Traveller 2.0 enjoys better protection for combined trips

On that date, the new rules pertaining to packages and linked travel arrangements will enter into force. These rules take into account the common situation where, instead of booking a complete package with a single organiser, people put together their own trip online, as is the case with the so-called “click-through booking.” A click-through booking refers to a situation in which a traveller visits the website of e.g. an airline and is then taken to the website of a different retailer via a direct link, where they enter into a second contract for e.g. a hotel accommodation within a period of twenty-four hours. This situation falls under the new definition of a “linked travel arrangement.”

In the past, these travellers enjoyed inferior protection. For example, they would not be entitled to a reimbursement if the retailer of a component of their trip, e.g. the airline or the hotel, went bankrupt. This was for instance the case when Air Berlin went bankrupt in 2017 and thousands of travellers lost their money. This type of trip did not provide for the repatriation of travellers after a bankruptcy either. Starting from this Sunday, these combined trips will enjoy the same protection as packages. Retailers must guarantee reimbursement of the costs of their component of the trip and arrange for the repatriation of travellers in the event of a bankruptcy. In the Netherlands, this is done via the Dutch guarantee fund for prepaid travel money SGR.

The package, booked with a single organiser, has always been a well-protected form of travel. This protection will be expanded further under the new European directive. A package refers to a situation in which a traveller books two different travel services, e.g. a flight and hotel accommodation. From now on, the organiser is required to provide more information about the trip and e.g. inform travellers on where they can go to lodge any complaints. In most cases, the retailer is liable for errors made during the booking procedure.

Another notable difference is the fact that, like before, the costs of a trip may still be altered, but only until twenty days before the start of the package and by an amount of no more than eight percent of the total cost of the package. In all other cases, the traveller has the right to terminate the package travel contract without having to pay a termination fee.

Packages and linked travel arrangements

For more information, go to the page about packages and linked travel arrangements.