QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
I’ve paid for my flight but the airline didn’t receive the payment due to the agent going bust. Can I get your money back?
Yes, if you’ve booked with a bonded member of ATOL or ABTA.
Are there any additional charges once I have booked?
Fares quoted on your confirmation include all taxes, fuel surcharges, and service fees. Due to currency fluctuations and fuel surcharges, minor changes may affect your reservation. However, if there is significant change, we will always contact you prior to issuing the ticket. If problems occur in credit card processing causing us to delay ticket issuance your fare could increase. Airfares are not guaranteed until ticket issuance. If your ticket must be issued as a paper ticket, you will incur an additional fee to have your ticket shipped.
Can I change the name on a reservation?
Tickets are non-transferable between passengers. Occasionally we may be able to ‘correct’ a name. Please contact us on 0208 279 8599.We will be able to advise you on the best possible approach to minimise additional costs and fees.
What if I lose my paper ticket?
Please contact us on 0208 279 8599 we will advise you accordingly. You will incur an additional fee assessed by the airline for duplicating your ticket. Additional restrictions may apply.
What if I have lost my E-ticket receipt that was emailed to me?
Please email us at: info@mvfirsttravel.com. Please include your confirmation number, date of travel, and last name. We will email a duplicate itinerary with ticket numbers. Many times E-ticket receipts end up in the junk/spam folders…always double check.
What if I need to change my reservation once I have started travelling?
Please contact the airline that you are travelling with. They must change your reservation once you have started travelling.
I have booked and paid a deposit on a package holiday to Freetown/Accra. But now your travel agent says that it is fantastic what peace can do for a country’s tourism, and then you find that the price for your package has gone up. Do you have to pay extra?
It depends on the conditions of the contract that you entered into at the time of booking. Most agents and wholesalers reserve the right in their conditions to pass on price increases, but the agent must give you a chance to read the terms and conditions before you sign. If they don’t make you aware of them or lead you to think there will be no extras and then charge you, they are at fault and therefore you shouldn’t have to pay.
I have come to the end of your holiday, you have reconfirmed your return flight, and you arrive at the airport to find there is no seat available for you. What can you do?
This is not your travel agents fault. Airlines often overbook their flights as they know that some passengers won’t turn up. It is the airlines responsibility and there are international agreements set in place as to what they must do for you. In this case they should make arrangements for further flights, accommodate you and compensate you for any losses you may incur. You probably won’t get anything if your delay is short, but if you miss any connecting flight the airline will have to sort it out.
I have paid a deposit for a holiday but due to unforeseen circumstances you now have to cancel; can you get your money back?
Depending on your contract, most specify there will be a cancellation fee and how much it will be. Very often you will lose your deposit. Some contracts are rigid, if you cancel close to your departure date you will lose most of what you have paid for your fare. Always check the contract before you book. Your agent should point out the cancellation details to you at the time of booking and suggest travel insurance if appropriate.
My hotel booking is confirmed, but when I arrive with my voucher the manager explains that the hotel is full. He recommends me to another complex he owns but it is nowhere near where I wanted to be. What can I do?
Again your travel agent is not at fault. You will have to take it up with the hotel owner or if the hotel is part of your package, with the wholesaler who runs the package. Please check you’re booking conditions as some reserve the right to change accommodation and tour details as necessary.
I have a prepaid ticket for the ferry/helicopter/hovercraft/water taxi, but when I arrive at the port I discover I have no voucher for it. I realise that the agent didn’t give me one. What can I do?
Unfortunately you will have to purchase another ticket, but keep the receipt and claim the fare back from your agent when you arrive home.
I want to take the family on holiday, I ask whether there is childcare available, my agent calls the wholesaler and they say yes, but when i arrive I find that it is only available in peak season. Who is responsible?
The wholesaler is responsible. You should try for compensation.
I have booked and prepaid for a rental car. When I turn up it appears the company has gone bust. What can I do?
Call your travel insurer. If the rental company went out of business after you confirmed your travel arrangements they should compensate you for alternative arrangements and may even make them for you. If your travel agent booked with the company then they are liable and will have to pay for it.
My travel agent tells me my departure tax is inclusive in the cost of my air fare, but my ticket does not state this and the airport staff insist I have to pay. What can I do?
You will have to pay or you will not be able to fly. Make sure you keep your receipt and claim back your money from your agent on your return.
I thought that travel agents worked for the airlines/hotels. So how come the agent wants to charge me a fee?
Travel agents are paid on commission by the companies selling travel/flights/hotels/car hire/transfers/packages. But many of those commissions have fallen sharply recently, and some agents are making up for this shortfall by charging customers directly.
I asked my agent to get me to Africa, but it turns out the best route involves a stopover in a country where I require a visa to enter. Shouldn’t my agent have sorted this?
You should always double-check that you have the right visas to enter/travel and or work in the country that you are travelling to. This is primarily your responsibility. However, if you asked the agent to specifically sort this out for you, then make a claim for compensation from your agent.
When you book
Make sure that your travel agent knows your requirements. If you have any special needs, put them in writing and keep a copy for yourself. If you amend your plans, let your agent know in writing as soon as possible.
Be sure to read all the small print on brochures and always ask about the booking conditions before you sign anything or hand over any monies. Check all your travel documents as soon as you receive them.
Important travelling tips
*Keep your passport safe at all times
*Don’t check-in medications and valuables in your checked luggage
* Check electrical current standards at your destination. You may need a current adaptor/converter.
*Always have luggage tags with a name, address and phone number attached on the outside of the bag. It is also recommended to place a label with the same information inside the bag.
*Be familiar with local tipping customs at your destination.
*Be familiar with existing covered travel expenses on your personal insurance and credit cards. Travel insurance is strongly recommended to protect against unforeseen occurrences.
*Arrive at your destination with a small amount of local currency, or exchange a small amount upon arrival at the airport.
*Learn to use the 24 hour clock. It could prevent serious travel mishaps.
If things go wrong
If you’re away, contact the nearest representative of the tour operator and give them the opportunity to rectify the situation at the time. If you’re not satisfied, let them know, and follow it up when you return home.
Make notes/pictures about any problems you want to take up and get contact details of others who will support your case. Keep receipts and any documentation that will help with a claim for compensation.
When you complain
Write to the agent, wholesaler or tourist operator directly and give them the opportunity to put things right. Include copies of all relevant receipts and other documents.
If you think you are due compensation, add up how much the problem cost you in real terms and estimate the value of lost opportunities.
If you cannot reach a settlement with the company, write to CAA. It doesn’t pay compensation, but it may reprimand the agent if there has been a breach of its code of ethics or rules.
If the company still won’t pay, take your case to a Disputes Tribunal. This is relatively cheap and there are no lawyers involved.
|
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg)
.jpg){kind=small}
