Are you going on a city break for a long weekend, or escaping to the country overseas for a few days? We have some advice to help you avoid some common travel problems with accommodation and flights, and what your consumer rights are if something goes wrong.
Booking your accommodation – what to look out for
These days, there are many websites where you can compare and book accommodation, flights, car hire, and more. Websites where you compare and book accommodation and/or other services are called booking intermediaries. While these websites are useful for finding and reserving accommodation, there are some things you should look out for as a consumer.
Check who your contract is with
Although you may book your accommodation through a specific website, your contract is not with that website, but rather whoever is the provider of the accommodation – such as the hotel themselves, or whoever owns the apartment. You may conduct the entire booking process on one website, and only see the booking intermediary’s branding and logo, but your contract is not with that company.
Example: You booked an apartment for a city break on a booking website, and paid through that website, but your contract is with the apartment owner. This is because the booking website is an intermediary, acting as a go-between you and the apartment owner.
It is important to know who your contract is with, in the event you have any issues with your accommodation. So always read the legal information carefully when booking.
Read the reviews
One of the useful features of booking intermediary websites is that they offer reviews and ratings so you can compare. However, make sure you are seeing the full picture when it comes to reviews.
Click into the rating and see if it is an average score, which might not be a true reflection of the accommodation.
Sort the reviews so you can see the most recent first. Some sites will show you the top reviews by default, but it can be more useful to see the most recent reviews first. This means you can see if there have been recent issues with the accommodation.
Always do your due diligence and read the reviews.
The above advice for booking intermediaries is also true for websites where you can book flights, car hire, excursions etc – the same advice applies there too.
My accommodation is not as it was described on the booking website – what can I do?
If you arrive at your accommodation and it is not how you expected (not clean, not as many bedrooms as stated on website, etc.), then it is important to take action immediately.
If you have an issue with your accommodation, contact both the host/owner and the booking website you booked with. Contact them immediately upon arrival or as soon as the issue occurs. Provide them with as much evidence as possible about the problem.
If you cannot resolve your problem in this way, the next step is to issue a formal complaint to both the booking website and the host.
Flights and baggage sizing
Low cost flights and short breaks away mean we all try to reduce our packing to the essentials. If you’re bringing a small bag to fit under the seat in front of you, or a cabin bag you can stow in the overhead lockers, it is best to familiarise yourself with your airlines baggage sizing rules before you fly.
Make sure you check your ticket to see if you have a small check in bag or a carry-on bag. Different airlines have different sizes and different luggage rules – double check your flight booking and make sure you know what size bag you can bring, and if it needs to be checked in or not.
Check your plane ticket for baggage sizing information and adhere to the rules to avoid any surprises at the gate. And remember, if you manage to get an oversized bag onboard on the way out, it does not mean you will not be stopped and asked to pay an extra baggage charge on your way back.
For more information on your consumer rights when travelling in Europe, check our consumer rights information here Travelling in the EU – European Consumer Centre Ireland. We also have letter templates you can use if you need to submit a formal complaint Letter Templates – European Consumer Centre Ireland. If you are unable to resolve your problem, you can contact European Consumer Centre Ireland here Contact us – European Consumer Centre Ireland.
If you are in Ireland and the business you have an issue with is also based in Ireland, you should contact the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission (CCPC). More information can be found here The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission