Terms & Conditions

GENERAL BOOKING CONDITIONS
We want you to enjoy your holiday and would suggest you read carefully all the information supplied which should then enable you to select the holiday most suitable for you. When you book a holiday with us, we both enter into a legally binding contract with obligations on both of our parts. The conditions set out below define these obligations.

1) WHO ARE COLLETTS TRAVEL
Colletts Travel Ltd (hereafter referred to as “The Company”) are members of ABTA (The Association of British Travel Agents). We are fully bonded under the Civil Aviation (Air Travel Organisers Licencing) Regulations 1972 (a) (ATOL 2996) which provides for full security of monies paid over by our Clients and for the repatriation of our Clients in the unlikely event of our insolvency.

2) BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY
When booking a holiday, Clients will be requested to complete and sign a Booking Form and to pay either a deposit or the full amount (dependent on when the booking is made) plus the applicable insurance premium. A contract between The Company and the Client will come into force only when the signed Booking Form and appropriate payment have been received and The Company has issued its Confirmation/Invoice. This contract will then bind both parties to all the Booking Conditions contained herein. Any term or condition contained in the General Information section herein shall also form part of these Conditions and shall be read in conjunction with them. The person signing the Booking Form shall be deemed to act as Agent for all persons shown thereon and that signature, regardless of whether the signatory is travelling, shall bind all members of the travelling party jointly and severally to the Booking Conditions and to any term or condition deemed to be a Booking Condition.

3) PAYMENT
A deposit of £100 (£200 on cruise holidays) per person plus any required prepayments plus any applicable insurance premium is payable at the time of booking. Such prepayments may include components that require advance deposits, or domestic flights that require immediate ticket issue. This amount will be identified to you at the time. The Company will then issue its Confirmation/Invoice detailing the ‘Balance Due By Date’ and as no reminder will be sent it is most important that this date is noted and adhered to. Failure to do so could result in the cancellation of your holiday and the relevant cancellation charges as detailed in section 9 would then apply.
If a booking is made within 8 weeks of departure date then the full amount must be paid at the time of booking.

4) PRICE GUARANTEE
All holiday prices are subject to increase or decrease depending on changes in costs and exchange rates and we reserve the right to increase or decrease prices at any time. However once a booking has been made and a Confirmation/Invoice issued then the holiday price is confirmed and will not be subject to surcharges, unless you amend your booking after it is issued. (Should you later wish to amend your booking then the terms set out in section 8 will apply and a new Confirmation/ Invoice will be issued which may involve revised prices).

5) DOCUMENTATION
It is the Client’s responsibility to obtain all necessary passports, visas, health certificates, driving licences and other documents required for travelling on holiday. The Company will provide guidance in this area but the Client MUST make appropriate enquiries with the relevant authorities.

6) UNUSED SERVICES/LOST DOCUMENTS
No refunds will be made in respect of services included in the holiday price which are unused by Clients after departure. We are unable to assume liability in respect of any lost or mislaid travel tickets or accompanying documents.

7) CHECK-INS
The Company will advise the Client of necessary check-in times and of the need to reconfirm onward travel details whilst on holiday when amended check-in times may then be given. However, it is the Client’s responsibility to reconfirm all flights and check in on time and The Company will accept no responsibility if Clients miss or are refused boarding to flights due to late check-ins unless resulting from an act or omission of The Company, its agents or suppliers.

8) IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING
If you decide to change your booking after it has been confirmed an amendment fee of £20 will be charged to cover our costs. Any amendment will also be subject to any additional costs incurred through increases in flights, hotels and other holiday costs the amendment may entail. Any change in departure date will be construed as a cancellation of the original booking and cancellation charges as laid out in section 9 will be applied. If you change your booking within 8 weeks of departure this will be treated as a cancellation and cancellation charges as laid out in section 9 will be applied. All amendment advice must be made in writing and signed by the signatory on the Booking Form. If you change your booking by transferring it to another person we will only be obliged to carry out such a request where:
(a) you are prevented from travelling for reasons of personal illness or serious illness of a close family relative, jury service or unavoidable requirements of an employer. In any of these events you will be asked to provide documentary evidence of the circumstances; and
(b) the transferee meets all requirements of the holiday booked; and
(c) you, or the transferee, pays any balance due and an amendment fee of £20 plus any charges which any of our suppliers may impose because of the transfer. For example, airlines will not allow the transfer of an Apex ticket and they will regard such a transfer as a cancellation and new booking and will therefore only make the booking if cancellation charges and replacement ticket costs are met; and
(d) you have notified us in writing with all supporting details as outlined above and with full details of the transferee at least 28 days before your departure date.

