TERMS AND CONDITIONS for Indian Ocean Travel
(t/a Travel Centre Clapham Limited)
(1) GENERAL
Indian Ocean Travel is a trading name selling packaged holidays under Travel Centre Clapham Limited (TCC Ltd), a company registered in England, company registration number 1390850. By using the site, you confirm that you accept, and have the authority to accept, these Terms & Conditions without modification, on behalf of all members of your party. If you do not agree to all of the Terms and Conditions below then you are not authorized to use this website.
This user agreement is between you and Indian Ocean Travel, and is governed by the laws of England and Wales, and is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. Please read this carefully before using the site, making a booking or a purchase.
(2) YOUR CONTRACT
We act as a disclosed agent for third party suppliers, such as airlines, tour operators, car hire companies, hotel companies, hotel aggregators and third party companies. This means that, when you make a booking or a purchase, the contract for the product is between you and the supplier. As such, the supplier's booking conditions (including airlines’ conditions of carriage) apply to your booking, in addition to those set out here. As we may use different suppliers for different products, if you book more than one product with us you will have separate contracts with each of the suppliers. Please make sure that you have read each supplier’s conditions before completing your transaction with us, as they do contain important information about your booking. You may request a copy of the supplier's conditions from us. Please read your ticket wallet/ travel documents for the airline’s conditions of carriage.
In a small number of cases, for some products, we act as principal; in these cases the contract for the product is between you and us. We will let you know in instances where we act as principal.
All arrangements which we provide or which are sold through us are not an offer by us to sell any arrangements, but an invitation to you to make an offer to the suppliers of the arrangements. We are free to accept that offer on behalf of those suppliers or to reject it.
Liability
Where we act as agent, this means that we have no contractual liability to you in respect of the product. Indian Ocean Travel makes no representations or warranties (express or implied) about the suitability or quality of products and services featured on the site. As agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the supplier, or for the products and services provided by them. However, we may still be liable to you if we have been negligent, have misrepresented important information or have been in breach of any other relevant law.
Indian Ocean Travel does not accept liability where failure to provide part or all of your booking, death or personal injury is not caused by any fault of ourselves, our agents or suppliers.
For international travel by air, our liability will be limited in the manner set out in the relevant international conventions.
Indian Ocean Travel will not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss of any kind arising out of your use of this site or any of the products or services booked or purchased on this site
(3) OTHER CONDITIONS
Your Obligations
You agree to be bound by the following obligations, including without limitation.
You accept financial responsibility for all transactions made under your name or account.
In order to make a purchase you must be at least 18 years old, be purchasing for yourself and have the legal capacity to make the transaction.
You must make sure that all the information you provide to us is true and accurate. (Please ensure that you notify us in writing immediately of any change to your address, email address or telephone number).
Failure to supply correct and complete credit or debit card details, including cardholder name/ billing address, may result in delays to the issue of your tickets, increases in the fare, or at worst cancellation of the booking, so please ensure that the details you give match those on the card/ statement.
You must not use the website for speculative, false or fraudulent bookings.
The transmission of threatening, defamatory, pornographic, political or racist material or any material that is otherwise unlawful is expressly prohibited.
The site and any content may not be modified, copied, transmitted, distributed, sold, displayed, licensed, or reproduced in any way by you, except if you wish to make copies of the website for your own personal and non-commercial use.
Communication from Indian Ocean Travel
If we need to contact you in respect of your booking or purchase, for instance regarding payment queries, or any time changes, this will be done by email. It is therefore imperative that any email account you provide at the time of booking is regularly checked. Indian Ocean Travel accepts no responsibility for any loss or inconvenience caused due to failure to read or respond to emails we send you.
Supplier Conditions
You are responsible for complying with any airline's terms, for example in relation to check-in times, reconfirmation of flights and other matters. Indian Ocean Travel accept no responsibility for bookings cancelled due to non-compliance with the airline's rules.
For scheduled flight tickets there are additional terms which apply to each fare. These terms may include, for example, conditions relating to changes, refunds, minimum and maximum duration of stay. Generally, the more flexible the ticket, the more expensive it is likely to be and you need to take various points into consideration before deciding between the fares on offer.
