My package holiday went wrong or the organiser collapsed — what am I entitled to?
A package (flight + hotel booked together, or a tour) comes with the strongest travel rights in the EU: the organiser is liable for every part, must fix problems on the spot, owes a price reduction and compensation for what it cannot fix, and must be insolvency-protected — if it collapses, the guarantee fund refunds you and brings you home. Complain to the organiser during the trip in writing, then claim after. SignalConso — DGCCRF (0809 540 550) advises; Centre Européen des Consommateurs France (europe-consommateurs.eu) for an organiser in another EU country; APST — garantie financière des voyages (apst.travel) is the guarantee scheme that pays if the organiser is insolvent.
🗣️ What to say
"Booking [number], [dates, destination]. [The hotel / transfer / excursion] was [not provided / not as described: what]. I reported this on [date] to [rep / hotline] and it was not resolved. I claim a price reduction of [%] and compensation for [costs / lost days], receipts attached."
🪜 Step by step
- Complain on the spotTo the rep or the 24-hour line, in writing (email/app). Give them a chance to fix it; keep the reply.
- DocumentPhotos, the brochure description, receipts of anything you paid to fix it yourself.
- Claim within the deadlineUsually within a month of return, to the organiser, itemised.
- Refusal: SignalConso — DGCCRF, Centre Européen des Consommateurs France, ADRConsumer body, ECC for cross-border, and the travel ADR scheme if the organiser is a member.
- Organiser insolvent: APST — garantie financière des voyagesThe guarantee fund refunds prepayments and repatriates; check the organiser was registered — it must be.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
Can I cancel before departure?
Yes, with a fee — unless "unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances" at the destination (natural disaster, serious unrest), in which case a full refund is due.
The organiser changed the hotel
A significant change lets you accept a replacement or cancel with a full refund, plus compensation in some cases. A minor change does not.
The flight was delayed — package or EU 261?
Both: EU 261 compensation from the airline, and the organiser owes a remedy for the lost part of the holiday. They cannot be claimed twice for the same loss.
📎 Sources
- SignalConso — DGCCRF →
- Centre Européen des Consommateurs France →
- APST — garantie financière des voyages →
- Médiateur de la consommation →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “package holiday complaint compensation France”
- “tour operator insolvent refund”
- “package travel rights price reduction”
- “holiday not as described claim”
- “travel guarantee fund France”
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