Booking Conditions
Booking Conditions 2008
Making a booking with Consort Travel forms an acceptance of these Booking Conditions.
As a caring specialist Company, we would therefore ask that before making your
booking you take a few minutes to read the Booking Conditions. This is so you
will clearly understand your commitment when making your booking and also you
will see in detail our obligation to you.
To make a booking, you must send us a completed and signed booking form or make
a booking over the telephone or online and make the payments referred to in clause
2 below. The first named person on the booking will be the party leader and will
be responsible for making all payments due to us. He/she must be at least 18,
and be authorised to make the booking on the basis of these Booking Conditions
by all persons on the booking. By signing the booking form, the party leader
confirms that he/she is so authorised and that all party members agree to be bound
by these Booking Conditions. After we receive your booking form and all appropriate
payments, if the arrangements you wish to book are available, we will issue a
confirmation invoice. A binding agreement will come into existence between us
when we despatch this invoice to the party leader. Contact us 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 regret that we cannot accept responsibility if you fail to notify Consort
Travel of any problems straightaway. 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 which arises between us must
be dealt with under the ABTA Arbitration Scheme 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). Worldwide holidays are booked through Collette Worldwide Holidays,
ATOL 4832. Jersey holidays are booked through Modern Travel Centre Ltd, ATOL 0752.
2. Payment
In order to confirm your chosen arrangements, you must pay a deposit of £80.00 per person (except Worldwide Holidays - £100.00 per person) or full payment
if booking within 8 weeks of departure. You must also pay all applicable insurance
premiums if you wish to purchase the insurance policy we offer. The balance of
the cost of your arrangements (including any surcharge where applicable) is due
by the date shown on our invoice. When you book your holiday with Consort Travel,
no charge is made if you choose to pay your deposit and insurance by credit card
at the time of booking. However, if you wish to take out insurance with Consort
Travel at a later date, or pay the balance (or part-balance) of your holiday by
credit card, a charge of 2% of the total amount paid will be added to your account
for each payment made.. This is made in order to recover some of the charges made
by credit card companies. If we do not receive your balance payment before the
date shown on our invoice we will issue a reminder for the account to be paid
within 2 weeks. If, after 2 weeks, the balance remains unpaid a charge of £10.00
per invoice will be added, this will increase to £20.00 per invoice after 3 weeks
and we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case
the cancellation charges set out in clause 4 below will become payable.
Consort Travel recommend a policy with Axa Insurance UK Plc. On payment of deposit and insurance premium, a copy of our Master Policy will
be posted to you. If, upon receipt of our policy, you are dissatisfied with the
policy in any way, please write to Consort Travel within 14 days to cancel this
insurance cover. The premium paid will be refunded. As cover under the Cancellation
section of the policy commences immediately the holiday booking has been accepted,
no refund can be allowed other than the 14-day refund referred to above. If you
do not wish to take out the AXA Insurance Policy then you must arrange insurance
with comparable or greater cover under all sections. Details of this alternative
cover must be given to Consort Travel prior to travelling. Final travel documents cannot be despatched until all insurance details have
been received. All clients travelling must possess travel insurance and we reserve the right
to refuse any booking from a client without adequate insurance cover. All claims
are strictly between the client and his/her insurance company and claims are not
processed via Consort Travel. Please read your policy and take it with you on
holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase
is suitable and adequate for your particular needs.
The Claims Office telephone number for clients taking out the policy with Axa
Insurance (UK) Ltd. is 01932 344300.
IMPORTANT NOTICE – PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS:
This policy does not automatically cover pre-existing medical conditions (see
definition below). If you have a medical condition you must, within the 14-day cooling-off period, contact qualified medical staff acting
on behalf of the Insurance Company, their Healthcheck telephone number is 0870
906 3142. They will advise you whether cover can be provided for the condition
and any special terms, which may apply to your insurance. They will confirm this
to you in writing. Definitions of a pre-existing medical condition: any condition where you have:
- Ever received treatment relating to your heart, a stroke, severe asthma, an ongoing or recurring chest condition or cancer, or
- Received or referred for or are on a waiting list for hospital or specialist treatment, surgery or investigation for any medical or psychiatric condition in the last 12 months, or
- Had any prescribed medication changed in any way in the last 3 months
You must also notify the issuer of this Policy immediately of any of the conditions
listed above arising between the date the policy is issued and the time of departure
of the trip.
