Booking a package holiday — flight, hotel, and excursions bundled together — often comes with a nasty surprise when something goes wrong: the agency pointing fingers at the airline or the local hotelier, leaving the customer to fight each provider separately. Under the Package Travel Directive (EU) 2015/2302, that's not how liability is supposed to work, and the protections here are considerably stronger than for booking each element separately.
The organiser is responsible for everything, not just their own piece
The organising agency — whether a physical high-street travel agent or an online platform — is fully responsible for the proper performance of every single service included in the package. If the hotel is a disaster or excursions get cancelled, you don't need to chase the individual hotel or excursion operator; the organiser must resolve it directly, or compensate you for the loss of enjoyment and value of the trip.
Your right to reject significant changes before departure
If, before you leave, the organiser makes a significant alteration to the package — downgrading your hotel category, or shifting departure dates by more than a marginal amount — you have an absolute right to reject the change and terminate the contract, with a full refund owed within 14 days. You are never obligated to simply accept a materially different holiday than the one you booked.
Insolvency protection: what happens if the agency goes under
Every package travel organiser operating in the EU is legally required to hold insolvency protection insurance. If the agency collapses while you're at your destination, this protection guarantees your immediate repatriation home at no cost, and a full refund of payments made if the trip hasn't started yet. This is one of the directive's most consumer-protective features, and it exists specifically because package holidays historically left travellers stranded when tour operators failed mid-season.
Documenting problems on the ground
Report any issue to the agency immediately — by email or through their support app — while you're still at the hotel or destination, not after you return home. Photograph structural deficiencies or services that weren't delivered as evidence for your claim.
Alternative arrangements — and what "equivalent" actually means
If something can't be delivered as booked, the organiser must offer, at no extra cost, alternative arrangements of equivalent or higher quality to keep your trip on track. If the only alternatives available are of lower quality, you're entitled to a proportionate, retroactive price reduction reflecting that downgrade — not just an apology.
What counts as a "package" in the first place
Not every combination of travel elements qualifies for these protections. Generally, a package exists when at least two different types of travel services (flight, accommodation, car rental, or other tourist services) are combined for the same trip and sold together, or booked separately from linked websites in a way the directive treats as a single transaction. If you booked a flight and hotel entirely independently from unrelated providers, this framework typically doesn't apply the same way — check the specific booking structure before assuming full package protection.
Sources
- Directive (EU) 2015/2302 — package travel and linked travel arrangements
- European Commission — Package travel and linked travel arrangements