Most important rights under Directive (EU) 2015/2302
- Travellers receive all essential information about the package holiday before concluding the package travel contract.
- At least one trader is always liable for the proper provision of all travel services included in the contract.
- Travellers are given an emergency telephone number or details of a contact point through which they can get in touch with the tour operator or travel agent.
- Travellers may transfer the package tour to another person within a reasonable period of time and possibly at additional cost.
- The price of the package holiday may only be increased if certain costs (e.g. fuel prices) increase and if this is expressly provided for in the contract, and in any case no later than 20 days before the start of the package holiday. If the price increase exceeds 8% of the package tour price, the traveller may withdraw from the contract. If a tour operator reserves the right to increase the price, the traveller has the right to a price reduction if the corresponding costs are reduced.
- Travellers may withdraw from the contract without paying a cancellation fee and receive a full refund of all payments if one of the essential elements of the package tour, with the exception of the price, is significantly changed. If the trader responsible for the package tour cancels the package tour before the start of the package tour, travellers are entitled to a refund and, under certain circumstances, compensation.
- Travellers may withdraw from the contract without paying a cancellation fee if exceptional circumstances arise before the start of the package tour, for example if there are serious security problems at the destination that are likely to affect the package tour.
- In addition, travellers may withdraw from the contract at any time before the start of the package tour against payment of a reasonable and justifiable cancellation fee.
- If, after the start of the package tour, essential elements of the package tour cannot be carried out as agreed, the traveller must be offered reasonable alternative arrangements at no extra cost. The traveller may withdraw from the contract without paying a cancellation fee (in the Federal Republic of Germany this right is called "termination") if services are not provided in accordance with the contract and this has a significant impact on the provision of the contractual package tour services and the tour operator fails to remedy the situation.
- The traveller is entitled to a price reduction and/or compensation if the travel services are not provided or not provided properly.
- The tour operator shall assist the traveller in the event of difficulties.
- In the event of insolvency of the tour operator or - in some member states - the travel agent, payments are refunded. If the organiser or, where applicable, the retailer becomes insolvent after the start of the package and the transport is part of the package, the repatriation of the travellers is guaranteed. XY has taken out insolvency insurance with YZ [organisation providing insolvency protection, e.g. a guarantee fund or an insurance company]. Travellers can contact this entity or, where applicable, the competent authority (contact details, including name, geographical address, email and telephone number) if they are denied services due to XY's insolvency.
Directive (EU) 2015/2302 as transposed into national law
www.umsetzung-richtlinie-eu2015-2302.de