These Booking Conditions together with our Privacy Policy, your School Booking Quote Sheet, and On-line Application Form on the Parent Portal together with any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking, form the basis of your contract with Global Action Limited.
Global Action Limited are a company registered in England and Wales with company number 08099893, whose postal address is Lumley House, 56 Elliott Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1YS (“we”, “us”, “our”). Please read these Booking Conditions carefully as they set out our and your respective rights and obligations.
In these Booking Conditions references to “you” and “your” include the school and all students, teachers and other persons named in the booking on whose behalf a booking is made (and, where they are aged under 18 years, their parent or guardian) and any other person to whom a booking is added or transferred.
You will ensure that these Booking Conditions are brought to the attention of each student, teacher and other person named in the booking. By making a booking, you agree on behalf of all students, teachers and other persons named in the booking on whose behalf a booking is made that:
1. You have read these Booking Conditions and have the authority to and do agree to be bound by them;
2. You consent to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and are authorised on their behalf to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements);
3. Each student, teacher or other person named in the booking is resident in the United Kingdom and where under 18 years of age or placing an order for services with age restrictions declare that the parent or guardian has completed and signed a Parent / Guardian Declaration as part of your On-line Application Form and they are of the appropriate age to purchase those services,; and
4. You accept financial responsibility for payment of the booking on their behalf.
1. Booking & Paying For Your Trip
A booking is made with us (and a binding contract will come into existence between you and us) when, having completed the On-line Application Form on the Parent Portal, you pay us a non-refundable deposit and we issue you with a booking confirmation that will confirm the details of your booking and will be sent to you, or your school. As we plan your trip arrangements many months, often eighteen (18) months or more in advance, your final itinerary will not be confirmed until 6 (six) weeks prior to the departure date.
The deposit is non-refundable as it covers payments for pre-booked services made by us on your behalf, up to 18 months prior to departure. This deposit is for educational services and not tourist services, and as such do not form part of the rules for refunds under the Package Travel Regulations. The deposit covers payments towards: initial school visits, Raising Funds and Global Learning workshops with students and staff, pre-departure presentations with parents and students, pre-departure safety preparation with staff, (including preparing detailed risk assessments and safety evacuation plans), training and build up day(s), Vamoos app cost, ASDAN University Award annual registration and assessment cost, medical screening with our medical consultant.
In addition to this, the following services are pre-paid by us and provided to you prior to departure: travel insurance premiums, public liability and professional indemnity insurance, management time in the office including: payment and booking administration, flight, activity and accommodation bookings, individual document collation, Leaders recruitment, extensive itinerary planning and community project planning, purchasing group safety equipment (including First Aid kits and date-restricted medication) and other essential booking costs and administrative expenses.
We reserve the right to return your deposit and decline to issue a booking confirmation at our absolute discretion. If your confirmed trip arrangements include a flight, we will issue you with an ATOL Certificate. Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on the ATOL Certificate or booking confirmation or any other document are wrong you must advise us immediately as changes cannot be made later and it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within ten (10) days of our sending it out (five days for tickets). All confirmed bookings are subject to you satisfactorily passing and/or meeting any medical clearance requirements.
Any further instalment payments of the non-refundable deposit and the balance of the cost of your trip (including any applicable surcharge) is due in accordance with the terms of your Payment Plan.
If we do not receive any payment in full and on time or, if you fail to satisfactorily pass and/or meet any medical clearance requirements, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you, in which case you will have to pay the cancellation charges set out in clause 6, and in addition we will retain your non-refundable deposit.
Requirement for the Global Action Vamoos App
When the booking is confirmed , you will be given access to our password-protected online Members Area on the Global Action Vamoos App. The Vamoos App is an integral part of your booking with Global Action. It is the place where you will have access to key details about your trip and information you need to provide, but also to important information regarding your health and safety overseas. You will be notified by email when new information is added to the Vamoos App. It is your responsibility to notify us if you cannot access your Vamoos account, have questions regarding the content or if you need to receive the information in a different format. We will have provided you with the information that you require for your trip. You are required to read the information carefully before departure. If it becomes clear that you have not read the information, we reserve the right to cancel your trip and terminate your contract with us.
