Package travel

The internet makes it easy to book organised travel or compose your own trip. Are you booking your plane tickets and hotel with the same travel service provider or via two different websites? Or does your airline’s website refer you to a car rental website?

The method you use to book your trip will affect your rights. Your rights differ depending on whether you book a “package travel arrangement” or individual travel services. Have you booked a package travel arrangement? In that case you will enjoy specific protection enshrined in European legislation. ECC Belgium explains:

• What is a package travel arrangement and what is a linked travel arrangement?
• What kind of information must your travel operator provide prior to the trip?
• Can the travel operator change the package travel arrangement?
• What are your rights in case of cancellation?
• Can you transfer your package travel arrangement?
• What happens if your package travel arrangement doesn’t meet your expectations?
• What happens if the travel operator goes bankrupt?

Note: You have two years in which to exercise your rights, starting on the day on which the package travel agreement or linked travel arrangement ends.

Good to know: the ‘guidelines’ published by the FPS Economy clarify these complicated rules (NL/FR).

You booked a package travel arrangement?

These are your rights in images!