Booking Terms & Conditions

Booking Conditions

These Booking Conditions, together with any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking, form the basis of your contract with Studytrips Ltd (company registration number 2611466), trading as Studytrips, KeyStage History Tours, Hellene Travel and Studytrips International, 259 Greenwich High Road, London, SE10 8NB, . Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. In these Booking Conditions references to "you" and "your" include the first named person on the booking and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made or any other person to whom a booking is added or transferred.  A ‘package’ and ‘lack of conformity’ have the same meaning as in the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 and ‘tour’ refers to all the school tour and other arrangements detailed on your confirmation (including any additions or amendments).

By making a booking, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that:-

1. He/she has read these terms and conditions and has the authority to and does agree to be bound by them;
2. He/she consents to our use of information in accordance with our Privacy Policy
3. He/she is over 18 years of age and resident in the United Kingdom and where placing an order for services with age restrictions declares that he/she and all members of the party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services.

Our agreement

You will receive information about the main characteristics relating to your tour before a binding agreement between you and us comes into existence. That information, these conditions together with our Privacy Notice and any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking, form the basis of your contract with us. Please read all these documents carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. By making a booking, you agree to be bound by all of them.

The key terms of our agreement are:-

Key terms

• You will enter into a binding contract with us when we issue our confirmation. If you then cancel your tour, you will be required to pay cancellation charges up to 100% of the cost of your tour, depending on how long before travel you cancel, and/or the terms and conditions of the suppliers whose services make up your tour.
• You can make changes to your confirmed tour in certain circumstances. We will make a charge for processing these changes.
• We may make changes to and cancel your confirmed tour but we will provide suitable alternatives and pay you compensation in certain circumstances if we do so;
• We are responsible for making sure your confirmed tour is not performed negligently but there are some limits on and exceptions to this.
• Booking and Paying For Your Tour

A booking is made with us when we receive the completed booking form, along with the required deposit, Purchase Order number or full payment is due at the time of booking and when we issue you with a booking confirmation. We reserve the right to return your deposit and decline to issue a confirmation at our absolute discretion. A binding contract will come into existence between you and us as soon as we have issued you with a booking confirmation that will confirm the details of your booking.

If your confirmed tour includes a flight, we will also issue you with an ATOL Certificate. Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on the ATOL Certificate ornfirmation or any other document are wrong you must advise us immediately as certain changes may not be made later and it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within ten days of our sending it out (five days for tickets).  The balance of the cost of your tour (including any applicable surcharge) is due not less than 60 days prior to scheduled departure. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case the cancellation charges set out in clause 8 below will become payable. 

Non-refundable deposits are shown below:

TOUR TYPE	DEPOSIT	FINAL BALANCE DUE
COACH TOUR (Day trips only)	£30 per person	60 days prior to travel
COACH TOUR	£50 per person	60 days prior to travel
RAIL TOURS	£80 per person (unless specified in our quotation)	60 days prior to travel
EUROSTAR TOURS	£100 per person (unless specified in our quotation)	60 days prior to travel
AIR TOURS (Europe)	£125 per person	60 days prior to travel
AIR TOURS (Long-Haul)	£125 per person	60 days prior to travel
*AIR TOURS (low-cost)	See below	60 days prior to travel

 

*Some airlines will request full payment for flights at confirmation stage. We may therefore ask for a larger deposit to cover the cost of the fare or request further payment to guarantee your flights. We can only book your flights on receipt of the required deposit amount and passenger flight list. Flight prices may change within this period. In this case we will reconfirm your tour price. Should your flights not be on sale when you request a quotation or make a booking we will give you an estimate price. When the flights become available we will reconfirm your tour price

• Accuracy

We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices both on our website and in our brochures are accurate, however occasionally changes and errors occur and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances. You must check the current price and all other details relating to the arrangements that you wish to book before your booking is confirmed. We will not be liable for booking errors which are attributable to you or which are caused by unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances as defined in clause 10.