4. Baggage & Personal Effects
Consort Travel extends every effort to make sure that passenger luggage is handled
as carefully as possible but, subject to these booking conditions, cannot be held
responsible, assume liability, or accept any claims for loss, theft or damage
to said luggage or personal belongings. Should any property be mislaid whilst
on holiday, Consort Travel will do their utmost to assist clients wherever possible
in relocating such items. An administration cost of £10 will however be payable
for this service to cover costs such as telephone calls, faxes, etc. This however
does not cover the cost of a courier / postage to deliver the lost property back
to you - further charges will be incurred to cover this. Clients should also
be aware that, unless otherwise stated, Consort Travel holidays do not include
a luggage handling service.
If you or a member of your party is forced to cancel you must advise us IN WRITING and the person who signed the original booking form must sign this letter. Since
we incur costs in cancelling your travel arrangements, you will have to pay the
applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum shown below. Cancellation charges
you incur are assessed from the date Consort Travel receive written notification.
Please note that your insurance and any amendment charges are non-refundable.
For European Air & Coach Holidays:
|
Period before departure within which Consort Travel receive notice. |
Cancellation charge |
|
Over 42 days |
Loss of deposit |
|
42 - 29 days |
50% of holiday cost |
|
28 - 15 days |
60% of holiday cost |
|
14 - 3 days |
90% of holiday cost |
|
2 days - day of departure |
100% of holiday cost |
For Jersey Air Holidays:
| Period before departure within which Consort Travel receive notice. | Cancellation charge |
| Over 42 days | Loss of deposit |
| 42 - 29 days | 50% of holiday cost |
| 28 - 15 days | 60% of holiday cost |
| 14 - 10 days | 90% of holiday cost |
| Within 10 days (or later) | 100% of holiday cost |
For Collette World Wide Holidays:
|
Period before departure within which Consort Travel receive notice. |
Cancellation charge |
|
Over 60 days |
Loss of deposit |
|
60 - 29 days |
40% of holiday cost |
|
28 - 15 days |
60% of holiday cost |
|
14 - 8 days |
75% of holiday cost |
|
7 - 4 days |
90% of holiday cost |
|
3 days - day of departure |
100% of holiday cost |
If some, but not all party members cancel, additional charges may be payable
by the remaining members (eg. under occupancy charges, single supplements, etc.).
No allowance or refund can be made for your meals, rooms, excursions, etc., included
in the price of your holiday but not taken, nor can any refund be made for lost,
mislaid or destroyed travel tickets or vouchers.
After your cancellation has been processed, you will receive from Consort Travel
a cancellation invoice. You should then make your claim direct to your insurance
company. For clients who have taken out our recommended Holiday Insurance, we
will enclose a claim form, which should be completed and forwarded direct to Towergate
Chapman Stevens Ltd, Claims Department, PO Box 417, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3WY.
Tel. 01932 344300.
Please note: As all suppliers (eg. accommodation, coaches, ferries, etc.) are
contracted on a yearly basis, it is not possible for any year 2008 holidays to
be carried over to 2009.
6. If You Change Your Booking
If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your holiday
booking to depart from or return to a different point, to travel on a different
holiday or departure date or to alter your travel arrangements in any way, we
will do our utmost to make these changes but it may not always be possible. Any
request for changes to be made must be in writing from the person who made the booking before any action can be taken and a charge
of £10.00 per person (up to a maximum of £40.00 per booking form) will be made for each alteration.