Accuracy
We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices in our brochure, sample itinerary and other marketing materials are accurate, however occasionally changes and errors occur and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances. You must check the current price and all other details relating to the trip arrangements that you wish to book before you make your booking.
2. Insurance
Comprehensive travel insurance is a condition of your contract with us. You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements associated with an adventure holiday including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and emergency repatriation (including helicopter evacuation), in the event of accident or illness. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.
3. Pricing
We reserve the right to amend the price of unsold trips at any time and correct errors in the prices of confirmed trips. We also reserve the right to increase the price of confirmed trips solely to allow for increases which are a direct consequence of changes in:
(i) the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from the cost of fuel or other power sources;
(ii) the level of taxes or fees chargeable for services applicable to the trip imposed by third parties not directly involved in the performance of the trip, including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; and
(iii) the exchange rates relevant to the package.
Such variations could include but are not limited to airline cost changes which are part of our contracts with airlines (and their agents) and any other transport providers.
We will absorb and you will not be charged for any increase equivalent to 2% of the price of your trip arrangements, which excludes insurance premiums and any amendment charges and/or additional services or trip arrangements. You will be charged for the amount over and above that.
However, if this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 8% of the price of your confirmed trip arrangements (excluding any insurance premiums, amendment charges and/or additional services or trip arrangements), you will have the option of accepting a change to another trip if we are able to offer one (if this is of lower value you will be refunded the difference in price), or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid to us, except for any insurance premiums and any amendment charges and/or additional services or trip arrangements. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must exercise your right to do so within seven (7) days from the issue date printed on your final invoice.
Should the price of your trip go down due to the changes mentioned above, then any refund due will be paid to you less an administrative fee of £65.00. However, please note that trip arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.
There will be no change made to the price of your confirmed trip within 30 (thirty) days of your departure nor will refunds be paid during this period.
4. Cutting Your Trip Short
If you are forced to return home early, we cannot refund the cost of any trip arrangements you have not used. If you cut short your trip and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation or other trip arrangements or services provided, we will not offer you any refund for that part of your trip not completed, or be liable for any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.
5. If You Change Your Booking & Transfers of Bookings
If you wish to change any part of your booking after our confirmation invoice has been issued, the school must inform us in writing as soon as possible. This should be sent at least eight (8) weeks before departure. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requested change. Where we can meet a request, all changes will be subject to payment of an administration fee of £65.00 per person per change, as well as any costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers in making this change. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date they are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Where we are unable to assist you and you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you, in which case a cancellation fee may be payable in accordance with clause 6.
Transfer of Booking:
If any student, teacher or other person named in the booking is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else, subject to the following conditions:
a. that person is introduced by you and satisfies all the conditions applicable to the trip;
b. we are notified not less than seven (7) days before departure;
c. you pay any outstanding balance payment, an amendment fee of £65.00 per person transferring, as well as any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer; and
d. the transferee agrees to these Booking Conditions and all other terms of the contract between us.
You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out in clause 6 will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.
Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.
6. If You Cancel Your Booking Before Departure
If the school or you decide to cancel your confirmed booking, the school or you must notify us in writing. The school’s or your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by us at our offices and will be effective from the date on which we receive it and it may increase the per person trip price of those still travelling and you will be liable to pay this increase.
Since we incur significant costs prior to departure in cancelling your trip arrangements, you will have to pay the cancellation charges as follows, and in addition we will retain your non-refundable deposit:
| Period before departure in which you notify us | Cancellation Charge (% of the total trip cost) |
| 6 to 12 months | 35% |
| 4 to 6 months | 50% |
| 3 to 4 months | 80% |
| 2 to 3 months | 90% |
| 2 months or less | 100% |
Please note that insurance premiums and amendments charges are not refundable in any circumstances.
Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration or cancellation could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements in addition to the charge above.
If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your school insurance policy, or personal insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges.