3             Insurance

Adequate travel insurance is a condition of your contract with us. You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or illness. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

Studytrips Ltd acts as an appointed representative for Endsleigh Insurance Services Ltd. We will include insurance cover is included in Studytrips Schools, Hellene Travel and KeyStage History Tours bookings unless you inform us on the completed booking form. Insurance cover is offered as an optional extra for FE, HE and International clients. Details of the schools insurance cover and HE/FE/International groups’ group cover is available on request prior to purchase. The full policy is sent with your travel documents if you choose our insurance.

4             Pricing

The prices shown in our marketing materials and brochures has been calculated using exchange rates quoted in the “Financial Times Guide to World Currencies” of 22/08/2019 in relation to the following currencies: Euro 1.1; US dollar 1.22; Indian Rupee 88.13; Japanese Yen 130.00; Swiss Franc 1.20; Thai Baht 37.73.

We reserve the right to amend the price of unsold tours at any time and correct errors in the prices of confirmed tours.

The price of your confirmed arrangements is subject to variations which occur solely as a direct consequence of changes in:-

(a) The price of the carriage of passengers resulting from the cost of fuel or other power sources; or

(b) the level of taxes or fees on your confirmed arrangements imposed by third parties not directly involved in the performance of the package, including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; or

(c) The exchange rates relevant to the package.

Price variations will be calculated by applying the cost differential we experience as a result of the above factors. Prices may go up or down and we will notify you about any variation by sending you a calculation explaining the variation no less than 20 days before you are due to depart. We will not vary the price of your tour within 20 days of your departure.

We will absorb, and you will not be charged for, any increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your tour, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges. But if any increase amounts to more than 8% of the price of your tour (excluding any insurance premiums, amendment charges and/or additional services), we will offer you the options in clause 8.

If prices go down as a result of the above factors, we will make a reflective refund, but we will also deduct our administrative expenses from what is owed to you and this may extinguish the value of the refund due. 

Also, note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on price due to contractual protections in place.

5             Jurisdiction and applicable law

These Booking Conditions and any agreement to which they apply are governed in all respects by English law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises between us out of or in connection with your contract or booking will be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only. You may however, choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live in those places and if you wish to do so.

6           Cutting your tour short

If you are forced to return home early, we cannot refund the cost of any services you have not used. If you cut short your tour and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we will not offer you any refund for that part of your tour not completed, or be liable for any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.

7             Changes and Cancellations to a booking by You

If you Change

Changes are usually possible up to 10 weeks prior to travel, however please contact us in the first instance because you will be liable for any additional costs incurred. If you wish to change any part of your confirmed tour after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you must inform us in writing as soon as possible. This should be done by the first named person on the booking. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requested change. Where we can meet a request, all changes will be subject to payment of an administration fee of £10 per person per change as well as  any applicable rate changes or extra costs incurred as well as any costs incurred by ourselves and any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Where we are unable to assist you and you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you. A cancellation fee may be payable.

Note:     Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the tour.                                           

If you Cancel

If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel your confirmed booking you must notify us in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by us at our offices and will be effective from the date on which we receive it. We recommend that you use recorded delivery. Since we incur costs in cancelling your tour, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum shown below (The cancellation charge detailed is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges which are not refundable in the event of the person(s) to whom they apply cancelling):-

Date that we receive written notification of the cancellation	Cancellation charge per person cancelling
More than 70 days before departure	Loss of deposit
70-29 days before departure	75% of the invoiced amount
28-day of departure	100% of the invoiced amount

If a day trip is cancelled up to 29 days prior to departure you will be charged 100% cancellation or 50% if cancelled 29-70 days prior to the tour.

Note:     Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration or cancellation could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the tour in addition to the charge above.

If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. We will deduct the cancellation charge(s) from any monies you have already paid to us.

You may cancel any tour prior to its commencement (following the process outlined above) in the event that i) circumstances amounting to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances (as set out in clause 10) are occurring at the place where your tour is due to be performed or its immediate vicinity; ii) those circumstances make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination, and; iii) the performance of your tour will be significantly affected by those unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances. In this event, you will receive a refund without undue delay of any payments made but this the maximum extent of our liability and we regret we cannot meet any other expenses or losses you may incur as a result.