Collection is available from and to one point in the UK only. Return to an alternative drop-off point can sometimes
be arranged however this will also attract a fee of £10.00 per person. You should
be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that
changes are made and should any changes be requested within 28 days of departure we reserve the right to pass on any additional costs incurred by ourselves and
any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers in addition to
the standard alteration fee mentioned above. For flight inclusive bookings, you
must pay the charges levied by the airline concerned and because most airlines
do not permit name changes after tickets have been issued, these charges are likely
to be the full cost of the flight.
For Jersey holidays, the alteration fee is £20 per person. Additionally, certain travel arrangements
(eg. Apex tickets) cannot be changed after a reservation and any alterations will
incur a 100% cancellation charge.
For worldwide holidays, Collette Worldwide Holidays will do all they can to make the necessary arrangements
provided written confirmation as requested above is received by Consort Travel
at least 60 days before departure. Changes within 60 days of departure will be
treated as a cancellation of your original booking and will be subject to the
cancellation charges set out above.
Because we begin planning the arrangements we offer many months in advance, we
must reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in holiday details
both before and after bookings have been confirmed. We must also reserve the right
to cancel confirmed bookings. However, we promise we will only cancel your confirmed
booking 8 weeks or less before departure where you have failed to make full payment
on time or as a result of circumstances outside our control/“force majeure” as
defined in clause 8. Usually any change to the content of the holiday is made
as a result of our becoming dissatisfied with the service provided by a supplier
such as a hotel or coach operator and thus the change is made to maintain the
quality of your holiday at the best possible level. For air holidays, flight timings
and carriers are subject to change as a result of airline procedures. Any changes
will be notified to you as soon as is possible.
Most changes are minor but occasionally, we may have to make a “significant change”.
Examples of “significant changes” include the following when made before departure;
a change of accommodation area for the whole or a major part of your holiday,
a change of accommodation to that of a lower official classification for the whole
or a major part of your holiday, a change of UK departure point to one which
is more inconvenient for you, a change of outward departure time or overall length
of your holiday of twelve or more hours, the closure of the only or all advertised
swimming pool(s) at your accommodation for an extended period and, in the case
of tours, a significant change of itinerary missing out one or more major destination
substantially or altogether. If we have to make a significant change or cancel,
we will tell you as soon as possible and 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 changed arrangements or
(b) purchasing alternative arrangements from us, of a similar standard to those
originally booked if available (if the chosen alternative is less expensive than
your original one, we will refund the difference but if it is more expensive,
we will ask you to pay the difference) or
(c) cancelling or accepting the cancellation in which case you will receive a
full and quick refund of all monies you have paid to us.
A minor change involves changes to departure or return times of less than 12
hours, a change of route, change of departure point, changes in accommodation
to a similar or higher official classification or changes of hotel or location
for stays of two nights or less. If time allows, we will advise you of minor changes
prior to your departure but are not obliged to do so or to pay any compensation.
If it is necessary to change your departure point for your European coach holiday,
we will arrange to pay for transport to the new departure point. The method of
transport is at the discretion of Consort Travel.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel 8 weeks or less before departure,
subject to the exceptions below, we will pay you the following compensation:
|
Period before departure date within which a major change is notified |
Compensation per passenger |
|
More than 42 days |
NIL |
|
29 - 42 days |
£5.00 |
|
15 - 28 days |
£10 |
|
0 - 14 days |
£15 |
We will not pay you compensation where we make a significant change or cancel
more than 8 weeks before departure or in the event that 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. We will not pay you compensation and the above options will not be
available if we make a minor change or cancel as a result of your failure to make
full payment on time. We regret we cannot pay any expenses, costs or losses incurred
by you as a result of any change or cancellation.
Very rarely, we may be forced by "force majeure" (see clause 8) to change or
terminate your arrangements after departure. If this situation does occur, we
regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any from our suppliers),
pay you compensation or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result.
