Booking conditions
Financial Security
Your contract will be held with Guild Travel Limited, holders of Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) 5626, which protects you financially. A contract is made between you and us when we accept your booking by issuing to you an ATOL Confirmation / Invoice.
Prices and surcharges
We reserve the right to change our prices at any time. However, once your holiday is confirmed and you have accepted any price changes included on the confirmation invoice, the price of your travel arrangements is subject to surcharges on the following items for increases in: transportation costs e.g. fuel, scheduled airfares and any other airline surcharges which are part of the contract between airlines (and their agents) and the tour operator / organiser; government action such as increases in VAT or any other government imposed increases; currency in relation to adverse exchange rate variations. Even in this case, we will absorb an amount equivalent to 2% of the holiday price, which excludes amendment charges. Only amounts in excess of this 2% will be surcharged, but where a surcharge is payable there will be an administration charge of £0.50 per person. If this means paying more than 10% on the holiday price, you will be entitled to cancel your holiday with a full refund of all money paid except for any premium paid to us for amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel because of this, you must exercise your right to do so within 14 days from the issued date printed on the surcharge invoice.
What the prices include
For each holiday we have clearly stated what is provided. Prices also include the basic hotel gratuity or service charge plus any accommodation or sales tax.
Not included in price
1. Transport between your home and your departure point
2. Transfer of persons and luggage to and from hotels, airports etc except where stated
3. Tour conductor, apart from where specified. Holidays are offered for independent travellers and no guide or tour conductor will be provided
4. Travel insurance
5. Meals, beverages, sightseeing programmes etc except where stated
6. Visa fees
Payment
Any outstanding balance must be paid no later than 8 weeks before departure. Bookings made within 8 weeks must be paid in full at the time of the booking. No further reminder will be sent and should the balance remain unpaid by this time we reserve the right to cancel your booking and to make cancellation charges at the rates shown below. No tickets or travel documents will be released until full settlement is made.
Changes made by you
If you wish to change details of your booking, write to us as soon as possible. If we can accept the change, there will be an administration charge of no less than £15 depending on the work involved. Changing dates, number persons travelling or holiday type are major changes which we may treat as cancellations, and will be subject to the cancellation charges as set out below. In the event of name change, we will allow this providing no documents have been issued. In this case our administration charge will apply as stated above. On holidays where we have entered into a contract with overseas tour operators and airlines, no changes can be made without incurring cancellation charges, in which case you will be informed at the time of booking. It remains your responsibility to re-apply and pay for new visas, if applicable.
If you cancel
The person who booked the holiday must make cancellation in writing. Cancellation will be effective on the date we receive it. We suggest recorded delivery for your own protection. A cancellation fee will be charged dependent on the period before departure date in which your letter is received. It is expressed as a percentage of the total holiday cost. Certain airfares are subject to different cancellation charges, in which case you will be informed at the time of booking.
Days prior to departure written cancellation received: % of total price forfeit
Over 42 days: deposit only
29 – 42 days: 50 %
15 – 28 days: 70%
1 – 14 days: 90%
Departure day or after: 100%
We reserve the right to terminate the holiday arrangements of any client whose behaviour is such that it is likely in our view to cause danger, damage or distress to the employees or property of Guild Travel or any third party.
Changes or cancellations by Guild Travel
From time to time it may be necessary for us to make changes to, or to cancel your holiday after we have accepted you booking and we reserve the right to do so. Most changes are minor and in all cases we will tell you as soon as reasonably possible before the date on which you are due to depart. Occasionally we may need to make a major change.
If we do, you must let us know as soon as possible if you wish to accept the change or cancel the holiday with a full refund. Where we have accepted you booking and we have to cancel it before it is due to start, for any reason other than your fault, or where you cancel the holiday because you do not wish to accept a major change by us, you can either:
1. Accept our offer of a replacement holiday, of lower quality (if available) and we will refund the cost difference
2. Accept our offer of a replacement holiday of equivalent or higher quality (if available) or
3. Ask us for a refund of the money you have paid.
If you accept a major change, or if we have had to cancel your holiday and you choose options (1) or (2) above, then in addition to any refund, we will pay compensation in accordance with scale A below. If you choose the option in paragraph (3) above, we will pay you compensation in accordance with scale B below. No compensation will be paid or refunds given where the change or cancellation is due to Force Majeure.
Major change means:
a) a change of your UK departure airport
b) a significant change of resort
c) a change of accommodation to an officially lower rating
d) an alteration to your scheduled time of departure or return by more than 12 hours, and
e) a change from a day to a night flight where the departure time changes by more than 4 hours.
Please note that any change in the airline (carrier) or the type of aircraft from the sted in the brochure on your tickets is not a major change for the purpose of these terms and conditions.
Force Majeure means unusual and unforeseeable circumstance beyond our control, the consequences of which could no have been avoided even if all due care had been exercised. Such circumstances or events include (but are not limited to) war or threat of war, riot, civil strikes, industrial dispute, unavoidable technical problems with transport, closure or congestion of airports, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire and adverse weather conditions.
Period before departure date that notification is given by us: Compensation per full fare paying passenger
0 – 7 days: Scale A £50, Scale B £25
8 – 14 days: Scale A £40, Scale B £20
15 – 28 days: Scale A £30, Scale B £15
29 – 42 days: Scale A £20, Scale B £10
43 – 56 days: Scale A £10, Scale B £0
More than 56 days: Scale A £0, Scale B £0
For children in respect of whom reduced rates have been charged, credit / compensation will be paid on pr-rate basis of adult rate. Children travelling on free child places are not entitled to any compensation. No compensation will be paid to infants.
Our liability
Independent contractors provide most of the accommodation and transport services. We do not exclude or limit our liability to you for any loss or damage sustained by you as a result of the acts and / or omissions of our employees, agents, sub-contractors, or suppliers. We also accept responsibility should the services we are obliged to provide prove deficient or are not of a seasonable standard. If negligence on the part of our staff, agents suppliers, or their employees results in illness, injury or death of you or any of your party we accept full liability. The exceptions are airlines or carriers by sea, which are subject to international conventions, which limit liability.
Complaints
If you have a complaint during your holiday, you must inform our local agent or supplier in order that steps can be taken to rectify the problem on the spot. If the complaint cannot be resolved there and then a report must be completed together with comments and signature of that agent or supplier. Should you wish to follow up the complaint a copy of this report should be sent to us not later than 28 days after the end of your holiday, amplified by a covering letter stating your preferred options. We will not consider any claims received outside this period. We will always do our best to resolve any complaints.