8. Transferring a booking

If any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else (introduced by you and satisfying all the conditions applicable to the tour, including an agreement to these booking conditions) providing we are notified in writing not less than seven days before departure and you pay an amendment fee and meet all costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by us or any of our suppliers. Both you and the person to whom you would like to transfer your tour shall be jointly and severally liable for the payment of any balance due and for any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer.  If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out below will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.   For flight inclusive bookings, most airlines do not permit name changes after tickets have been issued for any reason, you will have to pay the full cost of an alternative flight (if available) if you wish to transfer after tickets have been issued.

Note: If your group is travelling with a low-cost airline Studytrips will charge an additional amount of £80 per individual cancellation to cover upfront costs to the airline.

9             If We Change or Cancel

Where we refer to a ‘price reduction’ in this clause, we mean that we will give you an appropriate reduction in the price you paid for the tour affected for any period during which there was lack of conformity, (unless that lack of conformity is attributable to you). Where we refer to ‘compensation’, we will pay you appropriate compensation without undue delay for any damage which you sustain as a result of any lack of conformity subject to the limitations and exclusions in section B of clause 15.

It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your tour, but we do plan the arrangements many months in advance. Occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your tour but we will not cancel it less than 4 weeks before your departure date, except for unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances as set out in clause 10, failure by you to pay the final balance, or because the minimum number required for the tour to go ahead hasn’t been reached (in this case we will inform you of this fact no later than 20 days before the tour is due to start).

If we make an insignificant change to the main characteristics of your tour we will try to notify the change to you as soon as reasonably possible before your departure.  We will have no other responsibilities to you in respect of any insignificant changes. Examples of an “insignificant change” made before departure would include

Examples of “minor changes” include the following when made before departure:

• Any change in the advertised identity of the carrier(s), flight timings, and/or aircraft type.
• A change of outward departure time or overall length of your tour of twelve hours or less.
• A change of accommodation to another of the same standard or classification.

Occasionally we may have to make a significant change to your confirmed tour and we reserve the right to do so. A significant change is one where we or a supplier significantly alters any essential element of your tour (other than the price) owing to circumstances beyond their or our control. Examples of “significant changes” made before departure include the following:

               A change of accommodation area for the whole or a significant part of your time away.

• A change of accommodation to that of a lower standard or classification for the whole or a significant part of your time away.
• A change of outward departure time or overall length of your tour of twelve or more hours.
• A change of UK departure airport, as long as that change is not from one London airport to another London airport. London airports are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City
• A significant change to your itinerary, missing out one or more destination entirely or a major event you were attending as the main reason for your tour.
• Where our supplier can no longer fulfil any special requirements that we have accepted and confirmed on our confirmation invoice and this will have a significant impact on your tour.

-       Where the price of your tour is increased by more than 8% of the price of your tour (excluding any insurance premiums, amendment charges and/or additional services).

If we or the supplier has to make a significant change or cancel before departure, we will inform you without undue delay and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of the following options:-

i              (for significant changes) agreeing to the changed tour,

ii             accepting the cancellation or terminating the contract for the tour and receiving a refund (without undue delay) of all monies paid; or

iii            accepting an offer of alternative arrangements of comparable standard from us, if available.

 

(In the event that any proposed change or alternative offered results in a reduction or increase in the price you have agreed to pay or an increase or decrease in the quality of arrangements we have agreed to provide, we will also notify you of any price reduction or additional amount due).

You must notify us of your choice within 7 days of our offer. If you fail to do so, we will contact you again, re-iterating the above choices and sums payable or refundable and if you again fail to respond within 7 days, we may terminate the contract and refund all payments made by you without undue delay.

Where you choose option ii), we will where appropriate, pay you reasonable compensation, subject to the limitations and exclusions in section B of clause 15.

We will not pay you compensation where:-

1. i) we make a significant change or cancel before you have paid the final balance of the cost of your tour;
2. ii) we make a significant change or cancel as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances as set out in clause 10;

iii)           we cancel your tour no later than 20 days before they are due to start because the minimum number of participants to run them has not been reached.

We will not make a price reduction or pay you compensation; and the above options will not be available where:-

1. i) we make an insignificant change;
2. ii) we cancel as a result of any failure by you (including a failure to make payment in accordance with these terms);

iii)           where the change(s) or cancellation by us arises out of alterations to the confirmed booking requested by you.

