All bookings are made subject to the following terms and it is your responsibility to ensure that you have read, understood and agree to the following:
Essential Travel UK Limited specialise in holidays to destinations all over the world. None of the bookings we make for our customers, whether they are for one element (flight or hotel) or more than one element (flight and hotel), are package holidays as that term is defined by the Package Travel Regulations. The flexibility that Essential Travel UK Limited offers is that you are under no obligation to book more than 1 holiday element and each element can be booked wholly independently of the others.
When making your booking we will arrange for you to enter into contracts with the Principals (tour operator/airline/cruise company/flight provider/hotel provider/ hotel) named on your receipt. For No frills and Scheduled flight bookings we act only as your agent in making your booking. For all other bookings we act only as an agent for the Principal.
As agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the Principals or for the services provided by the Principal. The Principals' Terms & Conditions will apply to your booking. We advise you to read these conditions carefully as they do contain important information about your booking. Please ask us for copies of these if you do not have them. In the event of a difficulty with your booking, we will do all we can to assist you to resolve the matter. Ultimately however the contract is between yourself and the Principals.
Essential Travel UK Limited General Terms
The General Terms below are in addition to the Terms and Conditions provided by the Principals.
References to "you" and "your" in these Booking Conditions mean all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date). "We" "us" and "our" mean Essential Travel UK Limited
Financial Protection
All charter flight providers are protected by ATOL. In the unlikely event of the flight provider's insolvency your flight monies are protected under the terms of their ATOL licence and if abroad you will be repatriated. This does not apply to no frills flight and Scheduled flight bookings, however where you have used a credit card to book with these carriers this will offer you protection under the Consumer Credit Act in the event of the airlines failure.
TTA
Essential Travel UK Limited is a member of TTA (Travel Trust Association) with membership number U4691. TTA members help holidaymakers get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by TTA’s Code of Conduct. For further information about TTA, the Code of Conduct and arbitration scheme, available to you if you have a complaint about our service, contact Travel Trust Association, Albion House High Street Woking Surrey GU12 6BD Tel: 01483 545787 or visit www.traveltrust.co.uk <http://www.traveltrust.co.uk>
Passports, visas and health
All passengers who are British must have a 10-year British Citizen passport. You should note that most countries require your passport to remain valid for a minimum period after the return date to the UK (normally 6 months). If your passport is in its final year of validity, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting, otherwise travel may be denied. As it is not possible to claim against your insurance cover should travel be refused in these circumstances, we suggest you allow plenty of time to make these checks. It is your responsibility prior to booking to ensure that you have a valid passport.
Overseas nationals are responsible for ensuring that their passport allows travel to their chosen destination. If you hold any other kind of passport you must ensure that you are in possession of any visa necessary to enter the country of your chosen destination. We can provide general information about the passport and visa requirements for your trip. Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. Neither we, nor the Principal, accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements.
Please be aware that you are responsible for any inoculation requirements for the destination. You may wish to obtain a copy of a useful booklet called Health Advice for Travellers (T6) available by calling 0800 555 777. Up to date travel advice can also be obtained from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 0207 238 4503 or their website www.fco.gov.uk <http://www.fco.gov.uk>. We can provide general information about any health formalities required for your trip but you should check with your own doctor for your specific circumstances.
You may qualify for travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) if you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, or Switzerland:
You must travel on a valid, full validity, machine readable or e-passport with an electronic chip. The date on which your passport was issued is an important factor in determining whether your passport will be acceptable for visa-free travel. The failure to determine that your passport qualifies for the VWP may result in you being denied boarding by the airline.
Note: A passport indicating that the bearer is a British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British National (Overseas) Citizen, or British Protected Person does not qualify for travel without a visa. A passport which states holder has Right of Abode or indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom does not qualify for visa free travel;
• For business, pleasure or transit only;
• Staying in the United States for 90 days or less;
IMPORTANT: Some travellers may not be eligible to enter the United States visa free under the VWP. These include people who have been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction, those with criminal records, (the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. visa law), certain serious communicable illnesses, those who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the United States, or have previously overstayed on the VWP. Such travellers must apply for special restricted visas <http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/add_req.html>. If they attempt to travel without a visa, they may be refused entry into the United States.
Insurance
We recommend that all passengers take out adequate travel insurance. It is a condition of booking with most Principals that adequate insurance cover is arranged in order to cover you and your party against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses. Some airlines or Principals may prevent you from travelling, if proof of insurance cannot be provided. We can introduce you to suppliers of suitable cover if required. We accept no liability arising from your failure to obtain adequate cover. If you have booked your insurance through a supplier introduced by us, you will receive a confirmation policy document prior to travel.
Flights times, prices and data
Flight times advertised are provisional and may be subject to change, as per the Principal's booking conditions. For all flight bookings please reconfirm your flight times 48 hours prior to departure as per the Principals/airline's instructions. This applies to outward and homeward journeys, as changes to flight times may be made during your time abroad. We cannot be held responsible for you missing flights if you have not followed these instructions. Tickets are generally issued by the Principal between ten days and two weeks prior to travel, however they reserve the right to issue documents on departure at the airport. You must contact us one week prior to departure if your travel documents have not been received or if you do not have a flight reference number for a ticket on departure booking. We will not be responsible for the loss of any items sent by post unless such loss is due to our negligence.
