For most holidays arranged with Tour Operators, Medway Travel is able to secure your booking with a nominal deposit normally around 10%. The balance payment can then usually be paid 8 weeks prior to departure.
To obtain the best prices for individual travel components, such as flights only, we are usually required to take full payment at time of booking, due to the airlines’ own terms with travel agents. This is not necessarily the case with more flexible (higher) fares.
We will often tailor-make our own holidays, to offer you the best arrangements to suit your particular holiday objectives and/or to achieve a more competitive price. In these cases full payment may be required at time of booking. Full information will be given with our quotation.
We are happy to accept payment by cash, cheque, and most major debit and credit cards. We do charge a 2% fee for credit card balance payments, but are happy to accept credit cards for deposits, without additional charge.
Typical contracts
In line with our policy of transparency in all our contractual dealings with clients and vendors, we believe you should have the opportunity to review the typical contracts we require clients to sign, before we can commit to the providers of services on your behalf.
Such contracts simply clarify the agreed and necessary commercial arrangements between the parties involved. It is only very rarely that we have to refer back to them, since we can normally rely on the good faith and the probity of all concerned to overcome any issues that may arise.
Medway Leisure Travel will also sign your contract and provide you with a copy
Typical Contract Terms & Conditions
1 Your Contract
When you make a booking you guarantee that you have the authority to accept and do accept on behalf of your party the terms of these booking conditions. A contract will exist as soon as we issue our confirmation invoice. This contract is made on the terms of these booking conditions which are governed by English Law and we both agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the English Courts at all times.
2. Your Financial Protection
We are a member of ABTA, (Holding ATOL No. 4774 issued by the Civil Aviation Authority,) which provide for your protection in the event of our insolvency.
3. Your Party/Group Price
When you make your booking you must pay a deposit as described in the programme. The balance of the price of your arrangements must be paid at least 8 weeks before commencement of your event. If the deposit and/or balance is not paid in time, we shall cancel your arrangements. If the balance is not paid in time we shall retain your deposit. All monies you pay to Medway Travel are held by us on your behalf at all times.
The price of your arrangements was calculated using exchange rates quoted in the "Financial Times Guide to World Currencies"
The price of your arrangements is subject to surcharges for:
3.1. increases in transportation costs such as fuel, scheduled airfares and any other airline surcharges which are part of the contract between airlines and their agents.
3.2. government action such as increases in VAT or any other Government imposed increases and
3.3. currency changes in relation to an adverse currency exchange rate variation.
Even in this case, we will absorb an amount to 2% of the price of your arrangements, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges. Only amounts in excess of this 2% will be surcharged, where you have to pay a surcharge there will be an administration charge of £1.00 per person together with an amount to cover agents' commission. If this means that you have to pay more than 10% of the price of your arrangements, you may cancel your arrangements and receive full refund of all monies paid, except for any premium paid to us for insurance and any amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must exercise your right to do so within 14 days from the issue date printed on your final invoice.
4 If You Change Your Booking
If, after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you wish to change your arrangements in any way, for example your chosen departure date or accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes but it may not always be possible. Any request for changes to be made must be in writing from the person who made the booking to Medway Travel. You will be asked to pay an administration charge, and any further cost we incur in making this alteration. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible.
Note: Certain travel arrangements (e.g. Apex Tickets) cannot be changed after a reservation has been made and any alteration request will incur a 100% cancellation charge.
5 If You Cancel Your Group
You, or any member of your party, may cancel arrangements at any time. Written notification from the person who made the booking must be received at our offices. Since costs are incurred in cancelling your arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum shown in clause 6.
Note: If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges.
6. If We Change or Cancel Your Group
It is unlikely that we will have to make any changes to your arrangements, but we often plan the arrangements many months in advance. Occasionally, we may have to make changes and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Usually any such changes will be minor and we will advise you of them at the earliest possible date. We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your arrangements. For example, if the minimum number of clients required for a particular travel arrangement is not reached, we may have to cancel it. However, we will not cancel your arrangements less than 8 weeks before your event date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. If we are unable to provide the booked arrangements, you can either have a refund of all monies paid or accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable standard from us, if available. If it is necessary to cancel your arrangements, we will pay compensation to you as set out in this clause.
Please note specific suppliers may be subject to change. Such a change is deemed to be a minor change. Other examples of minor changes include alteration of your outward/return flights by less than 12 hours, changes to aircraft type, change of accommodation to another of the same standard.