Changes and cancellations to your tour after departure

If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of your tour arrangements after you have departed, we will try to offer you suitable alternative arrangements of, where possible, equivalent or higher quality than those specified in the contract. If the alternative arrangements we make are of a lower quality than those you originally booked, we will make a price reduction. Where our original agreement included return transport we will also provide you with equivalent transport back to your place of departure without undue delay or additional cost. You may reject the proposed alternative arrangements only if they are not comparable to what we originally promised to provide or if the price reduction we offer is inadequate. Where we are unable to make suitable alternative arrangements or you reject the proposed alternative arrangements in accordance with this clause, where appropriate, we will pay you compensation subject to section B of clause 15.

Providing full payment has been received compensation will be paid as below, per full fare paying passenger.

Date before we notify you of the significant change	Amount of compensation per paying person
70-29 days before departure	£5 per person
28-day of departure	£10 per person

The above options and compensation will not apply to visits / events, if the visit/event is significantly changed or cancelled due to reasons outside of our control.

10           Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the party who seeks to rely on them which we or the supplier(s) of the service(s) in question could not avoid even if all reasonable measures had been taken. These events can include, but are not limited to war, threat of war, civil strife, terrorist activity and its consequences or the threat of such activity, riot, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster and adverse weather, sea, ice and river conditions and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) control. Advice from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances as may any consequences of the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, or any consequences of it so leaving.

Assistance in the event of difficulty or unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances

We will provide appropriate assistance without undue delay in the event that you experience difficulty including where you are unable to return to your agreed point of departure because of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances which directly prevent you from returning to your point of departure. Such assistance will extend to providing appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance; and helping you to make distance communications and to find alternative accommodation and/or travel arrangements. We will charge a reasonable fee for such assistance if the difficulty is caused by you intentionally or as a result of your act or omission.  In the event such assistance is needed please contact our local representative, UK office or 24/7 emergency line.

11           Special Requests  

Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking e.g. diet, room location, a particular facility at the accommodation etc. You should then confirm your requests in writing. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try and arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled.  The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been specifically confirmed.  We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.           

12           Disabilities and Medical Problems

We will give you information about whether the tour you have chosen are generally suitable for persons with reduced mobility but if you or any member of your party has any precise medical problem or disability which may affect your chosen tour, please provide us with full details before we issue our confirmation. We will only provide precise information on the suitability of the trip or holiday taking into account your needs if you specifically request us to do so.  Acting reasonably, if the supplier is unable to properly accommodate your needs, we will not confirm your booking on their behalf and/or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, on the supplier’s instruction, we will treat it as cancelled by you when we become aware of these details.

13           Complaints and dispute resolution

We make every effort to ensure that your tour arrangements run smoothly but if you do have a problem during your tour, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your accommodation supplier) immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please contact our UK office on 0208 819 2503 or 24/7 line on 01432 818510 the problem cannot be resolved and you wish to complain further, you must send formal written notice of your complaint to us within 28 days of the end of your stay, giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you. Failure to follow the procedure set out in this clause may affect ours and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and may affect your rights under this contract.

Any complaints arising out of, or in connection with this contract that cannot be resolved by following the above procedure should be referred to dispute resolution (see clause 21).

14           Your Behaviour

All guests staying with us are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of other guests. If in our opinion or in the opinion of any accommodation manager or any other person in authority, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any of our other guests or any third party or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, we reserve the right to terminate your tour with us immediately. In the event of such termination our liability to you and/or your party will cease and you and/or your party will be required to leave your accommodation or other service immediately. We will have no further obligations to you and/or your party. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other service will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination. You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the accommodation manager or other supplier prior to departure from the accommodation. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you. We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your tour or with us.

