With the reconfinement, many French people had to resolve to cancel their vacations.
Lawyer Roland Perez provides an update on the terms of reimbursement, especially for plane and train tickets.
If you've been planning a vacation in the next few weeks, you've probably had to revisit your plans.
With the reconfinement, many vacationers were forced to cancel or postpone their trips.
Lawyer Roland Perez took stock of the cancellation and refund terms on Saturday morning on Europe 1.
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The reimbursement of the plane ticket is by right, but ...
"Contrary to what was planned during the first confinement, the rule of having imposed it on holidaymakers is no longer in place. The government, wanting to revive tourism, invited the French to book their holidays by promising them that in case of cancellation due to confinement, holidaymakers will be reimbursed
Thus for the purchase of a ticket canceled by the airline due to the impossibility of travel (such as the closing of the borders), the reimbursement of the ticket is of right even if in practice the company will try to offer a credit note to keep his treasury.
On the other hand, the compensation provided for by the European provisions cannot be requested given the health crisis which is at the origin of the cancellation of the flight.
Please note: if it is the traveler who asks to have the flight canceled while it is being held, especially for flights within the European Union, the music will not be the same.
And if the flight is not refundable or exchangeable, it will be necessary to negotiate with the company for a postponement or a credit.
With for example Air France, Transavia or Easy Jet, modifications and postponements are always possible.
On the train side, cancellations are always possible with the key to refunds and exchanges.
The specific case of package travel
And for package tours, that is to say those which include a flight and a hotel for example, or a car rental, the cancellation by the travel organizer must result in the reimbursement without compulsory provision of a to have.
Because since mid-September the mandatory asset system has been completed.
And it is the same if it is the Covid which is at the origin of the cancellation by the customer, except for European destinations.
In the latter case, if all the services are maintained by the hotel, such as access to the swimming pool, restaurants or planned activities, it will be necessary to negotiate with the hotel or the rental.
What if the amicable negotiations do not work?
On the insurance side, generally the health crisis is not a case of force majeure and is even excluded from cover.
And if no agreement is reached with the company, the online travel site or the owner of the vacation rental, we can approach the tourism and travel mediator by favoring online input. "