Where possible, we will deduct the cancellation charge(s) from any monies you have already paid to us.
Cancellation by You due to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances:
We shall not be liable to you for any event beyond our control due to “Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances”. For the purpose of these Booking Conditions, Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances means any event which we, or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even in all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events include: any circumstances amounting to Force Majeure, (see clause 7), changes to Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office advice (see clause 11), actual or threatened war, political closures and disputes, riot, civil strife, strikes, terrorist activity and its consequences (including suspected terrorist activity and all action taken during a “terror alert” or its consequences), industrial dispute, nuclear disaster, local regulations, sickness or outbreak of disease or imposition of quarantine, epidemics and pandemics, (including the ongoing effects of Covid-19), natural disasters, (including earthquakes and floods), adverse weather conditions (actual or threatened), avalanche, adverse diving conditions, unavoidable technical problems with transport, fire, acts of local or national Government, closed or congested airports, ports or stations, changes imposed by re-scheduling or cancellation of transport by the transport supplier such as flights by airlines or main charter, the alteration of transport, transport schedule or transport types, airspace closures (as well as other air traffic management decisions which may give rise to long or overnight delays or cancellations of one or more flights), acts of God, and all similar events outside our control.
While we use all reasonable endeavours for your comfort and enjoyment, we reserve the right at any time to change, modify or cancel without prior notice the trip, itinerary, travel arrangements or accommodation in the event of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances occurring at your trip destination or its immediate vicinity, or if it significantly affects the performance of the trip, or significantly affects the transport arrangements to the destination. In the event of Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances, the school will consult you and offer you as soon as possible, and if there is time to do so before departure, the choice of:
i (for significant changes) accepting these changed arrangements; or
ii accepting an offer of an alternative trip (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value)
As we are not liable to you for any event beyond our control due to unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances, we will not be liable to pay you any compensation, other than stated above.
If the reason for your school or personal cancellation is covered under the terms of your school insurance policy, or personal insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim a refund under the cancellation charges listed above.
This clause 6 outlines the rights you have if you wish to cancel your booking. Please note that there is no automatic statutory right of cancellation under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (Directive 2011/83/EU).
7. Force Majeure
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by “Force Majeure”. For the purposes of these Booking Conditions, Force Majeure means any event beyond our or any of our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include: changes to Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office advice (see clause 11), warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as epidemics, pandemics (including the ongoing effects of Covid-19), the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned’s control.
Brexit Implications: please note that certain trip arrangements may be affected as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. This could include an unavailability of certain flight routes, the inability of airline(s) to operate flights (including the loss or restriction of air traffic or transit rights or the right of airline(s) to enter any airspace), access to certain ports and airports and changes to the visa requirements of British citizens travelling to, within or through the EU. Please rest assured that this is something we will continue to monitor and will advise you as soon as possible if we become aware of any confirmed bookings that will be affected. However, since this is something which is completely unprecedented and outside our control, we would treat any such changes as Force Majeure, and whilst we will endeavour to provide suitable alternative arrangements where possible, we will not be liable to pay you any compensation.
8. If We Change or Cancel
We plan your trip arrangements many months, often eighteen (18) months or more in advance. Your final itinerary will not be confirmed until 6 weeks prior to the departure date. As such, we often have to make changes to or cancel your booking and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Furthermore, whilst we make every effort to adhere to the final itinerary, you must acknowledge that due to the adventurous nature of overseas trips, we cannot accept responsibility for any changes made to the itinerary whilst outside the United Kingdom.
Changes by Us: If we make a minor change to your trip, we will make reasonable efforts to inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure but we will have no liability to you. Examples of minor changes include alteration of your outward/return flights by less than 48 hours, changes to aircraft type, change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard, changes of carriers, workshop/ visit locations to achieve proposed learning objectives, locations of activities (such as trekking) and destination arrival and departure airport, which are dependent upon final activity locations. Please note that specified carriers such as airlines may be subject to change.
Occasionally we may have to make a significant change to your confirmed trip arrangements. Examples of “significant changes” include the following, when made before departure:
(a) A change of accommodation area for the whole or a significant part of your time away.
