Table of Contents
You cancel the trip yourself
You have the right to terminate the package travel contract before it begins. If you cancel the trip yourself, the tour operator can demand an appropriate and justifiable termination fee. However, this fee may never exceed the amount of the trip.
The tour operator usually defines a standard termination fee in its general travel conditions, which is calculated according to the date of cancellation of the contract. If you cancel the trip shortly before the departure date, you will generally be liable for the full amount of the trip.
Force majeure
Force majeure occurs when extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances arise at the place of destination or in its immediate vicinity and have a significant impact on the execution of the package travel or on the transport of passengers to the place of destination.
Examples of force majeure at the place destination or in its immediate vicinity:
- war
- armed conflict
- terrorism
- natural disasters (such as floods, tsunami, earthquake or volcanic eruption)
- high mortality epidemics (such as the highly contagious Ebola virus and Covid-19)
- certain measures taken by the authorities (such as a general flight ban or travel ban)
- unannounced strikes by airport staff
Please note: simply fearing that the trip may not go ahead is not enough. You must be able to demonstrate that on the date of cancellation it is certain that the package travel cannot go ahead as planned. The longer the time between the cancellation date and the scheduled departure date, the less likely you will be able to successfully claim force majeure.
If you cancel the trip due to force majeure, the tour operator must reimburse you the full amount of the trip (or the deposit) within 14 days. The tour operator may also offer you an alternative trip or a voucher, but you are not obliged to accept it.
In the event of cancellation due to force majeure, you cannot claim compensation from the tour operator.
Cancellation Insurance
If you are not sure that you will be able to go on your trip, you may want to consider subscribing to a cancellation insurance.
Under certain conditions, the insurer will intervene in the reimbursement of the amount of the trip if you have to cancel it. Find out about the benefits, limitations and exclusions of the policy before subscribing. Cancellation insurance does not cover all eventualities.
You can subscribe to a cancellation insurance when you book your trip through a retailer or tour operator. However, if you travel a lot, you can also opt for a long-term contract, for example for one year, with the insurance company of your choice.
You can find more information about your cancellation insurance on the website of your travel provider or insurer. Use your insurer's form to make a claim (online). Do this as soon as possible and attach the necessary supporting documents.
You are not obliged to subscribe to a cancellation insurance. If you have no cancellation insurance and you cancel the trip, you will have to pay the termination fee (if applicable).
Transfer of the trip
You also have the right to transfer your package travel to another person. This person must meet the conditions of the package travel contract in order to go on the trip (e.g. have a visa, passport, etc.). You must inform the operator by post or e-mail within a reasonable period of time before the start of the package travel and in any case no later than 7 days before the start. Fees may be charged.
The tour operator may ask you and the transferee to pay the amount of the trip still due and the transfer fee.
Are you sure you have booked package travel? Visit our page showing a definition of the different types of travel contracts.
The operator cancels the package travel
The tour operator may also terminate the contract before the start of the package travel. In such cases, they have to reimburse you for any amounts you have already paid. Depending on the reason for the cancellation, you may also be entitled to a compensation.
Cancellation due to insufficient number of participants
The travel conditions may stipulate that the package travel will only go ahead if a minimum number of travellers book the tour. If the tour operator wants to cancel the package travel because this number has not been reached, they must inform you in due time. They must inform you no later than 20 days before departure for package travel of more than 6 days, 7 days before departure for tours of 2 to 6 days, and 48 hours before departure for toursof less than 2 days.
In this case, the tour operator must reimburse you the full amount of the trip (or the deposit) that you have paid, within 14 days. The tour operator may also offer you an alternative trip or a voucher, but you are not obliged to accept it.
However, the tour operator is not obliged to pay you any compensation.
Cancellation due to force majeure
Force majeure occurs when the tour operator is unable to execute the package travel due to extraordinary and unavoidable circumstances.
Examples of force majeure:
- war
- armed conflict
- terrorism
- natural disasters (such as floods, tsunami, earthquake or volcanic eruption)
- high mortality epidemics (such as the highly contagious Ebola virus and coronavirus) at or near the destination
- certain measures taken by the authorities (such as a general flight ban or travel ban)
- unannounced strikes by airport staff
The tour operator may cancel the package travel in case of force majeure, provided that they inform you without undue delay before the start of the package travel. In this case, the tour operator must reimburse you the full amount of the trip (or the deposit) that you have paid, within 14 days. The tour operator may also offer you an alternative trip or a voucher, but you are not obliged to accept it.
In the event of cancellation due to force majeure, you cannot claim compensation.
Cancellation for other reasons
Has your tour operator cancelled your package travel prior to departure, even though there is no question of force majeure or the minimum number of participants has been reached? In this case, they must not only reimburse you for all the travel costs you have paid, but also offer you appropriate compensation.
The tour operator may also offer you an alternative trip or a voucher, but you are not obliged to accept it. If you do not accept the proposal (alternative trip or voucher), the tour operator must reimburse you the full amount paid for the trip, at the latest within 14 days of notification of the cancellation.
