The pandemic is severely affecting freedom of movement. Due to the newly growing number of infections, vacation bookers cannot be sure that the vacation will actually take place and will not be canceled at the last minute. The organizers of package tours insist on prepayment. At least partial. Consumer advocates are sounding the alarm.
“I believe that prepayment is an outdated tool and is no longer justified, both in the field of air travel and travel in general,” said the head of the Federal Consumer Association (vzbv) Klaus Müller. The organizers of package tours in accordance with current legislation have the right to demand an advance payment of at least one fifth of the cost of the trip. “This right, which exists in tourism, is no longer justified,” says Müller.
The German Travel Association DRV protects prepayment. The DRV representative argues that prepayment is necessary by the fact that organizers also need to pay for services in advance. Therefore, a partial prepayment of travel is required. A federal court also announced the advances that consumers are required to transfer to organizers as generally permissible.
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