The flight information advertised comes from all the major UK Principals and airlines. The data is scanned by a third party and regularly updated. Please be aware that some airlines do not maintain real time seat availability in the reservations system to which we connect. As agents for those Principals we are constrained by the information they provide. Seat availability and pricing is at the operator's discretion and is subject to availability. Prices can fluctuate.
Please note that in certain cases, flight providers may not provide full details of flight times and dates on our website. Where this is the case, our website will display an incomplete set of data. Customers should note that the inbound flights may take off in the early hours of the morning of the day following the date displayed. The flights are usually set up to allow for the full numbered nights booked to be spent in resort if an outbound flight lands late evening or early in the hours of the morning the inbound flight will take off the early hours of the morning at the end of your stay.
Every care is taken to ensure our online systems are up to date and correct. Please be aware however that as we use third party data, there may be occasions where the prices we show are incorrect or inaccurate. Please accept our apologies for any accidental misrepresentations on this website or other affiliated sites.
In flight meals, baggage allowance and charges
All airlines have a standard baggage allowance which is included in our online prices. Allowances differ significantly from airline to airline. The allowance you are entitled to will show in the booking conditions of your airline which are displayed at the bottom of your booking confirmation e-mail. Where you require extra luggage allowance this will have to be added to the booking and paid for at an additional cost.
Certain charter airlines and low cost (no frills flight) carriers consider hold baggage to be an optional extra. When you are booking with an airline that does make a charge for luggage it is not included or displayed in our head line prices and the option to add this extra facility will be offered to you after we have received your order request. Please note that all hold luggage charges are dependent on the price charged to us by the airline in question. This will usually be between £4 and £22 per bag for each leg of the journey. The luggage allowance will be dictated by the airline in question and can again vary. Should you choose not to take any hold baggage on your trip then you will receive the standard hand baggage allowance as detailed in the airlines booking conditions. This will normally be between 5 and 10kg. Bags must be no larger than the dimensions allowed by the airline in question for carry on luggage. For further information please refer to the airline booking conditions at the bottom of this page. Our online prices do not include in-flight meals.
Please note where flight extras are added at the time of booking they cannot be removed, cancelled or refunded.
On line check in
Please note that some no frills airlines require you to check in online. Where applicable your paperwork includes instructions regarding the online check in procedure. Failure to check in online will result in check in fees at the airport which you will be liable to pay. Please note that some airlines require you to go online and enter Advance Passenger Information (API), failure to do so could result in you being denied boarding your flight.
No-Frills Flights
When we make a booking for you with certain low cost (no frills) airlines we do so as your agent. We will search the relevant airline database, and then, if you choose to buy, we will purchase the flight seats on your behalf directly from the airline, using the card details you have provided. This confirms your contract with the airline. Using a credit card to book this offers you protection under the Consumer Credit Act in the event of the airlines failure (most no frills carriers do not hold ATOL licences). In processing your payment you will see two separate transactions on your card statement one will be for the cost of your flights with the airline and the remainder will be your payment to Essential Travel UK Limited including our booking fees. As with all other principals we do not accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of the no frills (low cost) carriers or for the services provided by them. Their terms and conditions will apply to your booking and you should familiarise yourself with these terms. You can view them by clicking the Booking Conditions link at the bottom of your booking summary. Please note that all no frills flight bookings are non-refundable.
When booking with certain charter airlines and low cost (no frills flight) carriers it is not unusual to find that they will make a separate charge to check in hold baggage. Where this charge is levied by the airline we will offer you the opportunity to add this optional extra to your booking. (Please refer to the in flight meals, baggage allowance and charges section of terms of business above).
Tickets will not be issued for low cost flights as you will simply need your confirmation number, (which will be emailed to you with your booking confirmation), along with your passport, to board the flight.
Scheduled Flights
Please note that in certain cases scheduled flights may be indirect and fly via other airports. The full details of any flight stopovers will be made clear to you by our sales agents at your time of booking. Please note many scheduled flights are non amendable or refundable once booked. Using a credit card to book this offers you protection under the Consumer Credit Act in the event of the airlines failure (Most scheduled carriers do not hold ATOL licences).
Multiple Airlines
Where we book multiple airlines on your behalf we will be making two separate flight bookings with two separate flight suppliers or at times the same flight supplier. One booking will be for the outbound leg of your journey and another for the inbound leg of your journey. These legs may operate from different inbound and outbound UK airports.
This means you will see two flight vouchers displayed on your paperwork, two flight references and at times two separate flight supplier’s booking conditions. This does not affect your travel arrangements in any way and you simply use the correct voucher to check in for each leg of your journey.
In the rare event that a change is made by one of your flight suppliers to the outbound or inbound leg of your flight and you cannot find a suitable alternative so choose to cancel your booking, then you will be liable to pay any cancellation fees arising from the cancellation of any other services and the section of the flight associated with your booking.