9) IF YOU CANCEL YOUR BOOKING
Should you or any member of your party wish to cancel your booking once it has been confirmed then you will be liable to pay cancellation fees as set out below. In certain cases the price of your holiday is calculated by reference to the number of occupants in a room. If one of these occupants cancels, not only will there be a cancellation charge , but also the remaining members of your party may have to pay an additional sum. All cancellation advice must be made in writing and signed by the signatory on the Booking Form. The amount payable will depend on when we receive written advice of the cancellation. Insurance premiums will not be refundable. Please note that in the case of a cancellation made after receipt of the travel documents, no refund can be made unless all unused airline tickets and other documents are returned to The Company.

Period before departure in which cancellation notice is received	More than 42 days	42-29 days	28-16 days	15-01 days	Day of departure or later
Cancellation charge	Deposit only	30%	45%	60%	100%

10) IF YOU CHANGE YOUR BOOKING WHILST AWAY
The Company will not be liable for any alterations to the booked holiday arrangements made by you whilst away. Should you wish to make alterations you must obtain written consent from The Company, either directly or through the local representatives. Failure to obtain such consent will absolve The Company of all liability concerning any resultant additional costs, cancellation charges or the reimbursement of any unused accommodation. In all cases, The Company is only able to issue a refund for unused services should such refund be forthcoming to The Company from the suppliers involved (see section 6).

11) IF WE CHANGE YOUR BOOKING
On occasion it may be necessary to change the arrangements you have selected and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes are minor, such as flight route changes, change in aircraft type etc and we undertake to inform you as soon as is reasonably possible. A major change is a change to your UK airport (except between Heathrow and Gatwick), a difference of more than 12 hours in your departure time, a change to your resort area or a move to a lower category hotel. When we are obliged to make a major change to your holiday arrangements, you will have the following options:
(a) accepting the changed arrangements as notified to you; or
(b) purchasing another available holiday from The Company. If it is more expensive you will have to pay the difference but if it is cheaper, we will refund the difference; or
(c) cancelling your holiday.
If such a major change is notified to you within 56 days of departure then in all above cases (a), (b) and (c) we will pay you compensation on the scale set out below and should you choose option (c) we will also refund in full all monies received.

Period before scheduled departure in which a major change is notified to you	56-43 days	42-29 days	28-15 days	14-0 days
Compensation per person	£20	£30	£40	£50

However, in no case will we pay compensation if the change is due to Force Majeure (see Definitions section 19).

12) IF WE CANCEL YOUR BOOKING
Although it is unlikely, we reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your holiday if more than 56 days before your planned departure date, in which event we will refund all monies paid. We will only cancel your holiday within 56 days of departure for reasons of Force Majeure in which event you will be offered an alternative holiday of comparable standard or a full refund of all monies paid.

13) COMPLAINTS AND DISPUTES
In spite of the many months of planning, problems do occasionally occur. Should you have a complaint whilst away then you MUST report it immediately to our Local Representative, Agent or The Company directly in order that the matter may be rectified during your holiday. In the unlikely event that your problem is not resolved on the spot then your complaint should be notified in writing to The Company within 30 days of your return. Failure to notify The Company, its Agents or Representatives of any grievance at the time will absolve The Company of all responsibility in the settlement of any subsequent related claim once you have returned.
Disputes arising out of or in connection with this contract which cannot be settled amicably may (if the Client so desires) be referred to arbitration under a special Scheme which, though devised by arrangement with the Association of British Travel Agents, is administered quite independently by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. The Scheme (details of which will be supplied on request) provides for a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on the customer in respect of costs. The Scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £1,500 per person or £7,500 per Booking Form. Neither does it apply to claims which are solely or mainly in respect of physical injury or illness or the consequence of such injury or illness. The application for arbitration must be made within nine months of return from the holiday, although in special circumstances, this period may be extended.

14) BUILDING WORK AND NOISE
Many cities and hotels change and develop constantly. From time to time hotels have to undertake maintenance and restoration. This may mean there will be noise from building equipment and work may be visible from your room. We cannot predict when building work is likely to happen. When we do know, we will try to inform you prior to your departure. Please note building work could affect more than one hotel on your itinerary. There is bound to be some traffic noise if your hotel is located close to a road and the sound of aircraft if your hotel is in close proximity to an airport.

