure time by more than 12 hours
(ii)a change of your departure or arrival airport to one that is significantly more inconvenient to you
(iii) a change in your destination locality or
(iv) a change of accommodation to that of a lower standard.
If we have to make a significant change we will inform you (or your travel agent) as soon as reasonably possible. If there is time to do so before departure we will offer you the choice of one of the following options:
If we have to make a significant change or cancel we will, where compensation is appropriate, pay you reasonable compensation, with a minimum of £100 but no more than £500 per booking, 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:
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 requirement of these Terms and Conditions entitling us to cancel (such as paying on time) or where a change is a minor one. A change of flight time of less than 12 hours, airline (except as specified in clause 15 “Flights”), type of aircraft (if advised) or destination airport will all be treated as minor changes.
Very rarely, we may be forced by “force majeure” (see clause 8) 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. Please also see clause 16 “Late Arrivals, Delay and Denied Boarding Regulations”.
If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of the services that you have booked with us after you have departed, we will, if possible, make suitable alternative arrangements for you at no extra charge and, if appropriate in all the circumstances, will pay you reasonable compensation.
All prices published in our marketing material and our website are for guidance only and are based on exchange rates in effect on the publication date. Although every effort is taken to ensure prices are accurate at the time of publication we cannot guarantee these prices. Please note, changes and errors occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen holiday at the time of booking. We reserve the right to alter or correct errors in any quoted or published prices at any time prior to a contract between us coming into existence and to correct errors in the prices of confirmed bookings.
Once the price of your chosen holiday has been confirmed on your confirmation invoice then subject to the correction of errors, we will only increase or decrease the price in the following circumstances.
The price of your confirmed holiday is subject at all times to changes in:
If any surcharge is greater than 8% of the cost of your holiday (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment or late booking fees), 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 or late booking fees) or alternatively purchase another holiday from us as referred to in clause 4 “Changes and Cancellations by us”.
You have 14 days from the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice to tell us if you want to choose option (ii) or (iii) as set out in clause 4. 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.
Should the price of your holiday go down due to the changes mentioned above then any refund due will be paid to you less an administration charge. However, please note that arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your holiday due to contractual and other protection in place.
We promise not to levy a surcharge within 20 days of departure. No refund will be payable during this period either.
In accordance with Air Navigation Orders, an infant must be under 2 years of age on the date of their return flight to qualify for infant status. If it becomes a legal requirement for infants to have separate airline seats, we will have to pass the cost of this onto any guest travelling with an infant.
Adequate and valid travel insurance for your chosen itinerary is compulsory for all travellers and it is a condition of accepting your booking that you agree you will have obtained adequate and valid travel insurance. We recommend you take out insurance as soon as your booking is confirmed. You are strongly advised to insure yourself against any possible risk that may occur and in particular to ensure that you have sufficient insurance in respect of dependent relatives and force majeure events. You are required to carry proof of insurance with you and produce it if reasonably requested by Company employees or suppliers. You must ensure that there are no exclusion clauses which limit cover for the type of activities included, or the altitudes attained, in your holiday. Clients in breach of these conditions will be deemed to have indemnified the Company for any loss incurred by the Company as a result of such breach and such costs will be redeemable from them.
It is the party leader’s responsibility to ensure that all members of the party are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents before departure. You must pay all costs incurred in obtaining such documentation. We can only provide general information about this. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.
We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry all required documentation or otherwise comply with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Terms and Conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations under our contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss or expense of any nature as a result of “force majeure”. In these Terms and Conditions “force majeure” means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include political disputes, acts of war, threat of war, riots, terrorist activity (actual or threatened), border closures, industrial action (actual or threatened), technical problems with machinery, transport or equipment, government intervention, natural disasters, fire or explosion, inclement weather and acts of God and all similar events outside our or our suppliers’ control. Advice from the UK Government Foreign & Commonwealth Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute force majeure.
Independent suppliers provide most accommodation, services and transport. All bookings are subject to the third party conditions and regulations of these carriers/ transport proprietors/accommodation providers and service suppliers. These conditions may limit or exclude liability to you. Many third party suppliers require a waiver of responsibility to be signed, which may limit some of your rights vis a vis those suppliers.
All reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the descriptions, facts or opinions in our marketing material and itineraries are accurate at the time of printing/publication. Opinions expressed are personal to the authors and photographs only relate to a specific destination when specifically captioned. The layout and furnishing of rooms shown in photographs may change. During the lifespan of our market material, advertised facilities, services, schedules, and laws and suppliers’ programmes may also change. Errors may also occasionally occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with your travel agent or us at the time of booking. We cannot accept responsibility for any descriptions, facts or opinions published in any third party or suppliers’ brochures or promotional material.
You acknowledge that the nature of travel is adventurous and that as such some holidays may involve a significant amount of inherent personal risk. These include injury, disease, loss or damage to property, inconvenience and discomfort. Some activities incidental to the holiday may carry inherent risks and if you wish to participate you may be requested to sign an additional waiver form by the local supplier. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are physically fit enough to participate, that you have adequate protective clothing and safety equipment and take sensible precautions for your own safety and for the safety of any children for whom you are responsible.
Please note it is the requirements and standards of the country in which any services, that make up your holiday are provided, which apply to those services and not those of the UK. As a general rule, these requirements and standards will not be the same as the UK and may often be lower. The infrastructure standards in certain overseas countries are often quite different from those accepted as the “norm” in the UK. This can include levels of service and the reliability of transport, food, accommodation, communications, power and water supplies to name but a few. In addition you must take reasonable precautions for your own safety whilst on holiday. For example, you are advised not to walk alone at night in unlit areas and not to display jewellery or valuables.
If you or any member of your party misses your flight or other transport arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject to a delay of over 3 hours for any reason, you must contact the airline or other transport supplier concerned immediately.
Under EU Law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from the airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. If the airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at
www.caa.co.uk/passengers. Reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline and will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your holiday price from us. A delay or cancellation to your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight.
We cannot accept liability for any delay which is due to any of the reasons set out in clause 10 of these Booking Conditions (which includes the behaviour of any passenger(s) on any flight who, for example, fails to check in or board on time).
The accommodation provided is only for the use of those persons named on the confirmation invoice and subletting, sharing or assignment is prohibited.
In the event that you have cause for complaint whilst on holiday you must immediately bring it to the attention of the management of the accommodation or relevant supplier, obtaining written confirmation from them of the complaint so that we will have the opportunity to correct the matter during the holiday. If your complaint is not resolved locally then please contact us.
If you fail to follow the complaints procedure in this clause you deprive us and our suppliers of the chance to investigate your complaint and to do our best to rectify it.
If we/the supplier is unable to resolve matters whilst you are on holiday and you remain dissatisfied you must email us within 28 days of your return with full details. Please quote your booking reference on all correspondence. If you fail to follow this simple complaints procedure, your right to claim any compensation may be affected or even lost as a result.
If you remain unhappy, you can choose to use the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform, which can be accessed at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/, as a means of alternative dispute resolution.
We provide financial security for flight-inclusive packages holidays by way of Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) under ATOL number T7387. The air inclusive holidays and flights we arrange are ATOL protected providing either the person who pays for the booking is present in the UK when the booking is made or the first leg of any flight or flights we arrange for you commences in the UK.
When you buy an ATOL protected product from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. The price of our flight inclusive arrangements includes the amount of £2.50 per person as part of the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA. This charge is included in our advertised prices. Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL Scheme.
We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL Scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).
If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
For holidays that are not ATOL protected, for example if no flights have been provided by us or the holiday is not sold within the UK, then financial protection is offered through the Travel Trust Association (TTA). We are a member of the TTA, membership number U8902.
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 that 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, in the case of Court proceedings, 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, claim or other matter of any description which arises between us governed by the law of Scotland/Northern Ireland as applicable (but if you do not so choose, English law will apply).
If the contract we have with you is not performed or is improperly performed as a result of failures attributable to you or a third party unconnected with the provision of the arrangements, or as a result of failures due to unusual and extraordinary circumstances, and you suffer an injury or other material loss, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and with distance communications and finding alternative travel arrangements. Where you experience a delay which is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors, this prompt assistance is likely to extend to providing help in locating refreshments, accommodation and communications but not paying for them. Any airline or other transport supplier may however pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances, if you fail to obtain our prior authorisation before making your own travel arrangements.
Your personal information and that of your party is important to us. We will always treat it with the respect it deserves and will never pass it to any third parties, except those that need this information in the course of providing the holiday services you have booked. We may contact you from time to time with holiday information and offers that we think might be of interest. Should you wish to stop hearing from us, by email or by any other means, please email us at info@balkanescape.co.uk, detailing how you wish us to use and store your personal information.
We are now required to collect Advance Passenger Information (API) for passengers prior to travel to many destinations. This information is required for immigration control and to aid aviation safety and security, and as such we require full passport details, passenger names, dates of birth and nationalities to pass onto the relevant airlines. In addition please note that we are required to pass on your mobile and email details to many suppliers in case they need to contact you prior to travel. This information will not be retained by the suppliers after your travel has been completed and will be used solely in the course of conducting your travel arrangements. We will not be held responsible if you fail to provide or comply with relevant API requirements.