The flights confirmed on your ticket must be used in order of sequence (in the order set out in your itinerary). If this requirement is not met, the airline may cancel any onward flights, and you are unlikely to receive any refund.
Some airlines require you to reconfirm each flight 72 hours prior to departure, and may cancel your flight if you do not do so. If you fail to reconfirm you may be refused permission to board the aircraft and you are unlikely to receive any refund. In any case, Indian Ocean Travel strongly recommends that you reconfirm all in this way in case of last minute schedule changes.
Use of the Site
The site is provided on an ‘as is’ and ‘as available’ basis. Indian Ocean Travel accepts no liability in respect of your ability to access or use the site at any time, or any interruption in that access or use or any failure to complete any transaction.
Indian Ocean Travel makes no assurances that the site is free from computer viruses or other malicious or impairing computer program which may cause loss or damage.
Information on the Site
Indian Ocean Travel endeavours to ensure that the content on the site, whether provided by us or not, is accurate. However Indian Ocean Travel does not guarantee that information on the site (including without limitation prices, descriptions or dates) is free from errors or omissions, or that it is suitable for your intended use.
We will use all reasonable endeavours to correct any errors or omissions as soon as practicable once they have been drawn to our attention.
Indian Ocean Travel offers all general information on the site for guidance only. We may change at any time any aspect of the site or its content, including the availability of any suppliers, features, information or content. You need to check with the relevant supplier, embassy or tourist office to confirm that the information is up to date.
Unreasonable Behaviour
You must ensure that you do not behave in a way which is inappropriate. If in the reasonable opinion of a person in authority, your behaviour is disruptive, dangerous or annoying to other people or property, we and/or the relevant supplier may cancel your booking. In such circumstances your contract with Indian Ocean Travel will end immediately and neither we, nor the travel supplier, will be responsible for you.
Further, you will not be eligible for any refunds, compensation or reimbursement of any expenses which you incur because of termination of the contract. You will be liable to reimburse us for any expenses we incur resulting from such termination.
The Indian Ocean Travel website contains links to websites owned and operated by third parties. Such linked websites are not controlled or maintained by us; as such Indian Ocean Travel has no responsibility in relation to the accuracy, completeness and quality of the information contained within them. Our links with other websites should not be construed as our endorsement, approval or recommendation of the owners or operators of those sites. Your dealings with those parties are solely between you and such party and Indian Ocean Travel does not take any responsibility for the linked websites, the contents of such websites or any products or services offered on these sites; or the operations or actions of the owners/ operators thereof. Indian Ocean Travel shall not be liable for any loss or damage caused by use of or reliance upon any content, goods or services available on linked websites.
You should direct any concerns regarding any external link to the administrator of that site.
Data Protection
In the UK we operate in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the relevant suppliers of your booking arrangements or other persons necessary for the provision of your booking arrangements. The information may therefore be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you are travelling to the United States, the US Customs and Border Protection will receive this information for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other transnational serious crimes.
If you travel outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in Great Britain. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to provide you with a booking. By making a booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant parties. Full details of our data protection policy are available on request.
Changes to these Terms & Conditions
Indian Ocean Travel reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time without prior notice. Any changes will be effective immediately they are displayed on the site. By continuing to use the site following such changes, you will be deemed to have accepted the revised Terms and Conditions.
Pricing
All our prices are quoted in British Pounds Sterling.
All fares quoted at the 'confirmed quotation' stage include pre-payable taxes and applicable transaction fees. These are added together to form your final quotation.
If the fare includes a checked baggage allowance, this may vary according to the airline, destination and class of travel. Anything above your free checked baggage allowance is likely to be classified as excess baggage, which is carried on a standby basis and liable to additional charges.
Some airlines, particularly “no frills” and charter carriers, now charge separately for items such as checked-in baggage, meals, and advance seat assignments. Where the airline charges for items of this nature, they are not included unless explicitly stated at the time of booking. Often these items cost less if added at the time of booking, and with certain carriers you may be given the option to pre-book some of these services during the booking process. Please note however that it is not possible for us to include every pre-bookable service with every carrier, therefore if you require a particular additional service it is your responsibility to contact us to check whether this is included (or can be added).
Please note that for some destinations a departure and/or arrival tax is payable locally. It is the passenger’s responsibility to pay such taxes, and Indian Ocean Travel accepts no responsibility for denied boarding resulting from failure/ inability to pay such taxes.
The price you pay for your travel arrangements is likely to include a booking/ transaction fee made by Indian Ocean Travel. This is our fee for making and administering your booking, and is non-refundable. The booking fee is likely to be higher for reservations made by telephone where the booking could be made online.
Service fees are also charged for other forms of administration, including, but not limited to, reservation changes and refund applications.
Prices are subject to change without prior notice. Should the fare for your journey be changed by the supplier/s with which you are due to travel, or if we discover that the fare you have paid is incorrect, prior to the start of your journey, we will do our best to notify you as soon as this comes to our attention. In such circumstances, you will be liable for any difference in cost. The airline may refuse travel if the correct fare has not been paid. Alternatively we may cancel the contract, without any liability to you.
Where we book a product priced in a different currency, we reserve the right to include an additional amount to cover the costs of currency conversion and exchange rate fluctuations.
Denied Boarding, Flight Delays and Cancellations
Under EC Regulation 261/2004, if you are travelling into/ out of the European Union, or on an EU airline, you may have rights which you can assert against the airline if your flight is cancelled, delayed, or if you are denied boarding.
Details of these rights are available from airlines and are also displayed at European airports.
Any payment/ reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline.
Community List
Under European regulations, we are required to bring to your attention the existence of a Community List of air carriers which are subject to an operating ban within the EU. The list can be viewed at www.ec.europa.eu/transport/air-ban/list_en.htm.
Customer Protection
Indian Ocean Travel holds an ATOL (Air Travel and Organiser’s Licence) licence, ATOL 4091, issued by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) for your protection.
The information below applies only if you are a resident of the United Kingdom (excluding Channel Islands and Isle of Man).
All the packaged holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate
We have arranged ATOL protection for our Flight Plus holidays (our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence number is 4091). A Flight Plus is where you purchase through us, at the same time or within a day of each other, a flight originating in the UK plus overseas accommodation and/or car hire from separate suppliers (i.e. not a package holiday). For bookings to be covered under the Flight Plus rules:
- The accommodation and/ or car rental component must be for check-in/pick-up and check-out/drop-off dates which are the same as, or fall within, the flight dates;
- The accommodation and/ or car rental must be the same as, or have relevance to, the airport destination of the flight;
- The trip must be over 24 hours duration and include an overnight stay.
On all Flight Plus holiday arrangements, your money is ATOL protected meaning that you will be able to continue with your holiday or receive a refund of the amount paid to us in the unlikely event of our insolvency or the insolvency of your service providers. Please note however that we have no liability beyond that for insolvency as set out in the ATOL scheme, because we act as agent of the suppliers.
For eligible Flight Plus holidays, a £2.50 per person ATOL Protection Contribution (payable to the Air Travel Trust Fund) is automatically included in the cost of your booking.
In respect of our Flight Plus holidays, we are obliged to tell you:
* We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).
* If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
If you cancel any component of your Flight Plus arrangements, resulting in the booking no longer constituting a Flight Plus, the remaining booking will be considered as an individual booking and will no longer qualify for ATOL protection under Flight Plus regulations.
4)MAKING A BOOKING / BOOKING DETAILS
All travel products and services featured on the site are subject to availability.
Flight times shown use the 24 hour clock system, are always in local times and are estimates only – these may be subject to change due to, for example, air traffic control restrictions etc.
When a booking is made all details will be displayed on screen (or read back to you if booking by phone). It is imperative that you ensure these details are correct before confirming your booking. Please ensure that the passenger names you provide are the same as in the relevant passport. Once you have confirmed these details we will proceed to confirm the booking with the supplier/s. Please check that all names, dates and timings are correct on receipt of all documents and advise us of any errors immediately. Any changes to these details may incur additional charges.
Please enter all names in the standard Roman alphabet without accents or other punctuation marks, such marks cannot be shown on your tickets. Entering characters with accents etc. may corrupt your booking and cause names to appear incorrectly on your reservation/ tickets.
For scheduled flights, you must read the fare rules applicable to each ticket. You can find the applicable rules on the Indian Ocean Travel website as you progress through the purchase path.
It is essential that at the time of booking you ensure the fare type booked is suitable for your requirements. By confirming your booking, you will be deemed to have read and accepted, and be bound by, the rules applicable to the fare booked.
Please note that some itineraries may require change/s of aircraft en route. Some flights which are classified as 'direct' may still have stops en route. This information will be shown during the booking process.
Note that where transfers are necessary between different airports/ terminals, any charges for these are at your own expense.
Please note that a small number of airlines do not maintain 'real time' seat availability in the computer system. Whilst every effort is made to reflect the true situation, instances may occur where airlines are unable to confirm reservations, even though a booking reference may have been allocated. Indian Ocean Travel will advise you within two working days if this is the case and will do everything possible to offer alternative options.
Further, there is a small number of airlines, which participate in the GDS/CRS, but do not participate in the UK Ticketing Plan. In the unlikely event that you purchase tickets from an airline that does not participate in the UK Ticketing Plan, Indian Ocean Travel will be unable to issue the relevant tickets due to ticketing restrictions outside our control, and will have to reject the reservation. In such cases we will endeavour to notify you within two working days, offer a full refund or assistance in looking for alternatives.
In either instance we will not be liable for any additional costs incurred in having to purchase new tickets at a higher fare. In the event that the airline does not participate in the UK Ticketing Plan and Indian Ocean Travel terminates the reservation, a full refund will be made of any money paid.
Indian Ocean Travel does not accept bookings for passengers aged under 18 years old, unless accompanied by another passenger aged 18 years or over on all flights in the itinerary.
Indian Ocean Travel is unable to accept bookings where passengers intend to travel with livestock of any kind.
Special Requests
We are happy to forward details of any additional requirements you may have (for example seating or diet preferences, assistance, etc.) to the relevant travel supplier. These are treated as special requests, and as such fulfilment of these requests cannot be guaranteed.
If you require specific seats, you are advised to check in early. Indian Ocean Travel has no control over seat allocations.
In relation to airline frequent flyer schemes, we are happy to insert your card number in the booking. Please bear in mind that not all fare types permit the accrual of frequent flyer miles; please check with the relevant airline before confirming your booking. You are advised to keep boarding card stubs in case of subsequent query.
Special Assistance/ Medical Requirements
If you require special assistance (for example due to disability, or if you are of reduced mobility), you should notify us at the time of booking. It is imperative that you make clear the nature and level of assistance required so that we can ascertain whether this is possible and pass the appropriate request to the travel supplier.
We do not guarantee any requests for special assistance, but will pass these to the travel supplier. It is your responsibility to confirm with the travel supplier whether such special requests can be fulfilled. We will not subsequently be liable to you for any losses you incur if we or our suppliers are unable to fulfil your requirements.
Travel suppliers may refuse to honour your reservation if your request for assistance does not reach them in sufficient time before travel (typically 48 hours), or if your carriage would breach safety rules. Particularly on smaller aircraft, there may be restrictions on the number of disabled passengers permitted to travel.
We also draw your attention to the following, which we recommend that you check before making a booking: some airlines may make a charge for providing assistance/ special services
- airlines may require that passengers with certain medical conditions obtain a medical clearance from the airline’s doctor, and/ or are accompanied by a companion
- if you will be travelling with medication or medical equipment, we recommend that you travel with a doctor’s letter confirming the type of medication and the condition it is for. Please check before travel if any safety or security restrictions apply to any medication/ medical equipment you intend to take.
Pregnancy
If you will be travelling while pregnant, please note that regulations apply to the carriage of passengers who are more than a certain number of weeks pregnant at the time of travel. These regulations vary between airlines, so it is your responsibility to check the airline’s policy before making a booking.
In some cases travel may not be permitted, or you may be required to travel with a doctor’s letter, or even obtain a medical clearance from the airline.
You must ensure that your travel insurance covers you if you are pregnant.
We recommend that you also confirm with your doctor before booking that you are fit to travel.
Travelling with Infants
Airlines require that infants must be of a minimum age (typically six weeks) before they will be permitted to travel. Please ensure that you are aware of the airline’s policy before making a booking.
