Package holidays — where flights, accommodation, and at least one other service such as transfers or excursions are sold together — are protected by the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018. These regulations give you significantly stronger rights than if you had booked each element separately.
What must the organiser provide?
The package travel organiser must provide all the services described in the contract — accommodation as described, with the facilities and standard promised, flights on the times stated, and transfers as booked. They must provide clear information before and during the holiday, contact details for emergencies, and assistance if you get into difficulty during the package. They are also required to have insolvency protection — ATOL protection for flight-based packages — so that your money is returned if they go under.
What if the holiday is significantly different?
If the holiday is significantly different from what was booked — the hotel is lower standard, major facilities are closed, the resort is undergoing construction not disclosed at booking, or the accommodation does not match the description — you are entitled to appropriate remedies. These include the organiser arranging alternative accommodation or services of equivalent or higher value at no extra cost, or a price reduction reflecting the shortfall.
Cancellation and significant changes
If the organiser makes a significant change to your package before departure — such as a major change in the departure time, a change of destination airport, a significant increase in price, or a significant lowering of the standard of accommodation — you are entitled to accept the change, accept a substitute package, or cancel and receive a full refund within 14 days.
Illness and accidents on holiday
If you fall ill or suffer an accident during your package holiday due to the fault of one of the organiser’s suppliers — food poisoning from the hotel restaurant, an injury on a hotel excursion, or a transfer accident — the organiser is liable. You are entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, any medical expenses not covered by travel insurance, and other losses. A solicitor specialising in holiday illness claims can assess the strength of your case.
How to complain effectively
Report any complaint to the resort representative during the holiday and get a written record. Take photographs and gather witness details. Keep all receipts for extra expenses. On return, write a formal complaint to the organiser within 28 days, setting out the specific breaches and the compensation sought. If the organiser rejects your claim, escalate to ABTA — the travel association — if they are a member, or proceed to court. The ABTA arbitration scheme is a low-cost alternative to litigation.
If your package holiday was significantly different from what was described, or if you suffered an accident or illness, a consumer rights solicitor can assess your claim.