Package tours: your rights for cancellations and air changes!

Package tours: your rights for cancellations and air changes!

Deutschland - Many people choose package tours to plan their vacation. However, changes often raise questions about the rights of travelers after booking. Flight time shifts or hotel changes can lead to holidaymakers unsafe what claims they can assert. Current regulations clarify the situation and offer an overview of the rights of consumers.

An important topic is price increases: these are only permitted if they are contractually determined and may be a maximum of 8% of the travel price. If the price increase exceeds this amount, the consumer has the right to cancel free of charge. However, price increases must be announced no later than 20 days before the start of the trip. Changes in airport, especially those that make the trip unacceptable, do not have to be accepted.

flight and hotel changes

In the case of flight times, changes may only be made if the shift is not considered significant - i.e. at least four hours. In the event of significant changes, travelers have the right to withdraw from the contract and request the travel price back. When changing hotel, the situation is comparatively milder: a change is reasonable if the new hotel offers comparable standards and is located nearby. Larger deviations between the booked and replacement hotel entitle the traveler to assert warranty rights.

travel defects as not performed must also be reported immediately in order to enforce warranty claims. This also includes construction noise that can be recognized as a lack of travel. Consumers always have the right to cancel before the start of the trip, but should expect adequate compensation.

Legal situation for cancellations

Free cancellation is possible if price increases over 8% or extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters are available. The organizer can also cancel under certain conditions, for example if the minimum number of participants is not reached. The legally regulated deadlines for cancellations vary depending on the travel time and are 20 days, 7 days or 48 hours before the start of the trip.

providers are obliged to provide the travel services as agreed, and changes are only permitted in the reasonable framework. In cases of conflict, affected travelers can contact the organizer, the tour guide or arbitration boards to receive support.

In addition, FTI's bankruptcy, the third largest package travel provider in Europe, waves. This company reported bankruptcy on June 3, 2024, which is unsettling for many vacationers. Affected travelers can find information in German and English on the company's website, as well as contact details for personal inquiries that are currently in high demand. The German travel security fund tries that vacationers can end their trips abroad according to schedule. The Federal Foreign Office also offers important information on the current situation.

consumers who have difficulty enforcing their claim can contact the consumer advice centers in Germany. People from other EU countries can also use free help from the European Consumer Center (ECC). The legal framework and help offers are important to offer orientation in the complex world of package tours.

Further information on how to maintain your rights as a traveler can be found at mdr and Evz .