ebookers and Section 75 protection

sneezo

Does the protection of Section 75 of the 1974 Consumer Credit Act extend to booking through sites like ebookers? I'm wondering whether the requirement for the company accepting payment and the supplier to be "associates" means that the credit card company is not liable for breaches of contract by the supplier. Even more specifically, if I book through ebookers and then the airline doesn't deliver on the flights on the dates I booked, or their connecting flights are delayed and don't connect, or they add unreasonable restrictions that prevent me flying on those dates, can I get my additional costs for new tickets covered by the credit card company?

Thanks

dmg24

You can get cover under s. 75 CCA for breach of contract through a travel agent, however the situations you refer to may not be covered. If you miss a connecting flight booked on the same ticket the airline will put you on the next flight. If you miss a non linked flight neither your credit card nor the airline will cover you. I am not sure what you mean by unreasonable restrictions?

sneezo

dmg24 wrote: »

You can get cover under s. 75 CCA for breach of contract through a travel agent, however the situations you refer to may not be covered. If you miss a connecting flight booked on the same ticket the airline will put you on the next flight. If you miss a non linked flight neither your credit card nor the airline will cover you.

Thanks.

I am not sure what you mean by unreasonable restrictions?

Neither am I, but I'm sure the airline can think of something.

luci

If you are booked with a TA such as ebookers, you are covered for failure of the TA. However you would not be covered for failure of the airline as there is not a "direct association", you are booking with a third party.

However I am sure ebookers have an ATOL licence, but you need to double check this, and you would be covered under that.

As dmg24 has said, if you miss a connection on a through ticket, the airline will put you on the next available flight.

I also do not understand what you mean by "unreasonable restrictions". Can you give an example?

You need to take reasonable steps to ensure you check in on time and have travel insurance in place to ensure you are covered for an insured peril such as cancellation due to illness.

You may be better booking direct with the airline. Then Section 75 would cover you for the original cost of the flights if the airline went bust. You may also be able to claim "consequential losses" for the difference between the cost of the original flights and the replacement flights, but the CC company has no legal obligation to do so.