8. Force Majeure
In these Booking 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 war or threat of war, riots, civil strife,
terrorist activities, industrial disputes, natural or nuclear disasters, fire,
adverse weather conditions, rising or falling water levels, perils and dangers
of the sea, technical or maintenance problems to transport (eg. the inability
of a ship to sail), closure of airports or seaports, government action or any
other unusual or unforeseen circumstances beyond our control. Except where otherwise
expressly stated in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability
or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our obligations
under our agreement with you is prevented or affected by, or you otherwise suffer
any damage or loss (as more fully described in clause 11(1) below) as a result
of force majeure. Routings and itineraries can be affected by adverse weather,
road closures, road works or other reasons and may be varied accordingly. Cruise
lines may make alterations to itineraries at any time over which we have no control.
We will of course advise you of these changes as soon as we are aware of them.
9. Your Coach and Its Facilities
We operate a No Smoking Policy and bookings are only accepted on the basis that
smoking is NOT permitted on the coach, including feeders. Seats are allocated at our discretion
and you will receive a seat number for each passenger for your main tour coach
with your final travel documents. Where a £25.00 supplement has been paid to
guarantee Front Seat Facilities, we will endeavour to honour this. However, if
your holiday arrangements have to be changed in any way (for example: to travel
on a different date, different holiday, etc.) we cannot always promise that these
seats can be transferred to your new date/destination. Should not all front seats
be taken at the supplement there may also be occurrences of clients being allocated
these seats without having paid the supplement. In such circumstances, no refund
is payable to any client on the same coach that has previously paid for the guarantee
of this facility. Due to the layout of all our contracted coaches, unfortunately
we can only accept payment for front seat supplements in pairs.
Occasionally, air-conditioning/heating systems, videos, toilets, stereos, drinks
machines or any other mechanical on-board equipment may become inoperable. Rectification
will take place as quickly as is reasonable possible. No compensation is payable
for the lack of any such facility. The coach illustrated in this brochure is
just one example of the type we use. Coaches are not owned by Consort Travel
and not all are painted with Consort Travel livery.
The itineraries in this brochure have been carefully planned, delays may however
occur due to adverse weather conditions, road closure, traffic delays, civil disturbances,
industrial action or matters referred to under Force Majeure above. Consort Travel cannot accept responsibility for any such delays and
changes made to travel arrangements or the subsequent loss of wages as a result
of any delay which may occur on the return to the UK. In common with many coastal
resorts, Jersey occasionally suffers from sea mists and fog. If either your outward
or return journey is delayed we recommend that you have sufficient funds to obtain
additional meals and accommodation. No claim for compensation or expenses due
to adverse weather conditions will be considered. For Jersey holidays, half board commences with dinner appropriate to the time of day and terminates
on the last day with breakfast. No allowance is given for meals not taken due
to temporary absence, which includes late arrival or early departure. Refunds
are not made for unused accommodation occasioned by delay. Air holidays are based
on selected services of BMI, BMI Baby, Thomsonfly, Air Southwest and Flybe and
other scheduled airlines, plus selected charter services. All travel is subject
to the operating schedules of the carriers (which are not always daily) and therefore
the type of aircraft cannot be confirmed as it may be subject to alteration at
the carrier’s discretion. Should flight timings not be available when booking,
this information will be confirmed once details are received from the appropriate
airline. Wherever possible, we shall try to meet your specific travel requirements,
if it is not possible to secure those timings requested by you, no refund of any
monies paid will be made and you will not have the right to cancel your booking,
except in accordance with the Jersey holidays cancellation terms. In the unlikely
event that we are unable to offer travel on specified dates or from your chosen
departure airport, you will be entitled to cancel your booking without financial
penalty provided written notification of your cancellation is received by us within
a reasonable period of time.
11. If You Have A Complaint
In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any
problems with your holiday arrangements whilst away, you must immediately inform
our representative or drivers and the supplier of the service(s) in question.
Any verbal notification must be confirmed in writing as soon as possible. Most
problems or complaints can be resolved while you are away, however if you remain
dissatisfied, you must write to our Customer Relations Department at: Consort
Travel, Wickersley House, Bawtry Road, Wickersley, Rotherham, S66 2BB within 28
days of your return to the UK quoting your account number. Please keep your letter
concise and to the point. This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns
and speed up our response to you. We regret we cannot accept liability for any
complaints or claims which do not involve death, personal injury or illness,
if you fail to notify the complaint or claim in accordance with this clause.