Infants must sit on an adult’s lap or occupy an infant seat – please contact the airline you are traveling with for details of appropriate seats.
To qualify for an infant fare, the infant must generally be under two years old on the date of return travel.
If an infant’s second birthday occurs between the departure date and the return date of his/her trip, some airlines may enforce payment of a child fare for the entire journey. This policy may vary from airline to airline. It is your responsibility to check the airline’s policy before making a booking.
Children aged two years or above must occupy a seat.
5) PAYING FOR YOUR BOOKING
Payment can be made by the various debit or credit cards stated on the site. Indian Ocean Travel may be required to pass your card details to the relevant supplier for fulfilment of the booking.
Unless explicitly stated otherwise at the time of booking, full payment for all travel services booked through us is required at the time of booking. Payment can be made by debit or credit card, however we reserve the right to apply a surcharge for all credit card transactions and any cards, whether debit or credit, that are not issued by a United Kingdom financial institution.
In a small number of cases, it may be possible to reserve certain travel products (for instance charter flights) by paying a deposit. This facility will be offered at our absolute discretion. If a deposit can be accepted for your booking, we will advise you at the time of booking the exact amount required. In these cases, it is your responsibility to ensure that final payment reaches us by the balance due date (usually 12 weeks before departure). If you are booking for more than one person, you accept responsibility for making payments due from each member of your party. No responsibility is accepted by us for cash or cheques sent by post. If, in spite of our reasonable efforts to contact you, balance payment is not received by the due date, we reserve the right to cancel your booking, and any deposit paid will be forfeited by you. You will also be liable for any resulting cancellation charges not covered by the deposit.
We reserve the right to cancel bookings before or after ticket issue if payment is declined by the card issuer, or if incorrect card details or billing information have been supplied.
Indian Ocean Travel will not be liable for any increase in fare due to payment failure.
Further, in an effort to minimise the effects of credit card fraud, we reserve the right to carry out random checks, including checks of the electoral roll, and may request you to either fax or email to us proof of your address and a copy of the credit/ debit card and recent statement, or a copy of the cardholder's and/or passenger's passport/s, before issuing any tickets. We reserve the right to insist that travel documents be sent to the billing address of the card used to pay for the booking.
Indian Ocean Travel reserves the right to pass on any charges relating to card chargebacks.
As a British company it is not always possible for us to successfully complete the necessary security and identity checks on cards which are registered to billing addresses outside the United Kingdom. If you make a booking using a credit card registered outside the UK, we reserve the right to reject your booking if we are unable to satisfactorily complete the relevant checks.
When booking travel products online, an authorization is taken on your debit or credit card for the cost of the booking. The money is not debited from your account at this stage, the system just checks that the relevant amount is available and reserves the funds. When we have completed the necessary card security checks, and are ready to issue your tickets, we then claim payment from the card issuer using the existing authorization code.
If for any reason we are unable to accept your booking, or if your booking fails to complete, any authorization code will be cancelled by us as soon as possible. However it may take several days for your card issuer to reflect that cancellation on your account. Indian Ocean Travel cannot accept responsibility for any delays in you being able to access these funds. In addition, we are unable to enter into any dialogue with banks / card issuers in respect of queries regarding cancelled authorizations.
(6) MANAGING YOUR BOOKING
Cancellations / Amendments by You
Any cancellation or amendment you wish to make to your booking will be subject to the relevant supplier's conditions. Some travel products are non-refundable and/ or non-changeable; in other cases it may be possible to amend or cancel your booking subject to a penalty charge.
It must be emphasised that the vast majority of airline tickets are non-transferable, and as such name changes are not normally permitted. It is therefore essential that you enter passengers’ names as per passport at the time of booking.
For online scheduled flight bookings, the rules regarding cancellations and amendments for the fare purchased are shown during the booking process, please ensure you read these carefully.
Indian Ocean Travel, as agents for the travel suppliers must abide by their airlines’ terms and conditions – we are unable to deviate from the fare rules/ supplier’s conditions.