Hotel Information
All hotels featured on our website/advertising are booked through the Principal named on your paperwork. Although we cannot check every one of these hotels every season, the ratings featured in our advertising / on our website are the Principal's own ratings and are based on the official tourist board ratings. It is important that you are happy with your choice of hotel at the time of booking. All hotels do represent excellent value for money within their ratings and any that receive an unreasonable proportion of complaints from our customers are dropped from our website/advertising.
If you have a complaint while you are staying at your accommodation you must inform the accommodation management immediately, in order to give them the chance to resolve the problem. Failure to do so may affect your rights under the contract with the Principal. You may lose any right to compensation, if the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should then contact the supplier's representative in the resort. If, having followed these two steps, your problem remains unresolved you should then contact us on 0871 244 5170.
Unless otherwise requested at the time of booking, standard internationally accepted practice dictates that your accommodation will be booked from the day that you depart the UK for the number of nights as required. The dates and times of your accommodation booking will be included on your accommodation voucher (please check this carefully). On arrival at your accommodation, you will be required to register and be allocated a room. When travelling on flights departing the UK after midnight, your room will be reserved from the previous day. You must normally therefore check out of your room by 12 noon on the day before a night flight home or on the departure date for an evening flight. We may be able to request a late check out for the room, however this is not guaranteed. If we were not to book the hotel until the day that you land (for flights landing in the early hours of the morning), you would not be able to access your room for several hours after your arrival in the hotel. Most hotels provide this late checkout facility. This will usually incur a small charge payable on the spot (it is impossible for us to prepay this charge) and should be requested at the start of your stay, so as to avoid disappointment.
We are happy to pass on any special requests you may have to the hotel or Principal concerned with your booking. Please note that while the hotel will make every effort to fulfill your requests they cannot be guaranteed. Special requests do not form part of your contract with them.
If you have any specific requirements when booking your holiday because you or any member of your party is disabled or less mobile, then you must ensure you have chosen and researched your hotel carefully.
Some hotels may require you to give a cash deposit upon arrival if you do not have a Credit/Debit Card. This has nothing to do with Essential Travel UK. Please be aware that the same procedure is applicable with Car Hire companies.
In resort transfers
When booking a travel providers package holiday transfers to your resort maybe included, which will be either by coach or shared taxi depending on the location and number of people. Unless you have reserved a transfer separately, with flight or hotel only bookings transfers are not included. At times the hotel suppliers or airlines involved in your booking may offer a free or complimentary resort transfer. Essential Travel UK Limited will pass on this offer to you however it forms no part of our contract with you and the provision, delivery and service standards of the transfers are the responsibility of the hotel provider and the 3rd party involved in their delivery. In the event of a difficulty with your transfers, we will do all we can to assist you to resolve the matter. Ultimately however the contract will be between yourself and the Principals. In cases where transfers are not supplied it is advisable to book a private taxi transfer
Also, the transfers may not be direct to your accommodation and in some resorts, where roads are too narrow or unsuitable may be to a central point from which passengers have to make their own way or await a different form of transport.
Changes and Cancellations
Should you wish to amend or change your booking, confirmation must be received in writing from the lead named passenger. Any such request will not take effect until received by us.
Charges will be levied by the principal or other supplier and you will be advised of these. Details of charges are set out below.
·Cancellations more than 3 months from departure date will result in a loss of deposit, any charges over this amount are levied by the suppliers, unless you have chosen to book a holiday at a lower cost by paying in full at your time of booking in which case you will lose all monies paid. From time to time as a special offer the deposit on a reservation may be lower than the standard amount of £100 to £150 per person or the full cost of your no frills or scheduled flights where selected (see deposit payments section). If such bookings are cancelled before the standard deposit amount has been paid you will still be liable for the difference between the standard deposit amount and the amount you have paid.
·Cancellation charges within 3 months of the departure date will be levied by the suppliers.
·No-frills (low cost) flight bookings are non-refundable and cancellation will result in the loss of all monies paid.
If additional monies are due to us at the time of cancellation we reserve the right to collect the remainder of the monies due when you confirm your cancellation from the card used to pay the initial deposit. If this card fails and we hold other cards against your order we will also attempt to debit the outstanding amounts from these cards. If we cannot debit the increased cost to cancel your order the booking may remain active and you will be liable for the full remaining balance.
Please note any incorrect information on any documentation received from us must be brought to our attention immediately. If you book a hotel or flights online then corrections of any mistakes made in entering passenger titles, initials or surnames will be chargeable immediately the booking has been confirmed by the Principal. Charges will apply to correct any mistake, even if it is simply one letter, an initial or a title. For those booking children 2 years of age or above and entering 'Infant' as the title, the flight systems will automatically select 'Miss' or 'Master'. Where this is incorrect and you have not provided the correct information at the time of booking you will be required to pay amendment charges.
On line bookings
All online bookings are made with Principals/flight providers departing a given airport in the UK on a given date, for an agreed number of people and duration. Once you have chosen a particular flight, we reserve the right to make only minor changes to flight arrangements (such as a change of flight number, carrier, or a shift of no more than 3 hours on any leg of the journey). Confirmed flight timings and flight numbers will be on your paperwork which will be sent out to you within 48 hours of making your booking. Following completion of your booking the Principal's terms and conditions apply with regards to any further changes in flight arrangements.
