Due to the adjustment of flight programs for tourists who have booked tours for the fall, tour operators offer other flight options, most often with additional charges. About the editorial issue TourDom.ru travel agents and participants of the telegram chat for travel business professionals “Kurilka Turdom 2.0” reported.
Changes in flight plans have occurred, in particular, in Moscow for flights to Thailand, as well as in Krasnoyarsk and Novosibirsk on routes to Phuket and Egypt. Tourists who bought travel packages for the autumn months suddenly changed the date and time of departure, the duration of the trip, and sometimes the airline.
Schedule changes occur for technical or other objective reasons. In particular, in one of the tour operators of the editorial office TourDom.ru This is how the transfer of flights from Moscow to Pattaya was explained: “The airline had to remove one of the planes from the program. All adjustments begin at the end of October, there is enough time to agree on alternatives, we are looking for transfer options. Tours can be cancelled without penalty. We recommend that partners expect the best solution for their needs.”
Nevertheless, travel agents are forced to explain themselves to customers and select other vacation options for them. “Transfers are offered to us with an additional payment: with an increase in the number of nights or with a new departure date, but at site prices that have become higher than they were 1-3 months ago,” says travel agent Andrey Fedorov.
Many people are not satisfied with such alternatives. For example, if a tourist has tight vacation dates, or he does not want to increase the budget. “The tour operator has completely removed the most popular flights to Phuket from our city – for the holidays, the end of October. The options he offered are suitable for only one out of 10 people,” said Elina Kohreidze, Deputy director of the Orange Season travel agency (Krasnoyarsk).
Tourists could cancel the tour and buy a similar one for the desired dates from another company. “But the problem is that prices have already increased significantly since the moment of booking, some hotels have gone to the stop, and there may not be free places for new dates,” Andrei Fedorov notes.
“As a result, we have a double, triple amount of work with explanations and nerves. And sometimes with a full refund of the agency commission for the work already done,” says Elina Kohreidze.
How can retail representatives organize work with the client so as not to be “extreme” in conflict situations? “It is necessary to understand that the role of a travel agent is intermediary,” lawyer Igor Kositsyn recalled. – He must transmit to tourists all the changes that the tour operator makes to the travel product and broadcast to him the decision of the clients. But he cannot be responsible for these adjustments.”
In case of unilateral refusal of the tour operator to provide services, if the confirmed and paid tour is canceled, the tourist is entitled not only to a refund, but also to damages. “These include expenses related to the purchase of a new tour at the current rate,” explained Igor Kositsyn. – That is, a tourist can buy a similar more expensive tour, including from another supplier, and expose the difference to the tour operator. This right is provided for in Article 782 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the provisions of the Law on Consumer Protection.
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