Where changes or refunds are permitted, Indian Ocean Travel will apply administration fees (in line with our current rates) in addition to any fees charged by the supplier, if you ask us to amend or cancel your booking. This is to cover the costs we incur in administering cancellations and amendments.
Any request to amend or cancel a reservation must be notified to Indian Ocean Travel in writing, and cannot be actioned until received by us. Requests received outside our opening hours cannot be processed until we reopen the next working day, and if we need to contact the travel supplier to effect the change/cancellation, until we are able to contact them.
Cancellation
If you wish to cancel your booking and attempt to claim a refund, please telephone/ email us in the first instance, so we can advise you if the conditions of your travel arrangements permit any refund. If you wish to proceed with the cancellation, you must notify us in writing. (If you do not advise us of your intention to cancel a booking before the scheduled departure time, or do not check-in, this will be recorded by the airline as a 'no show' and is likely to result in the forfeit of all monies paid). Some airlines do not permit cancellation within 24hrs of departure, any cancellation within 24hrs of departure will then be interpreted as a no-show.
Where a refund is permitted, this may take some time, typically 10-12 weeks, to be authorized by the airline.
If paper tickets have been issued for your booking, these must be returned to us before any refund can be made. Some tickets may need to be submitted by us to the airline for a refund to be authorized. We recommend that you return tickets to us by Recorded Delivery, at the address below (see 'Contacting Indian Ocean Travel').
Once authorized, any refund will be made to the debit or credit card used to make the original booking. It is vital that you advise us when you cancel the booking if that card is no longer valid.
Any refund made will be nett of any cancellation charge from the airline or tour operator. Many airlines also charge an additional fee to process refunds. Refunds of any kind will also be subject to Indian Ocean Travel's usual administration fees. Booking fees, credit card charges, postage costs and any amendment fees you may have paid for any previous changes are also non-refundable.
In the case of non-refundable scheduled flight tickets, it may be possible to claim back any unused taxes. Please note that not all taxes are refundable. Fuel surcharge, part of the applicable taxes, is non-refundable. Some airlines do make a fee for processing such requests, and in some cases the charge exceeds what you would get back. Please ask for details when you cancel your booking.
Cancellation charges may be covered by your travel insurance policy, so we can, on request, provide a letter confirming the non-refundable amount should you wish to make a claim.
Most airlines will not make a refund on partially used tickets.
Tickets returned to us more than a year after their issue are classed as expired and must be submitted to the airline for a refund to be considered. A refund is not guaranteed in these cases, but Indian Ocean Travel will apply usual administration fees regardless of the outcome
Amendment
If you wish to change your booking, please telephone/ email us in the first instance, so we can advise you if the conditions of your ticket permit any changes. If a change is permitted, we may ask you to confirm in writing that you wish to change the booking.
Any changes are subject to availability, limitations and restrictions of the relevant travel supplier.
If a change increases the cost of your booking, you will need to pay such extra costs.
Changes of any kind will also be subject to Indian Ocean Travel’s usual administration fees.
Cancellations / Amendments by the Travel Supplier
Airlines reserve the right to make time changes, or in rare cases, to cancel flights, for operational reasons. Whilst Indian Ocean Travel is not responsible for, and has no control over, such changes, we will do our best to assist when such situations arise.
In the unlikely event that your flight is cancelled by the airline or tour operator, your rights and remedies will be governed by the supplier’s conditions/ airline’s conditions of carriage. As a result you may be entitled to:
(a) carriage on another flight with the same airline without additional costs;
(b) re-routing to your destination with another carrier without additional costs;
(c) a full refund;
(d) some other right or remedy.
In the event of schedule changes made prior to commencement of your journey, it is not always necessary to have your tickets reissued or revalidated, but we will advise you should this be necessary.
Indian Ocean Travel takes no responsibility for any flight rescheduling en route.
(7) FORCE MAJEURE
We accept no responsibility for and shall not be liable in respect of any loss or damage or alterations, delays or changes arising from unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, such as war or threat of war, civil strife, industrial dispute including air traffic control disputes, terrorist activity, natural and nuclear disaster, fire or adverse weather conditions, epidemic, technical problems with transport, closure or congestion of airports or ports, cancellations of schedules by scheduled airlines. You can check the current position of any country by visiting https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
(8) INSURANCE
Many suppliers require you to take out travel insurance as a condition of booking with them. In any case, we strongly recommend that all our customers arrange adequate travel insurance for the duration of the trip, since circumstances may arise where neither Indian Ocean Travel nor the supplier are liable.
