Can travel agencies charge "excessive" fees for cancellation
Discussion
Hey up, I have tried to google this but I keep getting credit card charge info, not if its legal for agencies to (what I think is) overcharge on cancellation.
Basically my wife and kids (3 year old and 7 month old) were off to see her parents. She and my mother found a decently priced ticket (£1100 including taxes) back in July 2016 through an online agency and bought it to fly Dec 2016.
Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to cancel the tickets, the airline charge a cancellation fee of £50 per person including the baby, and then the agency decided they also charge £225 per ticket with no refund for the baby.
I am not sure how they came to £225 charge, but including the airlines charges is basically the whole ticket. Are they allowed to do this? Apparently I am entitled to the taxes back but have yet to receive anything and each time I ring them I get told the person in charge will ring me back, which never happens.
Can I contact some sort of governing body? Or do I suck it up and make sure next time I include cancellation insurance?
Cheers
Basically my wife and kids (3 year old and 7 month old) were off to see her parents. She and my mother found a decently priced ticket (£1100 including taxes) back in July 2016 through an online agency and bought it to fly Dec 2016.
Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to cancel the tickets, the airline charge a cancellation fee of £50 per person including the baby, and then the agency decided they also charge £225 per ticket with no refund for the baby.
I am not sure how they came to £225 charge, but including the airlines charges is basically the whole ticket. Are they allowed to do this? Apparently I am entitled to the taxes back but have yet to receive anything and each time I ring them I get told the person in charge will ring me back, which never happens.
Can I contact some sort of governing body? Or do I suck it up and make sure next time I include cancellation insurance?
Cheers
Yes they can. The only hope you have is if the terms were not clear at the time of booking or can prove you were not given the opportunity to see them.
In some circumstances, your normal travel insurance covers cancellations (minus as excess) but this is for specific reasons (medical, death in family, etc..).
In some circumstances, your normal travel insurance covers cancellations (minus as excess) but this is for specific reasons (medical, death in family, etc..).
StevieBee said:
Yes they can. The only hope you have is if the terms were not clear at the time of booking or can prove you were not given the opportunity to see them.
In some circumstances, your normal travel insurance covers cancellations (minus as excess) but this is for specific reasons (medical, death in family, etc..).
Cheers StevieBee, yes I tried my travel insurance (with the bank account) and they pretty much said the same.In some circumstances, your normal travel insurance covers cancellations (minus as excess) but this is for specific reasons (medical, death in family, etc..).
I only found out about the terms when I came to cancel and the call handler said "We charge £225, its in our terms"
Bit of a kick in the nuts though
Interesting. I'm surprised the airline will accept cancellation for only £50 - generally flights are non-refundable, unless you buy massively expensive flexible tickets.
What's the travel agency's justification? Are there any T's & C's you've been given a copy of? They can't enforce T's & C's that weren't brought to your attention at the time of booking.
What's the travel agency's justification? Are there any T's & C's you've been given a copy of? They can't enforce T's & C's that weren't brought to your attention at the time of booking.
Yes they can.
My mate double booked holiday and another commitment a month before we left and wanted me to cancel ( as lead passenger ). It was a £300 winter sun package last year.
90% of £300 is £270 penalty. That left me offering a free holiday to another mate for £50 which was the charge to change a name. Good gravy if you can write conditions like that into the small print.
My mate double booked holiday and another commitment a month before we left and wanted me to cancel ( as lead passenger ). It was a £300 winter sun package last year.
90% of £300 is £270 penalty. That left me offering a free holiday to another mate for £50 which was the charge to change a name. Good gravy if you can write conditions like that into the small print.
BryanC said:
Yes they can.
My mate double booked holiday and another commitment a month before we left and wanted me to cancel ( as lead passenger ). It was a £300 winter sun package last year.
90% of £300 is £270 penalty. That left me offering a free holiday to another mate for £50 which was the charge to change a name. Good gravy if you can write conditions like that into the small print.
So they're not supposed to protect themselves?My mate double booked holiday and another commitment a month before we left and wanted me to cancel ( as lead passenger ). It was a £300 winter sun package last year.
90% of £300 is £270 penalty. That left me offering a free holiday to another mate for £50 which was the charge to change a name. Good gravy if you can write conditions like that into the small print.
Of course - I simply wanted to change dates by a few days a month before originally booked rather than leave them without a booking but this thread is about 'excessive' and I regard 90% penalty a month before departure just that.
... and £50 to substitute a name ?
It wasn't my loss - I still went, my mate paid me his half and somebody else stepped into his place.
... and £50 to substitute a name ?
It wasn't my loss - I still went, my mate paid me his half and somebody else stepped into his place.
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