By clicking to book and entering your personal and payment details on our website, you are making us an offer to purchase the product on your behalf. At this point we immediately re-contact the Principal. Each Principal will still require a short period of time to confirm that your chosen flight / hotel is still available. Although the email confirmation sent to you is NOT contractual acceptance of the Principal's ability to provide this product, it is an acknowledgement that we have received your offer, and should the product be available as detailed on our website then you have entered into a legally binding agreement to purchase this product subject to the Principal's Terms and Conditions.
Once we have received confirmation from the Principal, we will contact you via email to let you know that your order has been booked. The contract is formed when the Principal issues its confirmation invoice and their booking reference number. Please note that once your booking has been confirmed to us, you can only cancel the booking in accordance with the relevant Principal's terms and conditions which may involve cancellation charges.
You should also note that each service you book with us is a separate booking. If you make bookings for both accommodation and flights and we are unable to confirm one of the bookings, the other booking will still stand, and therefore the Principal's booking conditions will apply. If larger groups want to be sure of sufficient availability for any flights / hotels they should contact our call centre. If two parts of the same group book online on two separate bookings and availability expires between the two bookings we regret therefore that we are unable to cancel the first booking without applying cancellation charges as levied by the Principal.
You should receive a booking summary within 48 hours of your booking request being made. In most cases bookings will be confirmed by email only. We cannot be held responsible where an email does not arrive with you. Unless you have received an email notifying you that your order has been cancelled you must not assume this to be the case.
Deposit Payments
Where your travel dates are 3 months or more after you book our website offers the facility to pay a deposit. Usually this deposit amount is £100 - £150 per person, although you will be required to pay the full cost if you are booking no frills or scheduled flights. At certain times during the year we may offer you the opportunity to pay a lower deposit on your booking. Where this is the case, we reserve the right to collect the remainder of the deposit automatically from the card used to pay the initial deposit 28 days after the date of booking. If this card fails and we hold other cards against your order we will also attempt to debit the outstanding amounts from these cards. Should we be unable to collect the outstanding deposit amount your booking may be cancelled with a loss of all monies paid to date.
Balance Payments
For all bookings travelling within 3 months, a full balance is due on booking the holiday. All other holidays will be charged a non-refundable deposit on booking. Where you accept the option to book a holiday at a lower cost by paying in full at the time of booking, the whole amount paid is non-refundable should you later wish to cancel the booking, regardless of your date of travel. Please note that payments of balances due must be received by Essential Travel UK Limited no later than 10 weeks prior to travel. Where you fail to pay us of your own accord, the card you used at the time of booking will be automatically debited for the amount due. If this card fails and we hold other cards against your order we will also attempt to debit the outstanding amounts from these cards.
If for any reason we do not receive payment, we shall be entitled to cancel your booking. In this event you will lose all monies you have previously paid and additionally you will be liable for any cancellation fees set out in the Principal's Terms and Conditions. Credit and debit card fees are unfortunately non-refundable.
Complaints procedure
We hope your travel arrangements run as smoothly as possible and you enjoy your time abroad, however if you feel the need to complain we recommend that you immediately inform a representative of the Principal, airline or hotel reception staff, whilst you are abroad. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint. The amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced or you may not receive any at all depending upon the circumstances. If you are not satisfied, you must follow this up in writing immediately on return to the UK (or at the very latest within 28 days) DIRECTLY to Essential Travel UK Limited.
Surcharges
We draw your attention to the clauses of the principals' booking conditions relating to surcharging. As your booking agent we may be required to collect surcharges on behalf of the principal providers involved in your booking. These are additional amounts that a principal may charge after you have booked, because costs have increased in the areas of transportation, including the cost of fuel; duties, taxes and fees; or exchange rates. Surcharges can vary and the amount will be advised to you in writing. Where the principal involved is a member of ABTA they will follow the code of conduct in regards to levying surcharges. Whilst principals do try to avoid surcharging, surcharges can occur and a failure to pay any surcharged amount requested from you may result in the cancellation of your booking or a refusal to allow you to travel.
Data Protection
We take full responsibility for ensuring proper security measures are in place to protect your personal information. The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the providers of your travel arrangements or other persons necessary for the provision of your travel arrangements. The information may therefore be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. If you are travelling to the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will receive this information for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other serious transnational crimes.
If you travel outside the European Economic Area, data protection controls may not be as strong as in the United Kingdom. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to complete your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons.
We may also contact you from time to time with details of any special offers we may have available.
SERVICE CHARGES
Cancellation or amendment: Principal's charge
In flight extra requests after booking confirmed: Principal's charge
Credit card charge: 2%
Debit Card Charge: £0.50 pence (Electron card no charge)
Pre-booking airline seats after confirmed booking: Principal's charge
Change of hotel: Cancellation of original hotel + difference (if any) in cost of hotels
Change of title, initial, first name or surname once booking made: Principal's charge
Protection Plan £2.73 per person (non refundable)
Essential Travel UK Limited specialise in holidays to destinations all over the world. None of the bookings we make for our customers, whether they are for one element (flight or hotel) or more than one element (flight and hotel), are package holidays as that term is defined by the Package Travel Regulations. The flexibility that Essential Travel UK Limited offers is that you are under no obligation to book more than 1 holiday element and each element can be booked wholly independently of the others.