It is unlikely that you will have a complaint that cannot be settled amicably
between us. However, disputes to do with this contract which cannot be settled
amicably may (if you wish) be referred to Arbitration under a special scheme which,
is arranged by ABTA, but is administered quite independently by the Chartered
Institute of Arbitrators. The scheme provides for a simple and inexpensive method
of Arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on you in respect
of costs. The scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £5,000
per person or £25,000 per booking form. Neither does it apply to claims which
are solely in respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences. If
you choose to proceed to Arbitration under this scheme, you must send a written
notice of your decision to ABTA within 9 months after your scheduled date of return.
Full details of the scheme are available from ABTA at 68-71 Newman Street, London,
W1P 4AH or from the ABTA website (www.abta.com).
(1) We promise that your holiday arrangements will be made, performed or provided
with reasonable skill and care. This means that we will accept responsibility
if, for example, you suffer death or personal injury or your contracted 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 your arrangements. Further, we will be responsible
for what our employees, agents and suppliers do or do not do if they were at the
time acting within the course of their employment or carrying out work we had
asked them to do. It is your responsibility to show that reasonable skill and
care has not been used if you wish to make a claim against us.
(2) We will not be responsible for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage,
expense, cost or other claim of any description whatsoever which results from:
‑ 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 arrangements and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or
‑ 'force majeure' as defined in clause 8 above.
(3) We limit the maximum amount we may have to pay you for any claims you may
make against us.
The maximum amount we will have to pay you where we are found liable for loss
of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions (including money) is £50
per person affected unless a lower limitation applies to your claim under this
clause or clause 12(4) below. For all other claims which do not involve death
or personal injury, the maximum amount we will have to pay you if we are found
liable to you on any basis 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 clause 12(4) 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.
(4) Where any claim or part of a 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 you for
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 as amended for international
travel by air and/or for airlines with an operating licence 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). Where a carrier
or hotel would not be obliged to make any payment to you under the applicable
International Convention or Regulation in respect of a claim or part of a claim,
we will not be obliged to make a payment to you for that claim or part of the
claim. When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you
have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier
for the complaint or claim in question.
(5) We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not
form part of our agreement or where they are not advertised in our brochure.
For example any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel
or any other supplier agrees to provide for you.
(6) The standards and regulations of the country in which the facts giving
rise to your claim or complaint occurred and the promises we make to you about
your arrangements, will be used as the basis for deciding whether the arrangements
in question were provided with reasonable skill and care. 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.
(7) This clause 12 is intended to set out our obligations to you as an organiser
under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992.
We will not accept any further or different liability than these Regulations impose.
In addition, regardless of any contrary representations made by us, we only promise
to use reasonable skill and care as set out above and we do not have any further
or different liability to you.
(8) You must tell us and the supplier concerned about your claim or complaint
as set out in clause 11 above. If asked to do so, you must transfer to us or our
insurers any rights you have against whoever is responsible for your claim or
complaint and provide ourselves and our insurers with all co-operation and assistance
that may be reasonably required.
(9) We do not accept liability for (1) any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s)
of any description which, based on the information you gave us at the time of
booking, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached
our contract with you; (2) any business losses.
Clients should be aware that:
(1) The majority of rooms on the continent are twin-bedded; clause 14 of these
booking conditions will therefore apply to any requests for rooms with double
beds. Three-bedded rooms in many locations are usually twins with an extra bed
and space may therefore be limited, the extra bed is usually a camp or folding
bed.
(2) Some hotel/hotel complex amenities (eg. lifts, air-conditioning/heating systems,
swimming pools, etc.) have seasonal availability, require servicing or cleaning
and we cannot therefore guarantee that they are always available. Other factors
such as the weather, or lack of demand, can affect the provision of entertainment
or outdoor amenities described in this brochure.
(3) Some traditional style hotels consist of a main hotel building and an additional
annexe, such annexe rooms may be allocated although this is only on very few occasions.
