With fuel shortages, many French people have or will have to cancel the reservation they had made for the holidays, in fear of not being able to move as they wish.
franceinfo: what are the cancellation conditions, and can we be reimbursed?
Philippe Duport: Yes, the question that arises is, can the shortage of fuel allow me to cancel free of charge? This would be the case, if it were a case of force majeure. We saw it during the health crisis, with the ban on traveling more than 100 kilometers from your home.
But here, the fact is neither irresistible nor unpredictable. You can get fuel, even if it’s a hassle, and you can find alternative means of transport. So, no force majeure that would allow you to get out of the contract. There will be costs.
If we have paid a deposit or a deposit, will we be able to be reimbursed?
Deposits and installments are not the same thing. The deposit, we lose them if we cancel, and then we are quiet, we have nothing more to pay. With the deposit on the other hand, you will be obliged to go to the end of the contract, and pay the full amount if you cancel.
If I wrote a check, can I stop it?
No, absolutely not, you cannot stop a check because you have changed your mind about your reservation. The professional could sue you, you risk a fine. On the other hand, if you paid by credit card, some provide cancellation insurance. You have to look at the conditions in detail to see the cancellation conditions.
What if I have taken out cancellation insurance?
Please note, as Olivier Gayraud, from the CLCV consumer association, reminds us, cancellation insurance is not an authorization, a blank check, to change your mind. It provides for specific conditions under which you can cancel your trip, such as refusal of leave by the employer, or illness that occurs shortly before departure. Again, you have to look closely at the contract.
And if I went through a platform, for my reservation, does that change anything for the cancellation?
Yes, it usually gives more guarantees. Some platforms provide for possible cancellations free of charge, up to the last minute. Problem: they make him pay. A professional, a hotelier or a rental company will rarely include such clauses in their contract.