(b) A change of accommodation to that of a lower standard or classification for the whole or a significant part of your time away.
(c) A change of outward departure time or overall length of your trip arrangements by more than 48 hours.
(d) A change of UK departure airport except between:
I. The London airports: Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, London City and Southend
II. The South Coast airports: Southampton, Bournemouth and Exeter
III. The South Western airports: Cardiff and Bristol
IV. The Midlands airports: Birmingham, East Midlands and Doncaster Sheffield
V. The Northern airports: Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds Bradford
VI. The North Eastern airports: Newcastle and Teesside
VII. The Scottish airports: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Prestwick and Aberdeen.
(e) A significant change to your itinerary, missing out one or more destination entirely.
Cancellation by Us: We will not cancel your trip arrangements less than 70 days before your departure date, except for reasons of Force Majeure (see clause 7) or failure by you to pay the final balance. We may cancel your trip before this date if the minimum number of 10 (ten) students or such other number as may be stipulated in your Payment Plan, required for our trips is not reached we will either cancel the booking and offer a refund of payments in full less your non-refundable deposit, or, subject to your agreement, we will operate the trip at such rate of supplement per person as we conclusively determine.
If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of:
i (for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements; or
ii having a refund of all monies paid less your non-refundable deposit; or
iii if available and where we offer one, accepting an offer of an alternative trip (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value).
You must notify us of your choice within seven (7) days of our offer. If we do not hear from you within seven (7) days, we will contact you again to request notification of your choice. If you fail to respond again, we will assume that you have chosen to accept the change or alternative booking arrangements.
Compensation
In addition to a full refund of all monies paid by you less your non-refundable deposit, we will pay you compensation as detailed below, in the following circumstances:
(a) If, where we make a significant change, you do not accept the changed arrangements and cancel your booking; and
(b) If we cancel your booking and no alternative arrangements are available and/or we do not offer one.
The compensation that we offer does not exclude you from claiming more if you are entitled to do so.
| Period before departure in which we notify you | Amount you will receive from us* |
| More than 70 days | £ nil |
| 28 to 70 days | £10 per person |
| 14 to 28 days | £20 per person |
| Less than 14 days | £30 per person |
*IMPORTANT NOTE: We will not pay you compensation in the following circumstances:
(a) where we make a minor change;
(b) where we make a significant change or cancel your trip arrangements more than 42 days before departure;
(c) where we make a significant change and you accept those changed arrangements or you accept an offer of alternative trip arrangements;
(d) where we have to cancel your trip arrangements as a result of your failure to make full payment on time;
(e) where the change or cancellation by us arises out of alterations to the confirmed booking requested by you; or
(f) where we are forced to cancel or change your trip arrangements due to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances (as defined in clause 6), or Force Majeure (as defined in clause 7).
If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of the trip arrangements that you have booked with us after you have departed, we will, if possible, make alternative arrangements for you at no extra charge and where those alternative arrangements are of a lower standard, provide you with an appropriate price reduction.
9. Special Requests
Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking e.g. diet, room location, a particular facility at an accommodation etc. You should then confirm your requests in writing. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try and arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled. The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been specifically confirmed by us in writing. We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.
10. Medical Conditions, Fitness, Kit and Participation Requirements
The safety of each student is of paramount importance to us. It is therefore vital that you ensure that each student (and, where they are aged under 18 years, their parent or guardian) provide us with full, complete, accurate and up to date medical and health information, along with your dietary requirements and any information regarding allergies in the Application Form so that we can try to advise you as to the suitability of your chosen trip arrangements. Such information should include, without limitation, details of any physical or mental condition for which a student is currently taking prescribed medication or visited a medical practitioner in the past 12 months.
We will make every effort to inform airlines and ground partners of all declared food allergies and make arrangements accordingly, however we cannot guarantee that all foods will be 100% allergen free.
You should ensure that each student (and, where they are aged under 18 years, their parent or guardian) must inform us in writing immediately to info@global-action.co.uk if any such circumstances change or if the student contracts or develops a medical condition or suffers an injury, or your dietary requirements or allergies change between the date of booking and the departure date.