During busy holiday periods, it may be necessary to use additional hotels to those
described in this brochure, confirmation of which will be given prior to departure.
(4) Due to limited availability, clients staying overnight in Reims, France on
their outward journey should be aware that during busy holiday periods it may
be necessary to also use hotels in northern Paris. Likewise, clients staying overnight
in the Burgundy region on their return journey through France may also be allocated
hotels in Metz, Forbach and Nancy during busy times.
(5) Some excursion itineraries include the use of ferries, trains and other forms
of transport, which can be affected by technical or mechanical problems or inclement
weather and may have to be cancelled or arrangements changed. Whenever suitable,
an alternative excursion will be offered. It may be necessary to change the days
of the excursions advertised in this brochure and clients should also note that
all optional excursions described in this brochure are subject to economical numbers
desiring to take part.13. Behaviour
Consort Travel’s primary concern is for the safety and security of its staff
and customers. Very occasionally, the behaviour of some clients can affect the
enjoyment of other clients, make others feel very uncomfortable and, in extreme
cases, pose a threat to the safety of those around them. Unacceptable behaviour
may include drunkenness, using abusive language or behaving in an aggressive or
insulting way towards another client, agent, supplier or staff member. Our policy
towards disruptive passengers is one of zero tolerance and with regard to such
passengers we reserve the right to terminate the holiday contract at any time
whatsoever. Consort Travel will make no refund of holiday costs and any extra
costs incurred by us with regard to this matter will be claimed back from the
customer. The travel arrangements of the person(s) involved will be cancelled
with immediate effect and, with regard to incidences in resort, clients may be
asked to leave the coach and/or accommodation. In such circumstances we will
have no further obligations or liability to the person(s) concerned and they will
also be responsible for finding their own alternative accommodation and/or transport
back to the UK.
14. Special Requests
If you have any special requests please ensure that these are discussed when
making your booking or written on the booking form prior to sending this to our
office. Upon receipt, please also ensure that ALL your requests are printed on your confirmation invoice.
We will of course do our best to help but we stress that it is not possible for
Consort Travel to guarantee such requests, they will however be conveyed to the
suppliers concerned who will do their utmost to comply. Unless specifically agreed
by us at the time you make your booking, we cannot accept any booking that is
made conditional upon a special request being satisfied. General confirmation
that a request has been noted or the inclusion of a request on your confirmation
invoice is not confirmation that the request will be met. Consort Travel cannot
additionally be held responsible for the non-provision of any service required
by a client that has not been advised to us at the time of booking (eg. special
diets, low floor accommodation, etc.). Please also note that clients requiring
a gluten-free diet at the Hotel Paradiso in Lake Garda will be subject to a supplement
of €3.00 per person per day, payable at the hotel. Failure to meet any special
request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been
specifically confirmed.
15. Our Prices
We are pleased to state that all our European Coach Holidays are sold with a
‘No Surcharge Guarantee’. European and Worldwide Air holidays do not however fall
under this guarantee and we are obliged under law to publish the applicable exchange
rates. Prices are based on currency exchange rates quoted in the Financial Times
‘Guide to World Currencies’ on 5th March 2007 and are equivalent to £1 sterling.
| Euro | 1.4541 |
| Switzerland (Franc) | 2.2485 |
| Croatia (Kuna) | 10.8462 |
16. Customers With Medical Conditions And Impaired Mobility
Consort Travel, in line with most tour operators, endeavours to accommodate all
customers, including those with disabilities. Whilst we do not offer any special
facilities for clients with disabilities, we will of course do everything possible
to assist and our drivers are most willing to offer assistance where they can
with folding wheelchairs, etc. As our holidays are designed to appeal to those
who like to see as much as possible of the regions visited, it has to be expected
that there may be long periods of travel and excursions which involve walking.
Some degree of mobility is therefore needed to enable you to get the most enjoyment
from your holiday. Please therefore fully consider your requirements and ensure
that we are given as much detail as possible regarding your disability and requirements.
