Make Sure Your Holiday Is Protected
Thursday 22 July 2010
Air strikes, ash cloud, bad weather and tour operators going out of business have wreaked havoc for Northern Ireland travellers over the last six months. The Consumer Council today is urging holidaymakers to make sure their holiday is protected by publishing a fact sheet with all you need to know about protecting your holiday flights and accommodation.
Andy McClenaghan, Senior Consumer Affairs Officer, at the Consumer Council said: “Over the last six months many travellers have had to deal with their holiday being cancelled, been left out of pocket or worse, left stranded abroad because of volcanic ash, air strikes or a tour operator going out of business. When this happens, unfortunately many travellers do not know what their rights or responsibilities are (Consumer Council research shows 70 per cent of passengers feel they don’t know their rights if their flight is delayed or cancelled[1]) and a lack of information on the ground can make matters even more stressful.
To avoid missing your dream holiday or losing the hard-earned cash saved to pay for it, the Consumer Council has produced a fact sheet packed with information on protecting your holiday at the time of booking, best methods of payment and what to do if your tour operator goes out of business. As well as keeping it to hand when booking a holiday, we are urging all travellers to pack this fact sheet along with their passport and travel documents – it may save you a lot of money, hassle and stress this summer.”
“The Consumer Council also published a ‘Plane Facts’ guide in June, which goes a long way to equipping travellers with information, not just on booking holiday flights and accommodation but on a range of topics including planning and booking flights, connecting flights, delays and cancellations, what a good insurance policy should include and how to complain. To get your FREE Protect your holiday factsheet and copy of Plane Facts, call the Consumer Council on 0800 121 6022 or email: complaints@consumercouncil.org.uk .''
ENDS
- Consumer Council media contact: Gráinne Duffy, telephone, 028 9067 4813 or e-mail, gduffy@consumercouncil.org.uk
- The Consumer Council is an independent consumer organisation, working to bring about change to benefit Northern Ireland’s consumers. The Council campaigns for high standards of service and protection and a fair deal for all. It also carries out research, gives advice and publishes reports and other publications. It deals with individual complaints about buses, trains, planes, ferries, natural gas, electricity, coal and water.
- For more information, visit our website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk
[1] Flights and Rights – a Consumer Council research report into passengers’ knowledge of their rights and attitudes to air travel. This research was carried out in February 2010.
Related Documents
- Protect Your Holiday - 133.9KB PDF Document