It is recommended that insurance is taken immediately upon making the booking, in order to cover you and your party against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses. In most cases cancellation fees will apply if you need to cancel your booking before you travel.
(9) TICKETS
General
The type of tickets which will be issued for your booking depends on the airline and route you are booking. The majority of airlines are increasingly issuing electronic tickets, and Indian Ocean Travel will issue electronic tickets whenever the itinerary permits (airlines now insist that e-tickets are issued in these circumstances). For a small number of charter flights, paper tickets are still issued; such tickets will be sent by normal post.
Due to IATA's withdrawal of paper tickets from all IATA travel agents effective 1st June 2008, only e-tickets may now be issued for scheduled flights. There may be a small number of cases where an e-ticket cannot be issued (further details may be found in our FAQ section). In these instances, will endeavour to notify you within 2 working days, and let you know what alternative options may be possible.
For scheduled flights, if an e-ticket is not possible for your booking, and the airline is able to issue a paper ticket on our behalf, you will be given a choice of delivery options (extra charges may apply):
Recorded Delivery – tickets sent by this method should reach a UK address within 5 working days
Special Delivery – tickets sent by this method should reach most UK addresses by 1.00 p.m. the next working day, if the booking is made before 3.30 p.m. (Certain areas of Scotland and the Guernsey Bailiwick may not be guaranteed until up to 3 working days later, by 5.30 p.m.) This service is not available on Saturdays, Sundays or Bank Holidays.
All of the above delivery methods require a signature – if no one is available to sign for the tickets, the postman will leave a card and the tickets will be taken back to the sorting office.
If you require your tickets by a particular date, please let us know at the time of booking and we will do our best to assist.
You should ensure that you travel with your booking confirmations, e-tickets and any other travel documentation at all times. We will not be liable for any supplier not providing you with the booked product or service if you do not produce such documentation.
Lost Tickets
If you lose your paper tickets, you must notify us as soon as possible. It may be possible to reissue them for a fee (depending on the airline's/ supplier's rules). If so, the cost may depend on the circumstances of the loss and how close to the departure date you discover it. In all cases, the charge, and procedure to be followed, will vary according to the airline's policy. Indian Ocean Travel reserves the right to charge fees to cover the administration costs of this.
However, not all tickets can be reissued, in which case you may need to purchase a completely new ticket. If a lost ticket cannot be reissued, a refund can be requested from the airline: any refund is at the airline's sole discretion and is not guaranteed. Such refunds may take up to a year to be authorised by the airline.
Non-Delivery / Non-Receipt of Tickets
It is your responsibility to advise us if you do not receive your tickets/ e-tickets.
Indian Ocean Travel cannot accept responsibility if you fail to receive your e-tickets due to providing an inaccurate email address or your junk email settings. We recommend that you add holidays@indianocean.travel to your safe list.
Once documents leave our offices we will not be responsible for their loss unless such loss is due to our negligence. If tickets or other documents need to be reissued all costs must be paid by you.
Indian Ocean Travel will not accept responsibility if Royal Mail (or other postal agency) fails to deliver your tickets. If any reissue charges apply, you will be asked to pay these and claim the money back from Royal Mail. (The only exception to this is where scheduled flight tickets sent by Special Delivery are not delivered – please contact us for details).
Indian Ocean Travel cannot accept responsibility for non-delivery of paper tickets where an incorrect/ incomplete address has been provided, or where the recipient has not collected tickets from the sorting office in time. Where this results in tickets not reaching the passenger in time for travel, any reissue charges imposed by the airline will be passed back to the customer, as well as our administration charges (see 'Lost Tickets' above).
Where undelivered tickets are returned to Indian Ocean Travel by the post office, Indian Ocean Travel reserves the right to charge further postage fees for re-sending your tickets.
