Package holidays
What are your rights when booking a package holiday?
This page explains the protections available when booking package holidays and linked travel arrangements. It explains what counts as a package holiday and a linked travel arrangement and outlines what information you should receive before booking, your rights if your holiday is changed or cancelled and what to do if something goes wrong. It also covers insolvency protection and your rights for linked travel arrangements.
What are your rights when booking a package holiday?
When you book a package holiday or enter a linked travel arrangement, you are protected under the European Union (Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements) Regulations 2019. Package holidays offer stronger protections than linked travel arrangements, which have more limited rights.
Your package holiday provider is responsible for resolving any issues during your trip. For example, if your hotel is not as described, your package holiday provider must provide accommodation that meets the description provided when you booked, or is of a higher standard. This is at no extra cost. Alternatively, they could offer a partial refund.
What is a package holiday?
A package holiday is sold at an inclusive price and includes at least two different types of travel services, covers at least 24 hours or includes an overnight stay and is bought from the same provider. Travel services can include:
- Transport
- Accommodation
- Car or other vehicle hire
- Other tourist activities that are a significant part of the package (for example, guided tours)
A package holiday can be ready-made or it can be customised (sometimes called ‘dynamic’). A customised package holiday is one where you select different parts, such as flights and accommodation, but buy them together from a single point of sale (for example, a travel operator’s website) and at an inclusive price.
To be classified as a package, there must be either a single contract for all parts of the holiday or separate contracts with one inclusive price, with all parts chosen before you pay.
What is a linked travel arrangement?
A linked travel arrangement (LTA) is one in which you book either two separate travel services in a single visit to a point of sale (such as a website) or you book a travel service from one provider and are then facilitated by that provider to book another service for the same trip or holiday. For the travel arrangement to be linked, the services must be booked within 24 hours of each other. An example is booking a flight and then, within 24 hours, using a link provided by the airline to book car hire at your holiday destination.
A combination of one travel component (for example, accommodation) and another tourist component (for example, a guided tour or a ticket to a sporting event) is only a linked travel arrangement if the tourist component is worth 25% or more of the overall value of the trip or is an essential feature of the trip.
What are my rights when booking a linked travel arrangement?
You have fewer rights when booking an LTA compared with a package holiday. If you buy an LTA, you are protected only if the provider of the first service goes bankrupt. In this case, you are entitled to your money back if the business cannot fulfil your booking and, if necessary, to be brought home at the provider’s expense if stranded abroad.
LTAs lasting less than 24 hours are not covered by the regulations, unless they include overnight accommodation.
What information should you receive before booking a package holiday or linked travel arrangement?
Before you are bound by any package holiday contract, the organiser or retailer should give you certain information about the holiday, including:
- The total price, including any taxes or additional fees
- Arrangements for payment, including any deposit to be paid
- Destination and duration
- The type of transport involved and departure times and places
- The location, type and category of accommodation
- Meal plan, if any
- Cancellation arrangements for the organiser and for you
- Details of any excursions or other services included
- The complaints procedure if the organiser fails to carry out their part of the contract
- The trading name, geographical address, telephone number and email address of the organiser and, if applicable, the retailer of the package (if separate)
- The contact details of the organiser’s local representative or contact point in case you need assistance while away
- General information on passport and visa requirements, and vaccinations
- Any insurance requirements
Organisers must also tell you upfront whether you are buying a package holiday or a linked travel arrangement so you know what rights apply.
For LTAs, the business must clearly inform you that you are booking a linked travel arrangement, that different rules apply and that each business is responsible only for their part of the trip.
What are your rights if your package holiday is changed or cancelled?
If the organiser makes a significant change to your holiday (other than the price) or cancels the trip, you must be offered one of the following:
- A replacement holiday of equivalent or superior quality, if available
- A lower grade holiday, with a refund of the difference in price, if available
- A full refund
A ‘significant change’ includes changes to the dates of travel, a shortening of your trip or changes to the quality of accommodation provided. The organiser has the right to cancel a package holiday because of factors beyond their control. If this happens, you are still entitled to a refund or a replacement package as set out above. It is up to you to negotiate with the organiser which option you would prefer.
The organiser cannot change the price of your holiday within 20 days of your departure date. Before that, the organiser can increase the price only if there is an increase in:
- The cost of transporting passengers due to the cost of fuel or other power sources
- The level of taxes, fees or charges, including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports
- Exchange rates relevant to the package holiday
If the price of your package holiday increases by more than 8%, you have the right to cancel and get a full refund.
Can you cancel your holiday or transfer your booking?
If you cancel the holiday yourself, check the terms and conditions of your contract. You may lose your deposit or have to pay a cancellation fee. Usually, the closer to your travel date, the greater the portion of the holiday cost you will lose.
If you want to transfer the package travel contract to someone else, you can do this before the holiday by giving at least seven days’ notice to the organiser. You may have to pay the costs incurred by the organiser to carry out the transfer.
You also have the right to cancel your package holiday and get a full refund if there are unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances at or near your destination that could affect your holiday or your travel. Common examples of this are natural disasters, risks to your health and airport closures.
What should you do if things go wrong during your package holiday?
If there are problems while you are on holiday, report issues directly to the local representative of the trip organiser. The organiser is responsible if something goes wrong, even when another company is providing the service.
If important parts of your holiday are not provided as agreed, the organiser should arrange suitable alternatives for you at no extra cost. If any part of your holiday is not delivered properly, you can ask for a reduction in the price. Make sure to provide evidence such as photos or videos to support your complaint if possible e.g your accommodation provided is not to the standard agreed.
If the organiser does not fix the problem within a reasonable time, you can make your own arrangements and claim back any necessary expenses. If the issue seriously affects your holiday and is not sorted out, you can cancel the contract without paying a cancellation fee and ask for compensation.
If you are still not satisfied after your holiday, you can make a complaint to the organiser when you return. Do this within 28 days of the end of your holiday and include photos or videos as evidence. For more information on how to complain to a business, visit our complaints page.
What happens if the organiser goes out of business?
Package holiday providers in Ireland must be licensed by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and enter into a bond. This means having arrangements in place to protect your money and bookings if they go out of business. See the full list of licensed and bonded travel agents and tour operators.
All organisers of packages must take out insolvency protection. This guarantee covers refunds and repatriation in case organisers go bankrupt.
If you have problems with a package holiday operator or travel agent based in the European Union, you may still have consumer rights. You can find more information about package holidays and your consumer rights from the European Consumer Centre Ireland website.