We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate.
It may be necessary for the Student to complete a declaration of compliance. These may include but are not limited to: water safety management; medical statements; and liability release. Where requested, Global Action must receive a completed declaration within the timeframe detailed in any requested communication.
Failure to make such disclosure (including without limitation if it is later discovered that a pre-existing condition was not declared) or providing incorrect information at any time where the correct information would affect the Student’s suitability to take part in the trip, will constitute a breach of these Booking Conditions and Global Action reserves the right to terminate the Contract and withdraw the Student from the Trip. In such circumstances we will impose applicable cancellation charges as per Clause 6.
If you take prescription medication during the trip, it is your responsibility to bring sufficient supplies, store them appropriately and ensure that you are taking the appropriate dose. If you are ill while you are abroad you must consult your Global Action Leader for local medical assistance and, where appropriate, notify your insurers.
You acknowledge and fully understand the adventurous nature of the trip, that there may be hazards encountered on the trip that would not normally be encountered in the UK and that there is inherent risk associated with travel and trips abroad. It is the sole responsibility of each Student to ensure that they are in good mental and physical health and physically fit enough to embark on their Trip itinerary. Standards of health and hygiene vary from country to country, and are seldom as high as they are in the UK. The trip will be challenging and will include visits to remote areas. There may be risks to health from sources such as, but not restricted to, poor local hygiene, high altitude, heat related illnesses, fatigue, physical injury, and tropical diseases, remoteness from normal medical services, and evacuation difficulties if you are injured.
You therefore agree and accept that you undertake the trip voluntarily and at your own risk and that you have researched the trip destination using such resources as e.g. www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and www.fco.gov.uk.
We provide a clothes and kit list for each trip. It is your responsibility to source this and to ensure that such equipment is of suitable quality and accompanies you on the trip.
11. Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office Advice
You are responsible for making yourself aware of Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office advice in regard to the safety of the countries and areas in which you will be travelling and to make your decisions accordingly. Advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Development Office to avoid or leave a particular destination, including advising against travel to the destination, will constitute Force Majeure. (See clause 7).
12. Complaints
We make every effort to ensure that your trip arrangements run smoothly but if you do have a problem during your trip, you must report it to the Global Action Team Leader immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If the problem cannot be resolved and you wish to complain further, you must send formal written notice of your complaint to us at our office, ideally within seven (7) days of the end of your trip, giving your booking reference, all other relevant information as well as your daytime and evening telephone numbers. 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. Failure to follow the procedure set out in this clause 12 may affect ours and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and will affect your rights under this contract.
If you have a complaint prior to your trip departure, you must send formal written notice of your complaint to us at our office. This can be done by sending an email to info@global-action.co.uk
13. Behaviour of Trip Participants
All Global Action students are generally highly motivated, and it is rare for leaders to need to manage students’ behavioural issues. Clearly, all students, teachers and other persons in your group should conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner. A Code of Conduct will be provided to you prior to departure. If, we, the leaders or any other person in authority, consider any behaviour to be causing or likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to others or any third party, or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, we reserve the right to terminate your booking with us immediately. In the event of such termination, our liability to you will cease and you will be required to leave the group (and trip) immediately. We will have no further obligations to you. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements forming a part of your trip will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination. You may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by those actions and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the relevant third party supplier prior to departure. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of such actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you.
We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.
14. Our Responsibilities and Liabilities
(1) We will accept responsibility for the arrangements we agree to provide or arrange for you as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Trip arrangements Regulations 2018, as set out below and as such, we are responsible for the proper provision of all travel services included in your package, as set out in your confirmation invoice. Subject to these Booking Conditions, if we or our suppliers negligently perform or arrange those services and we don’t remedy or resolve your complaint within a reasonable period of time, and this has affected the enjoyment of your package trip you may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation or both. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. The level of any such price reduction or compensation will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors such as but not limited to: following the complaints procedure as described in Clause 12 and the extent to which ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your trip. Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us.
