Skyrocketing fuel prices over the past few months may surprise some travelers as airlines can add additional fees up to 30 days before departure.
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“If airlines do this, they will alienate consumers,” said Luc Laflamme of Voyage Vasco Spatial. “It annoys me when we have to do that because there are customers who will end up here. »
Rising fuel costs
In the last few days, the Office de la Protection du Consommateur has published a press release to remind you that, under the Travel Agency Regulations, a travel agency can charge customers an additional rate if a carrier claims additional fuel costs.
This means that even if the contract is signed and the trip is paid for, a new fuel price bill could be added.
However, this clause must be in the contract and the traveler must have been given verbal notice at the time of signing, except in the case of an internet purchase, warns the Consumer Protection Agency, which issued this press release, after receiving “a number of phone calls from consumers asking questions about this had topic .
If the additionally claimed amount exceeds 7% of the travel price before taxes, the traveler can be reimbursed if desired.
No cases so far
Mr Laflamme says he has not had to charge his customers for any additional sums so far, despite increases in recent months.
However, he says he had to do it back in the 1990s during the Gulf War and some people were angry.
“Back then it was raises of $20 to $30,” he recalls.
The president of the Association of Travel Agents of Quebec, Moscow Côté, has never had to apply this rule, introduced in 2010.
“This creates uncertainty and frustration not only for consumers but also for travel agents,” he said.
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