Package Holidays - Tour operators breaking law by not providing emergency assistance.

MikeB53

A package holiday is where a tour operator puts together separate elements of travel of a holiday such as flights and hotel to form a package.

Legally any such arrangement is governed by The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018.

This arrangement provides the consumers with far greater protection than if they booked the flights and hotels separately.

A part of that additional protection requires all tour operator to provide emergency assistance without delay to any traveller in difficulty.

Regulation 18 of the The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018 requires that: If a traveller is in difficulty during his/her package holiday, the organiser is obliged to give appropriate assistance without delay ……………….’

In my personal experience some tour companies are not providing this emergency assistance, including a big name tour operator and smaller on-line companies.

This illegal practice must be stopped.

So before you part with your hard earned cash for you next package holiday please ask your travel agent/tour company what arrangements they have in place to provide you with 'appropriate assistance without delay ' should you find yourself needing emergency assistance.

 

eskbanker

What difficulties did you experience and how did the package organiser's response vary from your expectations?

Doshwaster

Depends on the type of emergency.  In many cases the first contact should be local emergency services not your holiday rep.

Westin

The actual wording in full is -

18.—(1) The provisions of this regulation are implied as a term in every package travel contract.

(2) Where a traveller is in difficulty, the organiser must give appropriate assistance without undue delay, including in the circumstances referred to in regulation 15(14), in particular by—

(a)providing appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance; and

(b)assisting the traveller to make distance communications and helping the traveller to find alternative travel arrangements.

(3) The organiser may charge a fee for such assistance if the difficulty is caused intentionally by the traveller or through the traveller’s negligence but that fee—

(a)must be reasonable; and

(b)must not exceed the actual costs incurred by the organiser.

If you thought or expected this to be an English representative who would appear on scene at the drop of a hat you are mistaken. The regulations also don’t cover or specify in what form this assistance is given.Whilst some tour operators may still have uniformed holiday reps in resorts, others may outsource to a local agency, or the required emergency contact is actual a 24/7 telephone number.

Pollycat

Regulation 18 of the The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018 requires that: If a traveller is in difficulty during his/her package holiday, the organiser is obliged to give appropriate assistance without delay ……………….’

Where a traveller is in difficulty, the organiser must give appropriate assistance without undue delay, including in the circumstances referred to in regulation 15(14), in particular by—

(a)providing appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance; and

(b)assisting the traveller to make distance communications and helping the traveller to find alternative travel arrangements.

Very interesting difference.

Curious as to what the OP experienced and what they expected... and which 'big name tour operator' they are referring to.

NoodleDoodleMan

Without specific details this posting is meaningless.

sheramber

MikeB53 said:

A package holiday is where a tour operator puts together separate elements of travel of a holiday such as flights and hotel to form a package.

Legally any such arrangement is governed by The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018.

This arrangement provides the consumers with far greater protection than if they booked the flights and hotels separately.

A part of that additional protection requires all tour operator to provide emergency assistance without delay to any traveller in difficulty.

Regulation 18 of the The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangement Regulations 2018 requires that: If a traveller is in difficulty during his/her package holiday, the organiser is obliged to give appropriate assistance without delay ……………….’

In my personal experience some tour companies are not providing this emergency assistance, including a big name tour operator and smaller on-line companies.

This illegal practice must be stopped.

So before you part with your hard earned cash for you next package holiday please ask your travel agent/tour company what arrangements they have in place to provide you with 'appropriate assistance without delay ' should you find yourself needing emergency assistance.

 

Who have you reprted this illegal practice to.

It cannot be stopped unless somebody tkes action and since you say you have experienced this you should be the one to report it.

No body here is going to stop it.