MARIGOT--The Préfecture has issued information on special regulations put in place to assist travellers and tourism professionals who have had to cancel or postpone their trips because of the COVID-19 pandemic health emergency.
Published on March 26, decree No. 2020-315 relating to the financial conditions for cancelling certain tourist travel and holiday contracts in the event of exceptional and unavoidable circumstances, or “force majeur”, permits the travel agency or tourism professional to offer a credit note in lieu of an immediate refund for any cancellation notified between March 1 and September 15, 2020.
If the travel agent offers a credit note of 18 months, the traveller is obliged to accept it. However, he is not obliged to use it. He may then request a refund after its validity has expired.
With regard to air tickets, the airline is obliged to reimburse or re-route passengers. In a communication, the European Commission has clarified passenger rights in cases of cancellation of air tickets. In the event of cancellation, the carrier is obliged to reimburse or re-route passengers.
If passengers take the initiative to cancel their trip, reimbursement depends on the type of ticket, and airlines may offer credit notes. As the circumstances are “extraordinary”, certain rights, such as compensation in the event of flight cancellation less than two weeks before departure, cannot be invoked.