The Party Leader accepts responsibility for the good conduct of all participants during the tour and warrants that the correct ratio of responsible adults will be on active duty at all times to ensure that all participants behave well. Furthermore, it is the Party Leader's responsibility specifically to ensure that:

1. No participant under 18 years of age consumes alcoholic drinks unless written permission from a parent or guardian can be produced. All local laws relating to the consumption of alcohol must at all times obeyed by participants,
2. No participant consumes alcohol to excess
3. Participants comply with local laws
4. No participant uses illegal substances
5. No participant smokes in a public area or in any other way causes a fire hazard
6. All party members wear the seat belts provided for all journeys by coach. (Not always applicable to coaches sourced overseas).
7. Participants act in a responsible way and do not behave in a way likely to cause damage to property or offence to other people

15           Our Responsibilities:

Where we refer to a ‘price reduction’ in this clause, we mean that we will give you an appropriate reduction in the price you paid for the tour affected for any period during which there was lack of conformity, (unless that lack of conformity is attributable to you). Where we refer to ‘compensation’, we will pay you appropriate compensation without undue delay for any damage which you sustain as a result of any lack of conformity subject to the limitations and exclusions in section B of this clause 15.

2018. We accept responsibility as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.

Subject to these booking conditions, if we fail to arrange or perform your package arrangements in accordance with our agreement, we will remedy any resulting lack of conformity. If that is impossible or entails disproportionate costs (taking into account the extent of the lack of conformity and the value of the arrangements affected), we will instead pay you compensation subject to clause B of this clause. 

Please note in relation to all bookings:

• it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us.
• It is a condition of our acceptance of the responsibility above that you inform us and the supplier(s) concerned without undue delay of the lack of conformity you perceive; and allow us a reasonable period in which to remedy it. Please contact our UK office on 0208 819 2503 or 24/7 line 01432 818510

1. Limitations and exclusions of responsibility

In these terms and conditions, our responsibilities are limited, and our duty to pay compensation is limited and excluded as follows:-

We will not be responsible, make a price reduction or pay you compensation for any lack of conformity, injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from:-

(a)           the act(s) and/or omission(s) of the person(s) affected;

(b)          the act(s) and/or omission(s) of a third party unconnected with the provision of your arrangements and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or

(c)           Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances as set out in clause 10.

 

We will not be responsible, make a price reduction or pay compensation:-

1. a) for services or facilities which do not form part of our agreement or where they are not advertised by us. For example any excursion you book while away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you.
2. b) for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your tour prior to them being confirmed, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you; or that relate to any business.

Any price reduction or compensation that is payable will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors for example (but not limited to):-

(a)           whether or not you have followed the complaints and notifications procedure as described in these conditions. It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this clause that you notify any claim to ourselves and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these conditions.

(b)          the extent to which ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your tour. 

(c)           deduction that we must make to take account of any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from any transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

(Please also note that where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to ourselves or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require.)

Luggage or personal possessions and money

Your personal property is your own responsibility, unless loss or damage is due to our negligence or failure to carry out our responsibility. The maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of any claim for loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions or money is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are assumed to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind.

Claims covered by an International Convention

When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within any applicable International Conventions. The extent of or the conditions under which compensation is to be paid or liability accepted will in all cases be limited as if we were carriers under the appropriate Conventions, which include The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask us for copies of these Conventions.

Any other claims which don’t involve injury, illness, death or damage caused by us or our suppliers intentionally or negligently; or other liability that can’t be limited by law

The maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of all such claims is three times the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you or your party has not received any benefit at all from your tour.

16           Excursions

Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on tour are not part of your contracted arrangements with us. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.

17           Financial security

1. We provide full financial protection for our package holidays, by way of our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number 5620, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority, Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex, RH6 0YR, UK, telephone 0333 103 6350, email . When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.

We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL Scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).

If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.

We provide financial security for tours not including flights by way of a bond held by ATA – The Travel Association, 30 Park Street, London, SE1 9EQ. www.abta.co.uk.

If you book arrangements other than an ATOL protected flight or package tour from this brochure/website, your monies will not be financially protected. Please ask us for further details.

17. Financial Security

The Package Travel and Link Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 stipulate that we must financially protect your monies when you purchase a package tour from us. We provide this financial protection by way of a bond held with the Civil Aviation Authority under our ATOL number 5620 for air tours. For all other tours you are protected by our ABTA membership V6504.

If you book arrangements other than a package tour from us your monies will not be financially protected. Please ask us for further details.

18           Passport, Visa and Immigration Requirements and Health Formalities

It is your responsibility to check and fulfil the passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary. We can only provide general information about this. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.

Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. If your passport is in its final year, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting. For further information contact the Passport Office on 0870 5210410 or visit www.passport.gov.uk

Special conditions apply for travel to the USA, and all passengers must have individual machine readable passports. Please check www.usembassy.org.uk For European tours you should obtain a completed and issued form EHIC prior to departure.  Please note that in the event of a no-deal Brexit the EHIC card will no longer be valid. We recommend that all travellers take out adequate travel insurance.

Up to date travel advice can be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visit www.fco.gov.uk

Non British passport holders, including other EU nationals, should obtain up to date advice on passport and visa requirements from the Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of your destination or country(ies) through which you are travelling,

We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel, or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. You agree to reimburse us in relation to any fines or other losses which we incur as a result of your failure to comply with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.

19           Conditions of Suppliers.

Many of the services which make up your tour are provided by independent suppliers.  Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions which will form part of your contract with us.  Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions.  Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from ourselves or the supplier concerned.

20           Delays, Missed Transport Arrangements and other Travel Information

The carrier(s), flight timings and types of aircraft shown in this brochure or on our website and detailed on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. We shall inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of it.  The latest flight timings will be shown on your tickets which will be despatched to you approximately two weeks before departure.  You should check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times.  If flight times change after tickets have been dispatched we will contact you as soon as we can to let you know.

Please note the existence of a “Community list” (available for inspection at http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm) detailing air carriers that are subject to an operating ban with the EU Community.

Under EU Law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from the airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. If the airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www.caa.co.uk/passengers. Reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline and will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your tour price from us. If, for any reason, you do not claim against the airline and make a claim for compensation from us, you must, at the time of payment of any compensation to you, make a complete assignment to us of the rights you have against the airline in relation to the claim that gives rise to that compensation payment. A delay or cancellation to your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight. 

This brochure is our responsibility, as your tour operator. It is not issued on behalf of, and does not commit the airlines mentioned herein or any airline whose services are used in the course of your travel arrangements.

21           ABTA

We are a Member of ABTA, membership number V6504. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta.com to use ABTA’s simple procedure. Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com. You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/. This ODR platform is a means of notifying us of your complaint; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.

 

Updated 27/08/2019

Important Information

BROCHURE ACCURACY

All information given in our brochures, websites and digital marketing is, to our knowledge, correct at the time of going to press/campaign, but services/facilities   may   change. Whenever  possible  we  will  advise  you  of  such  changes  prior  to  departure.

MINIMUM TOUR NUMBERS

Tours quoted on the basis of minimum tour numbers are subject to possible price increases, loss of free places or complete cancellation should numbers fall below the numbers on which the quote was based. In the case of coach tours, a drop in the number of paying persons invariably results in a higher unit cost per person.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

We provide you with a quotation, clearly detailing what is included in your price and what is optional. Typically, this includes:

• Accommodation as per the quotation
• Meals as per the quotation
• Air, rail or coach travel as specified including all security charges and taxes
• UK air passenger duty on air tours.
• Return airport transfers in the UK and at destination
• A visits programme, including pre-paid visits as per your quotation and/or booking confirmation
• Free leader places as per your quotation
• VAT at current rates where applicable (non-recoverable)

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED?

• Visit entrances fees unless specifically stated (please note that website and brochure itineraries are shown as a guide only. Entrances may not be included in the ‘from price’).
• The cost of visas and immigration taxes
• Driver/guide tips unless specified
• Local tourist tax payable locally (selected destination)
• Meals on route, unless specifically stated.

AIR TOURS

In accordance with EU regulations we are required to inform you of the carrier(s) or the likely carrier(s) that will operate your flight(s) at the time of booking. If there is any change to the carrier we will notify you as soon as possible.

The latest flight timings will be shown on your flight tickets. It is possible that the flight times may change after the tickets have been despatched.   We will notify you of any changes. Any change of carrier and/or flight timings will not entitle you to cancel or change other arrangements without paying charges as per our terms, except where specified.