When making your booking we will arrange for you to enter into contracts with the Principals (tour operator/airline/cruise company/flight provider/hotel provider/ hotel) named on your receipt. For No frills and Scheduled flight bookings we act only as your agent in making your booking. For all other bookings we act only as an agent for the Principal.
As agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the Principals or for the services provided by the Principal. The Principals' Terms & Conditions will apply to your booking. We advise you to read these conditions carefully as they do contain important information about your booking. Please ask us for copies of these if you do not have them. In the event of a difficulty with your booking, we will do all we can to assist you to resolve the matter. Ultimately however the contract is between yourself and the Principals.
Essential Travel UK Limited General Terms
The General Terms below are in addition to the Terms and Conditions provided by the Principals.
References to "you" and "your" in these Booking Conditions mean all persons named on the booking (including anyone who is added or substituted at a later date). "We" "us" and "our" mean Essential Travel UK Limited
Financial Protection
All charter flight providers are protected by ATOL. In the unlikely event of the flight provider's insolvency your flight monies are protected under the terms of their ATOL licence and if abroad you will be repatriated. This does not apply to no frills flight and Scheduled flight bookings, however where you have used a credit card to book with these carriers this will offer you protection under the Consumer Credit Act in the event of the airlines failure.
TTA
Essential Travel UK Limited is a member of TTA (Travel Trust Association) with membership number U4691. TTA members help holidaymakers get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by TTA’s Code of Conduct. For further information about TTA, the Code of Conduct and arbitration scheme, available to you if you have a complaint about our service, contact Travel Trust Association, Albion House High Street Woking Surrey GU12 6BD Tel: 01483 545787 or visit www.traveltrust.co.uk <http://www.traveltrust.co.uk>
Passports, visas and health
All passengers who are British must have a 10-year British Citizen passport. You should note that most countries require your passport to remain valid for a minimum period after the return date to the UK (normally 6 months). If your passport is in its final year of validity, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting, otherwise travel may be denied. As it is not possible to claim against your insurance cover should travel be refused in these circumstances, we suggest you allow plenty of time to make these checks. It is your responsibility prior to booking to ensure that you have a valid passport.
Overseas nationals are responsible for ensuring that their passport allows travel to their chosen destination. If you hold any other kind of passport you must ensure that you are in possession of any visa necessary to enter the country of your chosen destination. We can provide general information about the passport and visa requirements for your trip. Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. Neither we, nor the Principal, accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements.
Please be aware that you are responsible for any inoculation requirements for the destination. You may wish to obtain a copy of a useful booklet called Health Advice for Travellers (T6) available by calling 0800 555 777. Up to date travel advice can also be obtained from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 0207 238 4503 or their website www.fco.gov.uk <http://www.fco.gov.uk>. We can provide general information about any health formalities required for your trip but you should check with your own doctor for your specific circumstances.
You may qualify for travel under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) if you are a citizen of the United Kingdom, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, or Switzerland:
You must travel on a valid, full validity, machine readable or e-passport with an electronic chip. The date on which your passport was issued is an important factor in determining whether your passport will be acceptable for visa-free travel. The failure to determine that your passport qualifies for the VWP may result in you being denied boarding by the airline.
Note: A passport indicating that the bearer is a British Subject, British Dependent Territories Citizen, British Overseas Citizen, British National (Overseas) Citizen, or British Protected Person does not qualify for travel without a visa. A passport which states holder has Right of Abode or indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom does not qualify for visa free travel;
• For business, pleasure or transit only;
• Staying in the United States for 90 days or less;
IMPORTANT: Some travellers may not be eligible to enter the United States visa free under the VWP. These include people who have been arrested, even if the arrest did not result in a criminal conviction, those with criminal records, (the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act does not apply to U.S. visa law), certain serious communicable illnesses, those who have been refused admission into, or have been deported from, the United States, or have previously overstayed on the VWP. Such travellers must apply for special restricted visas <http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new/visa/niv/add_req.html>. If they attempt to travel without a visa, they may be refused entry into the United States.
Insurance
We recommend that all passengers take out adequate travel insurance. It is a condition of booking with most Principals that adequate insurance cover is arranged in order to cover you and your party against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses. Some airlines or Principals may prevent you from travelling, if proof of insurance cannot be provided. We can introduce you to suppliers of suitable cover if required. We accept no liability arising from your failure to obtain adequate cover. If you have booked your insurance through a supplier introduced by us, you will receive a confirmation policy document prior to travel.
Flights times, prices and data
Flight times advertised are provisional and may be subject to change, as per the Principal's booking conditions. For all flight bookings please reconfirm your flight times 48 hours prior to departure as per the Principals/airline's instructions. This applies to outward and homeward journeys, as changes to flight times may be made during your time abroad. We cannot be held responsible for you missing flights if you have not followed these instructions. Tickets are generally issued by the Principal between ten days and two weeks prior to travel, however they reserve the right to issue documents on departure at the airport. You must contact us one week prior to departure if your travel documents have not been received or if you do not have a flight reference number for a ticket on departure booking. We will not be responsible for the loss of any items sent by post unless such loss is due to our negligence.