(2) We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from:
(a) the acts and/or omissions of the person affected; or
(b) the acts and/or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
(c) Force Majeure (as defined in clause 7).
(3) We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this condition:
(a) loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are required to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind.
(b) Claims in respect of international travel by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel:
i) The extent of our liability will in all cases be limited as if we were carriers under the appropriate Conventions, which include the Warsaw/Montreal Convention (international travel by air); The Athens Convention (with respect to sea travel); the Berne/Cotif Convention (with respect to rail travel) and the Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask for copies of these Conventions from our offices. Please contact us. In addition, you agree that the operating carrier or transport company’s own ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will apply to you on that journey. When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those ‘Conditions of Carriage’. You acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions contained in those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ form part of your contract with us, as well as with the transport company and that those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will be deemed to be included by reference into this contract.
ii) In any circumstances in which a carrier is liable to you by virtue of EC 261/2004 (denied boarding and flight disruption), any liability we may have to you under our contract with you, arising out of the same facts, is limited to the remedies provided under the Regulation as if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier.
iii) When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.
(4) It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this condition that you notify any claim to us and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these conditions. In order to succeed in a claim against us for any loss, you must establish that we have not used reasonable skill and care in arranging the trip. The question of whether we have provided reasonable skill and care in arranging the trip to the school, parent and student shall be assessed with reference to the laws and regulations applicable in the Destination country in which they are provided.
(5) Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to us or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require.
(6) Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description:
(a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you;
(b) relate to any business; or
(c) indirect or consequential loss of any kind.
(7) We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not form part of our agreement or where they are not advertised in our brochure or on our website. For example, any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you.
(8) Where it is impossible for you to return to your departure point as per the agreed return date of your package, due to Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances (as defined in clause 6), we will try to provide you with any necessary accommodation (where possible, of a comparable standard) for a period not exceeding three (3) nights per person. Please note that the three (3) night cap does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, pregnant women or unaccompanied minors, nor to persons needing specific medical assistance, provided we have been notified of these particular needs at least 48 hours before the start of your trip.
15. Excursions, Activities and Tours
Excursions, activities or other tours that you or any student, teacher or other person named in the booking may choose to book, pay for or undertake whilst on the trip are not part of your contracted trip arrangements with us. For any excursion, activity or other tour that you or any student, teacher or other person named in the booking may book, the contract will be with the operator of the excursion, activity or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion, activity or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator. In the event of cancellation or alteration of the trip, we shall have no liability for any losses you or any student, teacher or other person named in the booking may incur relating to such excursions, activities or tours.
If you plan to take part in any independent excursions, activities or tours, you must follow agreed procedures for notifying us and your school teachers prior to departure. You must also ensure that you buy adequate insurance to cover you for all excursions, activities and tours, especially if you are taking part in high-risk activities.
If any student, teacher or other person named in the booking choose to incorporate additional travel before or after your Global Action programme, this will also not be part of your contracted trip arrangements with us. If you choose to arrange your own travel to and/or from the trip destination, it is your responsibility to arrange your own travel to and/or from the destination (as applicable) where your trip is located.
16. Insolvency Protection
We provide financial security for our flight-inclusive packages by way of our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) number 10624, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority, Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex, RH6 0YR, UK, telephone: 0333 103 6350, email: claims@caa.co.uk.
When you book with us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. Our prices include the amount of £2.50 per person as part of the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA. Not all trip or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL Scheme. ATOL protection extends primarily to customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom and European Economic Area (EEA).
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 (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.
17. Passport, Visa and Immigration Requirements & Health Formalities
It is your responsibility to check and fulfill the passport, visa, health (including all recommended vaccinations and health precautions) and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary in good time before departure. We can only provide general information about this including visa advice for British passports and recommended vaccinations on your Vamoos App. To fulfill the passport, visa and health requirements, you must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable as the information contained in the Vamoos App does not take away your responsibility to make sure you fulfill your obligations under this Clause 17. Requirements do change and you must check the up-to-date position in good time before departure. Details are available from a GP surgery and from the National Travel Health Network and Centre www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, as well as general information on health abroad.