15) THE COMPANY’S RESPONSIBILITY
a) The Company has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the suppliers with whom we do business are reputable and efficient and that they comply with the laws of the country in which they operate. The Company has also taken reasonable care in making the holiday arrangements offered and accepts responsibility for ensuring that there are no deficiencies in the services we are contractually obliged to provide and that they are provided to a reasonable standard. Should deficiencies occur then The Company will pay reasonable compensation to a maximum of twice the total cost of the holiday. This maximum amount will only be awarded in extreme cases and when you have thus obtained no enjoyment whatsoever from the holiday. In all other cases, The Company will pay an amount it considers reasonable for the inconvenience suffered. Please note that The Company will not accept responsibility for disappointment suffered as a result of unrealistic expectations. The Company does not accept responsibility where there has been no fault on our part or that of our suppliers or the cause was your own fault or the actions of a third party unconnected with the holiday arrangements, or could not have been foreseen or avoided by us or our suppliers even if all due care had been exercised. The Company has no liability for changes to or cancellation of schedules by scheduled airlines and also has no liability if you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling on an aircraft or vessel by any person in authority at the airport or port or is denied access to accommodation or services by any person in authority because you or the party member appears unfit to travel or is likely to cause disturbance or discomfort to any other travellers. In this latter instance full cancellation charges will also be applied.
b) In the unfortunate event that you suffer death or personal injury as a result of an activity forming part of your Holiday Arrangements we accept responsibility except where there has been no fault on our part or that of our suppliers or the cause was your own fault, the actions of a third party unconnected with the Holiday Arrangements or could not have been foreseen or avoided by us or our suppliers even if all due care had been exercised.
c) In the case of air travel, rail travel, sea travel or hotel accommodation we limit our liability to compensate you under clauses 15 (a) and (b) in accordance with the provisions of the Warsaw Convention as amended by the Hague Protocol 1955, the 1961 Berne Convention, the 1974 Athens Convention and the 1962 Paris Convention respectively.
d) Where we accept responsibility under 15 (a) and (b) above it is a requirement that you:
(i) assign to us your rights against the person or persons responsible so that we may be subrogated to those rights and claim in your place
(ii) will co-operate fully (at The Company’s expense) should we or our insurers wish to enforce those rights.
e) Should you or any member of your party through misadventure suffer death, personal injury or illness during the holiday arising out of an activity unconnected with the holiday arrangements, The Company may, where appropriate and at its discretion, provide general advice and assistance in connection with any claims you may have against third parties. The Company may agree to assist with initial legal costs up to a maximum of £5,000 per Booking Form and provided the Client notifies us of any intention to bring legal action within 90 days of the misadventure. Any costs incurred by The Company shall in any event be repaid to us by the Client where any claim is successful or the Client has the benefit of applicable insurance cover.

16) INFORMATION ACCURACY
All conditions, hotel descriptions and flight details shown here are correct to the best of our knowledge. Once your holiday has been confirmed certain alterations may still occur and we shall endeavour to notify you immediately (see section 11). In particular, you should note that the applicable Condition of Carriage of the Airline or Airlines onto which you are booked will apply. All Carriers reserve the right to change flight timings and re-route their flights and any details relating to aircraft type which may have been proffered at the time of booking cannot be guaranteed. Likewise, certain facilities at the hotels may be unavailable at given times of the year (e.g. swimming pool closed for cleaning, restaurant undergoing refurbishment or given over temporarily to a specific function). In such instances, our liability shall be limited to advising you, wherever possible, of any significant changes and to offer every assistance to ensure that your travel plans are not inconvenienced or disrupted.

17) TAILOR-MADE HOLIDAYS/BROCHURE VALIDITY
Please note that all arrangements booked and confirmed by the Company which are made independently of those detailed also require a completed, signed Booking Form and shall be governed by the same Booking Conditions as detailed above.

18) SPECIAL REQUESTS
If you have a special request for a facility or service not advertised (ie. adjoining room or airline seat requests), we shall pass it on to the relevant supplier but we cannot guarantee that it will be met and we have no liability to you if it is not. We cannot accept any booking that is conditional upon special requests being met.

19) DEFINITIONS
a) ‘The Company’ means Colletts Travel Ltd.
b) ‘Client’ means any person signing a Booking Form or on whose behalf a Booking Form is signed.
c) ‘Force Majeure’ shall include but not be limited to, acts of God, acts of government, war (whether declared or not), threat of war, other hostilities, terrorist activity, civil strife, strikes, riots, fire, thefts, epidemics, quarantine or medical regulations, natural and nuclear disaster, medical or customs regulations, technical or administrative problems with transport, industrial disputes, closure of airports, breakdown in machinery, or equipment or similar events beyond the control of The Company.
d) ‘Holiday Arrangements’ means all hotel or other accommodation, transportation by bus or other vehicle, rail, ship or air, tours and other services including (without limitation) insurance.
e) ‘CAA’ means the Civil Aviation Authority.
f) ‘ABTA’ means the Association of British Travel Agents.
g) ‘ATOL’ means Air Travel Organiser’s Licence.

20) GOVERNING LAW
All matters concerning the booking and in particular but without limitation in respect of questions of liability and quantum of damages under Clause 15 above shall be governed by English Law and the parties shall submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.