The European Consumer Centre Ireland is advising Irish holidaymakers to consider their options if their trip is cancelled at short notice.
Prolonged heat waves in southern Europe and severe flooding in other regions have also prompted holiday cancellations and delays.
The most comprehensive safeguard for consumers lies with the package holiday option. This is due to the legislative framework provided by both European Union as well as consumer protections in the various Member States, encompassing protections against company insolvency, travel cancellations.
If your travel package is cancelled or postponed, you are entitled to a replacement holiday of equal or superior quality; a lower quality holiday, plus a refund for the difference; a full refund.
If your holiday travel services are all booked separately, you should look into how it all works in case any one of the elements of your trip gets cancelled, specifically when it comes to the cancellation of flights or ferry services out of Ireland.
Passengers are advised to check eccireland.ie on their consumer rights in case they miss connected flights or trains.
Should you book your accomodation independently, and you arrive too late or miss your first day of the reservation, due to a travel delay or cancellation, for example, it may trigger automatic cancellations of the entire stay reservation in some strict cases and, in some cases, the inability to claim your money back.
Should you decide to rent a car during your holiday, the terms and conditions of the car rental company might offer such provisions and your fundamental consumer rights still apply.
Depending on the type of reservation, it is important to meticulously review the terms of both the third-party booking website and the car rental agency.
Tourists are advised to obtain travel insurance once they book their holiday. To ensure the most suitable coverage, check the extent of protections before, during and after your trip.
This involves confirming whether cancellations (including flights and accommodation) are included and if any travel advisories or disruptions could impact your departure. Numerous companies offer robust, comprehensive travel insurance packages that encompass a wide array of scenarios, such as cancellations, lost baggage and missed hotel bookings.
