Two women from Germany have fought in court to get some of their travel costs back after they were plagued by noisy geese and hotel overbookings in Sicily.
Two German travelers who had to contend with overbooked hotels and annoying geese noise during their vacation in Sicily took legal action. They received a portion of their travel costs back, reports “Heute.at”. The women had originally been looking forward to a relaxing week on the Sicilian coast, but the hotel they had booked was overbooked and they had to move twice.
According to the Munich District Court, which Heute.at cites, the two were taken to a more expensive alternative hotel on the day of their arrival, which cost them 208 euros more. They were then accommodated in a hotel about 100 meters away from the accommodation they had originally booked. But instead of relaxing, they were harassed by cackling geese in front of their room in the back yard. It was not until the next day that they found an acceptable room.
The tour operator initially reimbursed the women 230 euros of the package price of 740 euros per person. In court, however, they demanded a further 400 euros. The court rejected this claim and decided that only a reduction of the travel price of 115.62 euros was possible. It justified this on the grounds that accommodation in a different hotel to the one booked represented a travel defect.
According to the ADAC, travelers have the right to demand a reduction in the price of the trip if there are any defects in a package tour. It is important to take action on site: defects should be reported immediately to the tour guide, travel agency or tour operator and evidence, such as photos or witness statements, should be collected.
How much money travelers get back for travel deficiencies depends on the individual case. For example, if a flight is delayed, it can be between 5 and 150 percent of the daily travel price; if there are vermin in the hotel, it can be between 5 and 100 percent of the travel price.
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