Under EU law (EC Regulation 261/2004) you may be entitled to claim compensation if your flight is cancelled, delayed or if you are denied boarding. Full details are available from the airlines. You must deal directly with the airline and any reimbursement will be the responsibility of the airline. The amount of compensation you receive from the airline represents the full amount of your entitlement arising from the cancellation or delay. This also includes any disappointment, distress or inconvenience caused. If you cancel a flight because of a delay you are not entitled to cancel other arrangements made by us. We have no liability to make payment to you for any flight cancellation, flight delay or denied boarding. Your right to a refund is set out in our terms. If your airline does not comply with these rules you can complain to the Air Transport Users’ Council – www.auc.org.uk. The “Community list” of airlines that are subject to an operating ban can be found at www.ec.europa.eu/transport/air

Please ensure that the passenger names that you submit to us correspond exactly to the passengers’ details in their passports. Any error or name change will incur an administration fee

RAIL TRAVEL

Upon request we are able to secure group reservations for student groups. Student fares are applicable up to and including 18 years of age, travelling as a group. Fares are not applicable on sleeper or boat trains. We will make seat reservations for groups, free of charge, subject to availability. On some services and at certain times of the day, group reservations are not possible. We operate group tours only and rail operators may issue 1 return ticket per group booking.

COACH TRAVEL

All UK coaches will be fitted with seat belts. In the event of a breakdown any replacement coach from the UK will be fitted with seat belts. However, due to different legislation in countries outside the UK, this may not be possible if a non-UK coach is supplied.

ACCOMMODATION & MEALS

You accommodation is carefully selected and details shown in your quotation. Generally your rooms will be available from 15:00hrs on arrival and check-out is between 10:00hrs and 11:00hrs unless otherwise stated. It is usually possible to store luggage in the hotel on the day of departure although the hotel may make a charge for this. Your board basis will be detailed in your quotation and booking confirmation. Typically, your first meal is dinner on arrival and your last meal, breakfast on departure. Extra meals can be booked if required. Full Board options include, breakfast, packed lunch and dinner. Certain hotels may not have a restaurant. In these cases we will arrange dinner in a local restaurant.

ROOMS

Leaders on free places are generally allocated twin rooms. If single rooms are required we will do our best to facilitate the request but please note that single rooms are subject to availability and will incur a supplement. Your inclusive tour quotation will contain detailed information on your chosen accommodation.

In the USA we may offer you the option for students to share queen/king sized beds in order to stay in a higher standard of hotel or in a more central location. This will be clearly stated in the quotation. Students are generally accommodated in bunk-beds in youth hostels.

EXCURSIONS & VISITS

It is not always the case that excursion or meal packages offered by us are more economical than buying the same arrangements directly. In certain circumstances the packages are offered for the convenience of being both booked and paid for in advance. All excursions and services organised by us on your behalf will be clearly indicated in your quotation, booking confirmation and final itinerary. We will indicate what has been prepaid and what’s payable locally. We reserve the right to charge an admin fee to cover the costs incurred (e.g. bank charges, time researching a non-standard visit etc.). We will notify you of the admin fee before confirming the visit. We are pleased to organise technical visits and museum/attraction entrances as a goodwill gesture for our clients. We cannot guarantee the arrangements for particular services on particular dates. We do not have contracts with these providers and therefore they could choose to withdraw a service. This will be outside of our control. If this happens then we reserve the right to either offer a suitable alternative. A change will not be classed as a significant change or cancellation as per our terms and conditions. We endeavour to evaluate the level of risks for each visit and if appropriate will inform our client. However, it is not practical to inspect all visits and excursions. If a client needs further guidance we recommend that they seek advice from their employer, LEA or DCSF.

Pre-paid tickets are generally non-refundable. Failure to arrive on time for a visit may result in the group being denied entry. In this case you will be liable for the original entry cost and any further costs incurred.

COMPLIMENTARY INSPECTION VISIT

To help you carry out your own due diligence and orientate yourself with the city we are pleased to offer 2 nights bed and breakfast accommodation for 2 people in a twin room free of charge. Please contact us for further details and eligibility.

FOREIGN OFFICE ADVICE

For the latest travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.

 

GUIDANCE NOTE IN RESPECT OF INFORMATION TO BE GIVEN TO CUSTOMERS BUYING PACKAGES

Under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 there are some slightly extended information requirements. These are set out below.