The following Important Information should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions, as together they form the basis of your contract with us. Please read these carefully as they set out our respective obligations.
Check-in times for your international and internal flights will be outlined in your final itinerary. It is important you adhere to these times. Should you fail to check in before check-in closes (usually no less than 1hr prior to departure), the airline has the right to refuse you to board the flight and will not provide you with any refund. Most passengers arrive at check-in at the pre-assigned check-in time and therefore the queues tend to be the longest at this time. In general it is always worth checking in earlier if possible as not only should the queues be shorter and the experience more relaxing, but you will have a much better choice of seating. Please note that the check-in time relates to when you should be at the actual check-in desk, not the time you should arrive at the airport. Long queues for security checks and for check-in should be taken into consideration when planning your journey to and arrival time at the airport. Most airlines now offer an on-line check-in service which is convenient and fast way to check-in, see below. Self-service check-in machines can be found at all major UK airports and many international airports. Self-service check-in can be a fast, efficient way of checking-in, avoiding queues and giving you the opportunity to personally select your seat number. Any hold baggage needs to be dropped off at the Fast Bag Drop counters.
Many airlines now give you the option of checking-in on-line up to 24 hours before departure from the comfort of your home. The major advantage is the ability to choose your own seating and to smooth experience at the airport on departure.
If you are travelling with British Airways, log onto www.ba.com and click on manage my booking. Don’t forget that you will also have to check-in for your return journey 24hrs before the return departure date. If you are unable to access the Internet please ask your hotel or our representative for assistance.
Most air tickets issued in the UK are now e-tickets. E-tickets are an electronic ticketing solution and do not comprise any paper ticket coupons, though you will be provided with an e-ticket receipt, that can be printed out. E-tickets can be used to check-in on-line, using the self-service machines or at the staffed check-in desks.
The pre-allocation and acceptance of seating requests is becoming more and more restrictive. Often it is only families, holders of frequent flyer cards, premium class passengers and passengers who have paid a pre-allocated seating fee directly to the airline, who are able to request specific seating.
Please ensure that you let us know your seating preferences at the time of making your booking and we will do our best to request seating where possible. Do note that airline seating is always only on request and airlines always reserve the right (which they often exercise) to rearrange the seating. We cannot therefore guarantee ANY seating requests.
Most airlines offer some free luggage allowance. The allowance varies from airline to airline and between different aircraft types. Please consult the airline, your consultant or your travel documentation for details. Please note that low cost carriers may have very restrictive free luggage policies.
Please note that for some internal flights you may be on a light aircraft where a strict luggage restriction of 10-15kg per person plus hand luggage is imposed. On many light aircraft large suitcases with rigid frames are prohibited, as they cannot be packed in the hold of light aircraft. The ideal luggage to bring is a soft canvas or leather bag or holdall. If this is going to cause a problem please call to discuss the possibilities.
Many international airlines, with the exception of British Airways, require you to reconfirm your flight(s), including your return flight(s), at least 72 hours before the flight(s) concerned departs. We therefore strongly advise that you do so. Please be particularly aware of this issue when travelling on smaller regional airlines and during peak season. If for whatever reason you do not use your outbound flight, the inbound sector will automatically be cancelled. This process is automated and standard airline procedure.
Current regulations require that all passengers (including children) departing from a UK airport must pay an Air Passenger Tax (APT), and a Passenger Service Charge (PSC), which varies from airport to airport.
In addition to the Government imposed APT and PSC, airlines usually apply surcharges to cover the increased cost of insurance, fuel and other charges. Fuel surcharges vary from airline to airline, between shorthaul and longhaul flights and between classes of cabin.
The prevalent UK taxes (APT and PSC) and the various surcharges will be included on your international air tickets plus any other overseas taxes that are pre-payable in the UK. However, in some countries departure taxes, especially domestic services, are only payable at the airport in local currency on departure. Foreign currency is often not accepted or given as change so it’s a good idea to put the required amount of money away at the beginning of your holiday to ensure that you are not caught out on departure and find yourself having to go and change money.
Please note that all taxes and surcharges are subject to constant change and may vary after confirmation invoice has been issued.
Most of the air tickets that we sell are based on our contracted airfares. These airfares, although extremely competitively priced are designed for use with tour operator packages and are usually much more restricted in terms of flexibility than the more expensive ‘published’ fares. Alterations and refunds including premium classes are usually not permitted. If you require a fully flexible air ticket please call us to discuss prior to booking but bear in mind that there may be a significant increase in the airfare.