We must stress that it is the clients’ own responsibility to advise us in writing at the time of booking of any disability / medical condition that may affect their travel arrangements
with us. Consort Travel cannot additionally be held responsible for any vehicle
and/or accommodation that do not provide special facilities for clients with disabilities.
Should you not make us aware of any disability or medical condition prior to booking
your holiday with us, we are entitled to cancel the booking when we become aware
of it if, in our opinion, the holiday is not considered suitable for the client
concerned.
You must be responsible for ensuring that any existing medical conditions or
disabilities which may require assistance and/or special facilities are declared
to us before you book your holiday or, if newly diagnosed, before the date of
departure. We can only accept your booking upon the clear understanding that
we cannot be liable for the unsuitability of any accommodation or resort or if
any air, sea or rail service refuses to accept you or any member of your party
if this information is not made known to us.
17. Passports, Visas and Health Requirements
The passport, visa and health requirements applicable at the time of printing
to British citizens for the arrangements we offer are shown elsewhere in this
brochure. Other than British passport holders must check passport and visa requirements
with the Embassy or Consulate of the country(ies) to or through which you are
intending to travel. Requirements may change and you must check the up to date
position in good time before departure. For European holidays you should obtain
a completed and issued form EHIC prior to departure. It is your responsibility
to ensure that you are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents
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
correct documentation. If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents
results to fines, surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you
will be responsible for reimbursing us accordingly.
18. Data Protection
In order to process your booking and to ensure that your travel arrangements
run smoothly and meet your requirements we need to use the information you provide
such as name, address, any special needs/dietary requirements etc. We take full
responsibility for ensuring that proper security measures are in place to protect
your information. We must pass the information on to the relevant suppliers of
your travel arrangements such as airlines, hotels, transport companies etc. The
information may also be provided to security or credit checking companies, public
authorities such as customs/immigration if required by them, or as required by
law. Additionally, where your holiday is outside the European Economic Area (EEA),
controls on data protection in your destination may not be as strong as the legal
requirements in this country. We will not however, pass any information onto
any person not responsible for part of your travel arrangements. This applies
to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities,
or dietary/religious requirements. (If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the
EEA or not, we cannot provide your booking. In making this booking, you consent
to this information being passed on to the relevant persons.)
Your data controller is Consort Travel. You are entitled to a copy of your information
held by us. If you would like to see this please contact us. (We may make a small
charge for providing this to you).
19. Financial Security
We are a member of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA number V4439). We also hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority
(ATOL number 9518). This means that in respect of all arrangements including
flights, in the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you
are not left stranded abroad or 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. If your arrangements do not include flights, in the event of our insolvency
ABTA will ensure that you are not left stranded abroad or will arrange to refund
any money you have paid to us for an advance booking except where your contracted
arrangements with us do not include transport to and from the UK. In this case,
if already abroad, you will be returned to the point where your contracted arrangements
with us commenced.
20. Delay
We regret we are not in a position to offer you any assistance in the event of
delay at your outward or homeward point of departure. Any airline concerned may
however provide refreshments etc. We cannot accept liability for any delay unless
it has a significant effect on your holiday arrangements.
21. Flights
We are not always in a position at the time of booking to confirm the carrier(s),
aircraft type and flight timings which will be used in connection with your flight.
Where we are only able to inform you of the likely carrier(s) at the time of booking,
we shall inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) or any change in
the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of this. The
carrier(s), flight timings and types of aircraft shown in this brochure and detailed
on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration
and confirmation. The latest timings will be shown on your tickets which will
be despatched to you approximately two weeks before departure. You must accordingly
check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the
correct flight times. It is possible that flight times may be changed even after
tickets have been despatched - we will contact you as soon as possible if this
occurs.
Any change in the identity of the carrier(s), flight timings, and/or aircraft
type will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements without paying
our normal charges. Please note the existence of a “Community list” (available
for inspection at http://europa.eu.int/comm/transport/air/safety/flywell_en.htm) detailing air carriers that are subject to an operating ban with the EU Community.