The flight information advertised comes from all the major UK Principals and airlines. The data is scanned by a third party and regularly updated. Please be aware that some airlines do not maintain real time seat availability in the reservations system to which we connect. As agents for those Principals we are constrained by the information they provide. Seat availability and pricing is at the operator's discretion and is subject to availability. Prices can fluctuate.
Please note that in certain cases, flight providers may not provide full details of flight times and dates on our website. Where this is the case, our website will display an incomplete set of data. Customers should note that the inbound flights may take off in the early hours of the morning of the day following the date displayed. The flights are usually set up to allow for the full numbered nights booked to be spent in resort if an outbound flight lands late evening or early in the hours of the morning the inbound flight will take off the early hours of the morning at the end of your stay.
Every care is taken to ensure our online systems are up to date and correct. Please be aware however that as we use third party data, there may be occasions where the prices we show are incorrect or inaccurate. Please accept our apologies for any accidental misrepresentations on this website or other affiliated sites.
In flight meals, baggage allowance and charges
All airlines have a standard baggage allowance which is included in our online prices. Allowances differ significantly from airline to airline. The allowance you are entitled to will show in the booking conditions of your airline which are displayed at the bottom of your booking confirmation e-mail. Where you require extra luggage allowance this will have to be added to the booking and paid for at an additional cost.
Certain charter airlines and low cost (no frills flight) carriers consider hold baggage to be an optional extra. When you are booking with an airline that does make a charge for luggage it is not included or displayed in our head line prices and the option to add this extra facility will be offered to you after we have received your order request. Please note that all hold luggage charges are dependent on the price charged to us by the airline in question. This will usually be between £4 and £22 per bag for each leg of the journey. The luggage allowance will be dictated by the airline in question and can again vary. Should you choose not to take any hold baggage on your trip then you will receive the standard hand baggage allowance as detailed in the airlines booking conditions. This will normally be between 5 and 10kg. Bags must be no larger than the dimensions allowed by the airline in question for carry on luggage. For further information please refer to the airline booking conditions at the bottom of this page. Our online prices do not include in-flight meals.
Please note where flight extras are added at the time of booking they cannot be removed, cancelled or refunded.
On line check in
Please note that some no frills airlines require you to check in online. Where applicable your paperwork includes instructions regarding the online check in procedure. Failure to check in online will result in check in fees at the airport which you will be liable to pay. Please note that some airlines require you to go online and enter Advance Passenger Information (API), failure to do so could result in you being denied boarding your flight.
No-Frills Flights
When we make a booking for you with certain low cost (no frills) airlines we do so as your agent. We will search the relevant airline database, and then, if you choose to buy, we will purchase the flight seats on your behalf directly from the airline, using the card details you have provided. This confirms your contract with the airline. Using a credit card to book this offers you protection under the Consumer Credit Act in the event of the airlines failure (most no frills carriers do not hold ATOL licences). In processing your payment you will see two separate transactions on your card statement one will be for the cost of your flights with the airline and the remainder will be your payment to Essential Travel UK Limited including our booking fees. As with all other principals we do not accept responsibility for the acts or omissions of the no frills (low cost) carriers or for the services provided by them. Their terms and conditions will apply to your booking and you should familiarise yourself with these terms. You can view them by clicking the Booking Conditions link at the bottom of your booking summary. Please note that all no frills flight bookings are non-refundable.
When booking with certain charter airlines and low cost (no frills flight) carriers it is not unusual to find that they will make a separate charge to check in hold baggage. Where this charge is levied by the airline we will offer you the opportunity to add this optional extra to your booking. (Please refer to the in flight meals, baggage allowance and charges section of terms of business above).
Tickets will not be issued for low cost flights as you will simply need your confirmation number, (which will be emailed to you with your booking confirmation), along with your passport, to board the flight.
Scheduled Flights
Please note that in certain cases scheduled flights may be indirect and fly via other airports. The full details of any flight stopovers will be made clear to you by our sales agents at your time of booking. Please note many scheduled flights are non amendable or refundable once booked. Using a credit card to book this offers you protection under the Consumer Credit Act in the event of the airlines failure (Most scheduled carriers do not hold ATOL licences).
Multiple Airlines
Where we book multiple airlines on your behalf we will be making two separate flight bookings with two separate flight suppliers or at times the same flight supplier. One booking will be for the outbound leg of your journey and another for the inbound leg of your journey. These legs may operate from different inbound and outbound UK airports.
This means you will see two flight vouchers displayed on your paperwork, two flight references and at times two separate flight supplier’s booking conditions. This does not affect your travel arrangements in any way and you simply use the correct voucher to check in for each leg of your journey.
In the rare event that a change is made by one of your flight suppliers to the outbound or inbound leg of your flight and you cannot find a suitable alternative so choose to cancel your booking, then you will be liable to pay any cancellation fees arising from the cancellation of any other services and the section of the flight associated with your booking.