Your flight details are provided with your final documents and on your e-ticket. It is your responsibility to ensure that the details are correct and the name on your ticket matches that on your passport. Flights may be classed as non-stop, direct or indirect. A direct flight has a single flight number, but may land to refuel or collect/drop off passengers en route. Only flights classed as non-stop are truly direct.
Flights cannot be held unless the full name of the passenger is provided. Therefore, flights cannot be automatically held for all members of a ski booking unless their full details have been supplied. Unless you have paid a specific premium for a fully flexible ticket, then once flights have been confirmed they are non-refundable and non-changeable. Sometimes we have to use public or published fare tickets to offer the required itinerary. In these cases, it may be necessary for these tickets to be fully paid for at the time of booking even though departure date is weeks or months in the future.
Most credit cards are widely accepted around the world, but please note that fees charged for their use vary dramatically from country to country. Fees in excess of 10% are not uncommon and exchange rates can be poor. Please check before using your credit card.
It is a condition of booking with us that you and all members of your party obtain travel insurance, covering all elements of your holiday arrangements. If you are unable to supply details of sufficient travel insurance or a signed waiver, then we will be unable to issue your final travel documents. We highly recommend that you obtain travel insurance at the time of booking, rather than leaving it until close to your departure date, as this will provide cover in case you need to cancel your booking prior to departure. It is vital to ensure that your travel insurance policy, particularly general policies, such as annual or credit card policies, provide adequate cover for cancellation, missed departure, unused accommodation and all activities, particularly those considered hazardous, that you plan to undertake. Activities considered hazardous include such activities as diving, rafting, trekking, skiing, horse-riding, paragliding, kite surfing, bungee jumping, travel in light or single-engine aircraft, safaris and many more. If in doubt whether an activity is covered please ensure that you contact your travel insurance company. In many instances, insurance designed to cover a specific single journey or specific activity will provide a much higher level of cover, than the general annual or credit card policies. Virtually all insurance policies will exclude any undisclosed pre-existing conditions, medical or otherwise, if in doubt always check with the insurance company prior to departure. Please see our terms and conditions for further information.
Many countries require passports, visas and health certificates to be presented before entry is permitted. Please ensure that you and all members of your party, including infants and children, are in possession of a passport, valid for at least 6 months, prior to departure. We will advise the passport, visa and health requirements for British Citizens at the time of booking but we strongly advise that you contact the relevant embassy(ies) or consulate(s) and your doctor, in good time prior to travel, in order to check the latest advice and regulations, as they can change at short notice. A full British passport presently takes approximately 4 to 6 weeks to obtain. If you or any member of your party is 16 or over and do not yet hold a passport, our recommendation is that you should apply for one at least 6 weeks before your holiday, as the UK Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and may ask you to attend an interview.
Many countries require that passports are valid for 6 months after the return date and airline/immigration officials may prohibit entry unless this rule is observed. Please also ensure that the name on the passport corresponds with your airline tickets and that your passport contains at least one completely blank page to allow for immigration stamps. If you or any member of your party is not a British citizen or holds a non-British 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. If you are planning to combine some business with your holiday or if you are planning a visit for more than 30 days, different/additional visa requirements to those referred to above may apply to you. If these circumstances apply to you please contact the Embassy or Consulate of the country(ies) to or through which you are intending to travel, for further advice. If you are going on your honeymoon, we suggest you carry your Marriage Certificate. Please note however that airlines now require the name on your passport to match your flight tickets even if you are newlywed, so if you are planning on travelling in your married name make sure you have changed the name in your passport before your holiday. Many countries require certificates for mandatory vaccinations depending upon recent travel and current policy. It is your responsibility to ensure you are aware of all recommended vaccinations and health precautions in good time before departure. For holidays in the EU / EEA you should obtain an EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) prior to departure from the Department of Health.
Please note that some vaccinations and prophylaxis courses must be started up to 6 weeks before travel. Health requirements and recommendations may change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.
See our terms and conditions for further information regarding passports, visas and health requirements.
If any problems occur whilst on your holiday, please contact the manager of the hotel or our representative in the region. If this does not resolve the problem please contact us in the UK. We would much prefer to resolve any problem at source and at the time of occurrence (if possible). Please see our Terms and Conditions for further information. If you fail to follow the simple complaints procedure set out here and in our Terms and Conditions, your right to claim any compensation you may otherwise have been entitled to may be affected or even lost as a result.
Our contact number is: +44 (0) 1775 719891 (UK working hours). If you are calling outside our office hours, please leave a message when prompted and we will call you back as a matter of urgency.