The below information, where it applies, should be provided in the description of the package itself or in the booking conditions. Areas particularly relevant to schools travel are highlighted. The information can be provided by either you or any travel agent (you are under a joint obligation to provide it) but you would need to equip an agent with the information and oblige them to pass it on pre-contractually if you aren’t doing it directly.

1. The main characteristics of the travel services specified in paragraphs 2 to 10.
2. The travel destination, the itinerary and periods of stay, with dates and, where accommodation is included, the number of nights included.

3. The means, characteristics and categories of transport, the points, dates and time of departure

and return, the duration and places of intermediate stops and transport connections.

4. Where the exact time of departure and return is not yet determined, the organiser and, where

applicable, the retailer, must inform the traveller of the approximate time of departure and return.

5. The location, main features and, where applicable, tourist category of the accommodation

under the rules of the country of destination.

6. The meals which are included in the package.
7. The visits, excursions or other services included in the total price agreed for the package.
8. Where it is not apparent from the context, whether any of the travel services are to be

provided to the traveller as part of a group and, if so, where possible, the approximate size of the

group.

9. Where the traveller’s benefit from other tourist services depends on effective oral

communication, the language in which those services are to be carried out.

10. Whether the trip or holiday is generally suitable for persons with reduced mobility and, upon

the traveller’s request, the precise information on the suitability of the trip or holiday taking into

account the traveller’s needs.

11. The trading name and geographical address of the organiser and, where applicable, of the

retailer, as well as their telephone number and, where applicable, e-mail address.

12. The total price of the package inclusive of taxes and, where applicable, of all additional fees,

charges and other costs or, where those costs cannot reasonably be calculated in advance of the

conclusion of the contract, an indication of the type of additional costs which the traveller may

still have to bear.

13. The arrangements for payment, including any amount or percentage of the price which is to

be paid as a down payment and the timetable for payment of the balance, or financial guarantees

to be paid or provided by the traveller.

14. The minimum number of persons required for the package to take place and the time-limit,

referred to in regulation 13(2)(a), before the start of the package for the possible termination of the

contract if that number is not reached.

15. General information on passport and visa requirements, including approximate periods for

obtaining visas and information on health formalities, of the country of destination.

16. Information that the traveller may terminate the contract at any time before the start of the

package in return for payment of an appropriate termination fee, or, where applicable, the

standardised termination fees requested by the organiser, in accordance with regulation 12(1) to

(6).

17. Information on optional or compulsory insurance to cover the cost of termination of the contract by the traveller or the cost of assistance, including repatriation, in the event of accident, illness or death.

You should also ensure that where minors who are unaccompanied by a parent or another authorised person travel on the basis of a package travel contract which includes accommodation, information enabling direct contact by a parent or another authorised person with the minor or the person responsible for the minor at the minor’s place of stay. If applicable, such information should be provided on the confirmation.

Finally, the  PTRs requires organisers of packages to deliver a ‘certificate’ or ‘notice’ which is effectively a statement of key rights confirming the purchase of a package. It can be used as a too to ‘add value’ to the purchase as it succinctly sets out the financial protection and consumers rights position that your customer has when it buys a package from you.

The   ‘PTRs notice’ on the next page should go:

1. On or as an attachment to a pre-contractual quote; or
2. in the package description; or

• if all sales you make are packages as an ‘addendum’ to the booking conditions or in any other general information section of information that relates to the trips that customers see before confirmation.

The wording must be provided in the exact format (except where the italics denote) but can be provided via links on your website or via emails as explained in the notes. Again, the information can be provided by either you or any travel agent (you are under a joint obligation to provide it) but you would need to equip an agent with the information and oblige them to pass it on pre-contractually if you aren’t doing it directly.

Statutory Notice under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018

The combination of travel services offered to you is a package within the meaning of the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations.

Therefore, you will benefit from all EU rights applying to packages. Studytrips Ltd (also trading as Studytrips, Hellene Travel, Keystage History Tours, Oxford International Studytrips  will be fully responsible for the proper performance of the package as a whole.

Additionally, as required by law, Studytrips Ltd has protection in place to refund your payments and, where transport is included in the package, to ensure your repatriation in the event that it becomes/they become insolvent.

More information on key rights under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.

Key rights under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018.

The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 can be viewed on the ABTA website link.