Hotel Information
All hotels featured on our website/advertising are booked through the Principal named on your paperwork. Although we cannot check every one of these hotels every season, the ratings featured in our advertising / on our website are the Principal's own ratings and are based on the official tourist board ratings. It is important that you are happy with your choice of hotel at the time of booking. All hotels do represent excellent value for money within their ratings and any that receive an unreasonable proportion of complaints from our customers are dropped from our website/advertising.
If you have a complaint while you are staying at your accommodation you must inform the accommodation management immediately, in order to give them the chance to resolve the problem. Failure to do so may affect your rights under the contract with the Principal. You may lose any right to compensation, if the issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should then contact the supplier's representative in the resort. If, having followed these two steps, your problem remains unresolved you should then contact us on 0871 244 5170.
Unless otherwise requested at the time of booking, standard internationally accepted practice dictates that your accommodation will be booked from the day that you depart the UK for the number of nights as required. The dates and times of your accommodation booking will be included on your accommodation voucher (please check this carefully). On arrival at your accommodation, you will be required to register and be allocated a room. When travelling on flights departing the UK after midnight, your room will be reserved from the previous day. You must normally therefore check out of your room by 12 noon on the day before a night flight home or on the departure date for an evening flight. We may be able to request a late check out for the room, however this is not guaranteed. If we were not to book the hotel until the day that you land (for flights landing in the early hours of the morning), you would not be able to access your room for several hours after your arrival in the hotel. Most hotels provide this late checkout facility. This will usually incur a small charge payable on the spot (it is impossible for us to prepay this charge) and should be requested at the start of your stay, so as to avoid disappointment.
We are happy to pass on any special requests you may have to the hotel or Principal concerned with your booking. Please note that while the hotel will make every effort to fulfill your requests they cannot be guaranteed. Special requests do not form part of your contract with them.
If you have any specific requirements when booking your holiday because you or any member of your party is disabled or less mobile, then you must ensure you have chosen and researched your hotel carefully.
Some hotels may require you to give a cash deposit upon arrival if you do not have a Credit/Debit Card. This has nothing to do with Essential Travel UK. Please be aware that the same procedure is applicable with Car Hire companies.
In resort transfers
When booking a travel providers package holiday transfers to your resort maybe included, which will be either by coach or shared taxi depending on the location and number of people. Unless you have reserved a transfer separately, with flight or hotel only bookings transfers are not included. At times the hotel suppliers or airlines involved in your booking may offer a free or complimentary resort transfer. Essential Travel UK Limited will pass on this offer to you however it forms no part of our contract with you and the provision, delivery and service standards of the transfers are the responsibility of the hotel provider and the 3rd party involved in their delivery. In the event of a difficulty with your transfers, we will do all we can to assist you to resolve the matter. Ultimately however the contract will be between yourself and the Principals. In cases where transfers are not supplied it is advisable to book a private taxi transfer
Also, the transfers may not be direct to your accommodation and in some resorts, where roads are too narrow or unsuitable may be to a central point from which passengers have to make their own way or await a different form of transport.
Changes and Cancellations
Should you wish to amend or change your booking, confirmation must be received in writing from the lead named passenger. Any such request will not take effect until received by us.
Charges will be levied by the principal or other supplier and you will be advised of these. Details of charges are set out below.
·Cancellations more than 3 months from departure date will result in a loss of deposit, any charges over this amount are levied by the suppliers, unless you have chosen to book a holiday at a lower cost by paying in full at your time of booking in which case you will lose all monies paid. From time to time as a special offer the deposit on a reservation may be lower than the standard amount of £100 to £150 per person or the full cost of your no frills or scheduled flights where selected (see deposit payments section). If such bookings are cancelled before the standard deposit amount has been paid you will still be liable for the difference between the standard deposit amount and the amount you have paid.
·Cancellation charges within 3 months of the departure date will be levied by the suppliers.
·No-frills (low cost) flight bookings are non-refundable and cancellation will result in the loss of all monies paid.
If additional monies are due to us at the time of cancellation we reserve the right to collect the remainder of the monies due when you confirm your cancellation from the card used to pay the initial deposit. If this card fails and we hold other cards against your order we will also attempt to debit the outstanding amounts from these cards. If we cannot debit the increased cost to cancel your order the booking may remain active and you will be liable for the full remaining balance.
Please note any incorrect information on any documentation received from us must be brought to our attention immediately. If you book a hotel or flights online then corrections of any mistakes made in entering passenger titles, initials or surnames will be chargeable immediately the booking has been confirmed by the Principal. Charges will apply to correct any mistake, even if it is simply one letter, an initial or a title. For those booking children 2 years of age or above and entering 'Infant' as the title, the flight systems will automatically select 'Miss' or 'Master'. Where this is incorrect and you have not provided the correct information at the time of booking you will be required to pay amendment charges.
On line bookings
All online bookings are made with Principals/flight providers departing a given airport in the UK on a given date, for an agreed number of people and duration. Once you have chosen a particular flight, we reserve the right to make only minor changes to flight arrangements (such as a change of flight number, carrier, or a shift of no more than 3 hours on any leg of the journey). Confirmed flight timings and flight numbers will be on your paperwork which will be sent out to you within 48 hours of making your booking. Following completion of your booking the Principal's terms and conditions apply with regards to any further changes in flight arrangements.