We reserve the right to inspect your vaccination book at any time and are entitled to consider to treat your trip as cancelled by you (in accordance with clause 8), if we discover that you have failed to obtain the necessary vaccinations and medication required for the trip, or if we discover that you have failed to take any medication, which you were advised to take, during the trip.
Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. If your passport is in its final year, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting. For further information contact the Passport Office on 0870 5210410 or visit www.gov.uk/browse/citizenship/passports.
Special conditions apply for travel to the USA, and all passengers must have individual machine-readable passports. Please check uk.usembassy.gov. For European trips you should obtain a completed and issued form EHIC prior to departure.
Up to date travel advice can be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, visit www.gov.uk/travelaware
Non-British passport holders, including other EU nationals, should obtain up to date advice on passport and visa requirements from the Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of your destination or country(ies) through which you are travelling.
We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel, or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. You agree to reimburse us in relation to any fines or other losses which we incur as a result of your failure to comply with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.
18. Conditions of Suppliers
Many of the services which make up your trip are provided by independent suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions which will form part of your contract with us. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions. Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from us or the supplier concerned.
19. Prompt Assistance
If, whilst you are on trip, you find yourself in difficulty for any reason, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and assistance with distance communications and finding alternative trip arrangements. Where you require assistance which is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors we will not be liable for the costs of any alternative trip arrangements or other such assistance you require. Any supplier, airline or other transport supplier may however pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these Booking Conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances, if you fail to obtain our prior authorisation before making your own trip arrangements. Furthermore, we reserve the right to charge you a fee for our assistance in the event that the difficulty is caused intentionally by you or a member of your party, or otherwise through your or your party’s negligence.
20. Delays, Missed Transport Arrangements and other Travel Information
If you or any student, teacher or other person named in the booking misses the flight or other transport arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject to a delay of over three (3) hours for any reason, you must contact us and the airline or other transport supplier concerned immediately.
Under EU Law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from the airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. If the airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www.caa.co.uk/passengers. Reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline and will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your trip price from us. If, for any reason, you do not claim against the airline and make a claim for compensation from us, you must, at the time of payment of any compensation to you, make a complete assignment to us of the rights you have against the airline in relation to the claim that gives rise to that compensation payment. A delay or cancellation to your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight.
We cannot accept liability for any delay which is due to any of the reasons set out in clause 6 (Unavoidable and Extraordinary Circumstances) or clause 7 (Force Majeure) of these Booking Conditions (which includes the behaviour of any passenger(s) on any flight who, for example, fails to check in or board on time).
The carrier(s), flight timings and types of aircraft shown on our website and/or any booking information and detailed on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. We will inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of it. The latest flight timings will be displayed on your Vamoos app and are automatically updated if there is any alteration by the airline. You should check these details very carefully to ensure you have the correct flight times.
Please note the existence of a “Community list” (available for inspection here) detailing air carriers that are subject to an operating ban with the EU Community.
21. Advance Passenger Information
A number of Governments are introducing new requirements for air carriers to provide personal information about all travellers on their aircraft to the authorities before the aircraft leaves the UK. The data will be collected either at the airport when you check in or in some circumstances when, or after you make your booking. Accordingly, you are advised to allow extra time to check in for your flight. Where we collect this data, we will treat it in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
22. Jurisdiction and Applicable Law
Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Booking Conditions shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration under the LCIA Rules, which Rules are deemed to be incorporated by reference into this clause. The number of arbitrators shall be one. The seat, or legal place, of arbitration shall be London. The governing law of these Booking Conditions shall be that of England and Wales. You may however, choose the law of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live in those places and if you wish to do so.
23. Severance
If any provision or part-provision of these Booking Conditions is or becomes invalid, illegal or unenforceable, it shall be deemed deleted, but that shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the rest of these booking Conditions.
Global Action Ltd, Lumley House, 56 Elliott Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1YS. Registered in England No. 8099893.