If we make a major change to your arrangements, we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure. You will have the choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of alternative travel arrangements from us if available or cancelling your booking and receiving a full refund of all monies paid. In all cases, except where the major change arises due to reasons of force majeure, we will pay compensation as follows:
IF WE MAKE A IF YOU CANCEL
MAJOR CHANGE TO YOUR
YOUR ARRANGEMENTS ARRANGEMENTS
Period before departure Amount you will Amount of cancellation
within which notice of receive from us charge
cancellation or major per person
change within which notice
is received by us or
notified to you
More than 90 days £ 0 Deposit only
90-31 Days £ 15 50% of booking cost
15-31 Days £ 30 80% of booking cost
0-15 days £ 60 100% of booking cost
Force Majeure: This means that we will not pay you compensation if we have to cancel or change your arrangements in any way because of war, riot, industrial dispute, terrorist activity, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, adverse weather conditions or other unforeseen circumstances that may amount to force majeure.
7. If You Have A Complaint
If you have a problem during your trip or event, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your hotelier) and call our office at Medway Travel who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please follow this up within 28 days of your return home by writing to our Customer Services Department at Medway Travel giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise and to the point. This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you.
It is strongly suggested that you communicate any complaint to the supplier of the services in question as well as to our representative without delay and complete a report form whilst you are there
If you fail to follow this simple procedure we will have been deprived of the opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint in good time and this may affect your rights under this contract.
8. What Happens To Complaints
It is unlikely that you will have a complaint that cannot be settled amicably between us. However, disputes to do with this contract which cannot be settled amicably, may (if you wish) be referred to Arbitration under a special scheme which, is arranged by the Association of British Travel Agents, but is administered quite independently by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
The scheme provides for a simple and inexpensive method of Arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on you in respect of costs. The scheme does not apply to claims for any amount greater than £1,500 per person or £7,500 per booking form. Also it does not apply to claims which relate to physical injury or illness. If you choose to proceed to Arbitration under this scheme, you must send a written notice of your decision to ABTA within 9 months after your scheduled date of return.
Full details of the scheme are available from the Association of British Travel Agents at 68-71 Newman Street, London W1P 4AH.
9. Our Liability to You
9 (i) We accept responsibility for ensuring that your arrangements, which you book with us, are supplied as agreed. If any part of your arrangements are not provided as promised, we will pay you appropriate compensation if this has affected the enjoyment of your arrangements. We accept responsibility for the acts and/or omissions of our employees, agents and suppliers except where they lead to death, injury or illness. Our liability in all cases shall be limited to a maximum of twice the costs of your arrangements.
9 (ii) We accept responsibility for death, injury or illness caused by the negligent acts and/or omissions of our employees or agents, our suppliers and sub-contractors, whilst acting within the scope of, or in the course of their employment in the provision of your arrangements. We will accordingly pay to you such damages as might have been awarded in such circumstances under English Law.
9 (iii) In respect of travel by air, sea and rail, and the provision of accommodation our liability will be limited in the manner provided by the relevant international convention. You can ask for copies of these international conventions from our offices Medway Travel Ltd, Brecon House, 16 Albion Place, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5DZ
9. Personal Injury Unconnected With Your Booked Travel Arrangements
If you, or any member of your party, suffer death, illness or injury whilst overseas arising out of an activity which does not form part of your arrangements made through us, we shall at our discretion, offer advice, guidance and assistance. Where legal action is contemplated and you want our assistance, you must obtain our written consent prior to commencement of proceedings. Our consent will be given subject to you undertaking to assign any costs, benefits received under any relevant insurance policy to ourselves. We limit the cost of our assistance to you or any member of your party to £5,000.
11. Conditions of Carriage
The Contractual terms of the companies that provide the fulfilment of your arrangements will apply to this contract. These may contain terms which affect your rights to compensation. You may ask for copies of the relevant conditions of suppliers from our offices.
This offer is our responsibility, as your group arranger. It is not issued on behalf of, and does not commit the suppliers mentioned herein or any airline whose services are used in the course of your arrangements. Please note that in accordance with Air Navigation Orders in order to qualify for infant status, a child must be under 2 years of age on the date of its return flight.
12. Insurance
□ I/WE do wish to take out Insurance Cover as offered by MT Groups and Events
□ I / We do not wish to take out the Insurance Cover offered by MT Groups and Events. I / We hereby undertake on behalf of ourselves and all members of our party to:
- Arrange travel insurance, which provides comparable cover to that offered by MT Groups and Events.
- Not to hold MT Groups and Events responsible for any cost incurred by our party due to our failure to take out adequate insurance.
- To indemnify MT Groups and Events for any costs incurred by them due to my failure to take out adequate insurance cover.