By clicking to book and entering your personal and payment details on our website, you are making us an offer to purchase the product on your behalf. At this point we immediately re-contact the Principal. Each Principal will still require a short period of time to confirm that your chosen flight / hotel is still available. Although the email confirmation sent to you is NOT contractual acceptance of the Principal's ability to provide this product, it is an acknowledgement that we have received your offer, and should the product be available as detailed on our website then you have entered into a legally binding agreement to purchase this product subject to the Principal's Terms and Conditions.
Once we have received confirmation from the Principal, we will contact you via email to let you know that your order has been booked. The contract is formed when the Principal issues its confirmation invoice and their booking reference number. Please note that once your booking has been confirmed to us, you can only cancel the booking in accordance with the relevant Principal's terms and conditions which may involve cancellation charges.
You should also note that each service you book with us is a separate booking. If you make bookings for both accommodation and flights and we are unable to confirm one of the bookings, the other booking will still stand, and therefore the Principal's booking conditions will apply. If larger groups want to be sure of sufficient availability for any flights / hotels they should contact our call centre. If two parts of the same group book online on two separate bookings and availability expires between the two bookings we regret therefore that we are unable to cancel the first booking without applying cancellation charges as levied by the Principal.
You should receive a booking summary within 48 hours of your booking request being made. In most cases bookings will be confirmed by email only. We cannot be held responsible where an email does not arrive with you. Unless you have received an email notifying you that your order has been cancelled you must not assume this to be the case.
Deposit Payments
Where your travel dates are 3 months or more after you book our website offers the facility to pay a deposit. Usually this deposit amount is £100 - £150 per person, although you will be required to pay the full cost if you are booking no frills or scheduled flights. At certain times during the year we may offer you the opportunity to pay a lower deposit on your booking. Where this is the case, we reserve the right to collect the remainder of the deposit automatically from the card used to pay the initial deposit 28 days after the date of booking. If this card fails and we hold other cards against your order we will also attempt to debit the outstanding amounts from these cards. Should we be unable to collect the outstanding deposit amount your booking may be cancelled with a loss of all monies paid to date.
Balance Payments
For all bookings travelling within 3 months, a full balance is due on booking the holiday. All other holidays will be charged a non-refundable deposit on booking. Where you accept the option to book a holiday at a lower cost by paying in full at the time of booking, the whole amount paid is non-refundable should you later wish to cancel the booking, regardless of your date of travel. Please note that payments of balances due must be received by Essential Travel UK Limited no later than 10 weeks prior to travel. Where you fail to pay us of your own accord, the card you used at the time of booking will be automatically debited for the amount due. If this card fails and we hold other cards against your order we will also attempt to debit the outstanding amounts from these cards.
If for any reason we do not receive payment, we shall be entitled to cancel your booking. In this event you will lose all monies you have previously paid and additionally you will be liable for any cancellation fees set out in the Principal's Terms and Conditions. Credit and debit card fees are unfortunately non-refundable.
Complaints procedure
We hope your travel arrangements run as smoothly as possible and you enjoy your time abroad, however if you feel the need to complain we recommend that you immediately inform a representative of the Principal, airline or hotel reception staff, whilst you are abroad. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint. The amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced or you may not receive any at all depending upon the circumstances. If you are not satisfied, you must follow this up in writing immediately on return to the UK (or at the very latest within 28 days) DIRECTLY to Essential Travel UK Limited.
Surcharges
We draw your attention to the clauses of the principals' booking conditions relating to surcharging. As your booking agent we may be required to collect surcharges on behalf of the principal providers involved in your booking. These are additional amounts that a principal may charge after you have booked, because costs have increased in the areas of transportation, including the cost of fuel; duties, taxes and fees; or exchange rates. Surcharges can vary and the amount will be advised to you in writing. Where the principal involved is a member of ABTA they will follow the code of conduct in regards to levying surcharges. Whilst principals do try to avoid surcharging, surcharges can occur and a failure to pay any surcharged amount requested from you may result in the cancellation of your booking or a refusal to allow you to travel.
Data Protection
We take full responsibility for ensuring proper security measures are in place to protect your personal information. The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the providers of your travel arrangements or other persons necessary for the provision of your travel arrangements. The information may therefore be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. If you are travelling to the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will receive this information for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other serious transnational crimes.
If you travel outside the European Economic Area, data protection controls may not be as strong as in the United Kingdom. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to complete your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons.
We may also contact you from time to time with details of any special offers we may have available.
SERVICE CHARGES
Cancellation or amendment: Principal's charge
In flight extra requests after booking confirmed: Principal's charge
Credit card charge: 2%
Debit Card Charge: £0.50 pence (Electron card no charge)
Pre-booking airline seats after confirmed booking: Principal's charge
Change of hotel: Cancellation of original hotel + difference (if any) in cost of hotels
Change of title, initial, first name or surname once booking made: Principal's charge
Protection Plan £2.73 per person (non refundable)