APIS
All airlines are required to collect Advance Passenger Information from passengers before travel to or from the USA and certain other countries. You agree to supply this information and consent to Indian Ocean Travel passing this information to the airlines who may onward disclose it to foreign authorities. If you do not supply Advance Passenger Information, you may be refused entry to these countries. It is also important that the information is accurate so that you do not have any delay when you pass through Immigration on arrival in these countries. The information you will be asked to provide will depend on the country you are visiting but will include passport information, city and country of residence and destination address if travelling to the USA (for all travellers on your booking). If you are travelling to a country that requires Advance Passenger information, Indian Ocean Travel will ask you to fill out this information on the confirmation page after you have completed your booking. If you do not have the information to hand, Indian Ocean Travel will send you an email confirmation containing a link where you can enter the information manually at any time before your departure.
(10) PASSPORT / VISAS / HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
It is your responsibility to ensure that you understand and comply with all the passport, visa and health requirements of all the countries involved in your itinerary (including those that you transit).
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a valid passport for your journey. Your passport must also be legible and intact. When making your booking you must ensure that the names you provide match those shown on the passengers’ passports. Most countries require that your passport is valid for a period of at least six months after your return travel date: we recommend that you check with the embassy to confirm exact requirements.
It is strongly recommended that children hold their own individual passports; where a child is still included on a parent's passport you are advised to check that this will be suitable for the destination you are visiting before making a booking.
Many countries still require passengers to obtain a visa, and in some cases transit visas may be required for countries which you pass through en route to your destination (even when you do not leave the aircraft). Indian Ocean Travel can provide general information about the passport and visa requirements for your trip. Alternatively, for the most up to date information, we recommend that you contact the embassies of the countries you are travelling to/ through. We recommend that you do this well in advance of travel, as visas for certain countries can take some time to obtain.
Some countries also have additional immigration requirements, for example South Africa requires passengers to have at least 2 blank pages in their passports. For travel to the USA, a machine-readable passport is required, among other requirements, details of which may be found at www.usembassy.org.uk. Most destinations will require proof of return travel.
Certain countries may also require additional documents to be produced if a child is not travelling with both parents. If this affects you it is your responsibility to ensure that you check with the relevant embassy before travel and meet all relevant requirements.
Please take special note that for all air travel within the British Isles, airlines require photographic identification of a specific type. Please ask us for full details.
Regarding health, you are strongly advised to check with your GP prior to travel for up to date information regarding vaccinations which may be required or recommended for your destination/s. Please note that some countries may require proof of certain vaccinations as a condition of entry. We can provide general information about any health formalities required for your trip but you should check with your own doctor for your specific circumstances.
Please note that health and immigration requirements can change at short notice.
Neither Indian Ocean Travel nor the suppliers can accept any responsibility if you are denied boarding or are deported due to failure to comply with the above. You will be responsible for any costs that you or Indian Ocean Travel have incurred as a result of such failure.
(12) COMPLAINTS
We want you to be completely satisfied with the travel arrangements you make with Indian Ocean Travel, from making your initial enquiry until the completion of your travel arrangements. In the unlikely event that you have a complaint, please contact us by telephone in the first instance and we will do our best to assist.
In some cases, we may be unable to provide a response on the spot. You may be asked to submit full details in writing (either by post or email) so that we can investigate your complaint fully.
If you have a problem whilst you are travelling, we recommend that you report this to the supplier or their local agent immediately. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint.
Please notify us of any complaints within 30 days of your return.
(13) SERVICE CHARGES
We apply a service charge for certain services we provide. These charges are non-refundable. These are in addition to any fees charged by the supplier.
(14) CONTACTING INDIAN OCEAN TRAVEL
If you wish to contact us, you may do so by any of the following methods:
By email at: holidays@indianocean.travel
By telephone: 020 7501 0818 or (from outside the UK) +44 20 7501 0818. The cost of the call may vary dependent on where you are calling from and your telephone provider. Telephone calls may be recorded for training purposes.
By post: Indian Ocean Travel, 12 The Pavement, Clapham Common, London, SW4 0HY
In order for us to assist with your query as quickly as possible, please make sure that you have all the relevant booking details to hand before you call us. In any written correspondence please state your booking reference. In most cases we can only discuss reservations with the person who made the booking, or one of the passengers on a booking.