EU brings package holidays into digital age

Up to 120million holidaymakers could be better off if things go wrong on holiday under proposed new EU rules.

The European Commission today unveiled reforms to the Package Travel Directive, which protects people on package holidays in case of failure of a holiday company. The Commission claims that the new rules will “modernise EU rules on package holidays” to bring regulations in line with the digital age.

Since 1990, the EU Directive on package travel has served ‘as the bedrock for the protection offered to EU holidaymakers’. It guarantees protection to consumers booking pre-arranged package holidays but now consumers are increasingly booking customised packages online – which leaves buyers uncertain if they can count on protection.

Vice-President Viviane Reding, the EU’s Justice Commissioner, said: ‘In the 1990s, most Europeans picked out a pre-arranged package deal from a brochure and booked it at their local travel agent.

‘But times have changed and we need to update the rules to keep pace with a changing market.

‘The EU is acting to provide a safety net and peace of mind for holiday makers if something goes wrong.’

The proposed changes to the direction cover stricter controls on surcharges, better rights in the event of a cancellation and a single point of contact when things go wrong.

So what does this mean to you, the holidaymaker?

Well if you booked a package holiday in the traditional manner, viewing a pre-arranged package in a brochure or on a company website, you are covered as before under the Directive.

On the other hand, if you booked the elements of a holiday in real time – ie live flight and hotel updates – while speaking to a customer adviser or using a company’s website, this is now also considered a package and comes under the same regulations.

THE 10 KEY RIGHTS UNDER THE 1990 PACKAGE TRAVEL DIRECTIVE

You receive all necessary information about the holiday before you sign the contract. You always have one party (either the retailer or the organiser: the name and address will always be specified in the contract) that is liable for the correct performance of all the services included in the contract. You are given an emergency number or a contact point where you can get in touch with the organiser or the travel agent. You can transfer your booking to another person, if you cannot leave on holiday yourself. The price of your trip cannot be changed later than 20 days before departure, and before that only in very limited situations. You can cancel the contract and get your money back if any of the essential elements of the travel package has been changed. If, before departure, the trader that is responsible for your holiday cancels the package, you can get a refund and compensation, if appropriate. If, after departure, important parts of the package cannot be provided, alternative arrangements have to be made, at no extra cost, for you to continue your holiday. You have the right to be given prompt assistance if you are in difficulty. If the trader responsible goes bankrupt, your pre-payments will be refunded and, if your trip has begun, you will be repatriated.