Terms and Conditions
Standard Terms and Conditions of business of Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of Cullinan Holdings Ltd and part of The Travel Corporation Group of Companies.
Please read the following booking terms carefully, as they set out the terms and conditions of the contract between you and Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd (“Thompsons Travel”), a subsidiary of Cullinan Holdings Ltd and part of The Travel Corporation Group of Companies.
We act as an intermediary between Clients and Suppliers. All risks inherent in utilising the services of the Supplier, including but not limited to, the liquidation or business rescue of a Supplier or the ramifications of such Supplier not being registered with an appropriate international governing body requiring certain standards and/or safety regulations, shall remain with the Client or passenger and will accordingly form a direct contract between the relevant Supplier and the Client, subject to the Supplier’s standard terms and conditions.Thompsons Travel do not accept any liability to the Client or Traveller for any actions, errors or omissions of the Suppliers in any way or form whatsoever, including injury, illness, harm, death and/or loss of or damages of whatsoever nature or kind and the Client and Traveller accordingly indemnifies Thompsons Travel in such regard. All rights of recourse the Client and Traveller may have will be against the Supplier/s.
It shall be the Client and Travellers responsibility to ensure that the Bookings/Reservations effected by Thompsons Travel on their behalf accords with the intended travel itinerary and arrangements. Thompsons Travel shall in no circumstances be responsible for any loss, harm, damage, cost or expense of whatsoever nature and howsoever incurred in relation to incorrect Bookings/Reservations.
These terms will be binding once you have accepted them, or if we have issued a confirmation invoice to you for the travel which you booked. Please retain a copy of these terms once your booking is complete.
Disclaimer
The information on this website is provided in good faith. The information may be changed at any time without prior notice.
Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd provides no guarantee that such information is current, complete or accurate as it relies on information of the supplier and therefore you should make no reliance on the information for any purpose other than the sourcing of general information.
ASATA
Thompsons Travel is a registered member of the Association of South African Travel Agents and provides Clients with Travel Services by Suppliers and/or other agents engaged in, or associated with the travel industry, including inter alia, airlines, tour operators, hotels, shipping companies, car hire and other providers of air, land, sea or any other Travel products or services.
Bookings
All quotations, estimates or bookings provided are subject to availability of the product/Travel Service from the Supplier.
Bookings may be held for a period of time and is based on Supplier prices at the time of quotation. The Client or Traveler is required to submit prompt payment in accordance with the deadlines provided by Thompsons Travel. Failure to do so, will result in the expiration on fare and price validity and may result in possible increases in requoting and/or rebooking.
Approval
Any person requesting a quotation or making a reservation or to whom any Travel Service is rendered, is deemed to have read and accepted these Terms and Conditions and to have the authority to do so on behalf of the person in whose name the estimate or quotation or reservation is requested/booked and/or provided and/or the person to whom the Travel Services are rendered.
Any Client providing confirmation, whether in writing or verbally, pursuant to a Quotation shall be deemed to have accepted these standard terms and conditions and furthermore, shall be deemed to have complied with any and all “internal” requirements or authorisations, irrespective if such confirmation contains an order number. The Client shall be deemed to have obtained the required authority and/or approval of the Traveler on whose behalf the Client is accepting the Quotation.
The Client acknowledges that he/she has selected the itinerary and destination(s) for the reservation based on information compiled and managed by the Supplier. The Client acknowledges that any right of recourse in that regard may be against the Supplier. Any breakaway from the itinerary shall be subject to increased cost implications.
Amendments
Should the parties wish to make any date/route/price and special request amendment to the booking, we will endeavor to assist you to make the changes wherever possible. However, conditions may apply in respect to such amendment and you will be liable for all charges imposed by the Supplier. Amendments and cancellations en route must be made with our office directly. Fares will be re-quoted at the time of amendment. Some airlines may not allow any amendments. In order to change the travel dates of such a ticket, the ticket must be submitted for a refund and a new ticket purchased for the new travel dates.
Please note that the earlier such requests are made prior to departure date, the better the chances of being able to facilitate such request. The Client acknowledges that Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd is subject to the terms and conditions of the Suppliers.
An administration fee may be charged for each amendment and/or cancellation/refund. It is understood that extra expenses incurred as a result of any change will be for the Travelers account, and any unused service will not be refunded.
The costs associated with Travel Services/arrangements are not always stable, and currency movements can fluctuate sharply. When you book through us, we reserve the right to pass on any surcharges. Surcharges may be imposed to cover increases in transportation costs, currency fluctuations, costs of fuel and security charges, taxes or fees. Thompsons Travel is only able to guarantee the price when full payment has been received.
In the unlikely event of there being an unscheduled extension to your travel arrangements caused by flight delays, bad weather, strikes, pandemics, illness or quarantine or mandatory quarantine required due to Covid-19, refusal to be allowed to enter a country due to Covid-19 issues or any other cause which is beyond the control of Thompsons Travel, it is understood that all expenses relating to these unscheduled extensions (hotel accommodation, airline costs, car hire, transfers, etc.) will be solely for your account. unless provided by the supplier.
Thompsons Travel accepts no liability for any changes, omissions or delays before or during the course of any travel occasioned by technical difficulties, weather conditions, strikes, epidemics or communication breakdowns or the like.
Passports, Visas and Health
The Client and Traveller are responsible for ensuring that all passports, necessary visas (for both final and transiting countries) and travel permits are current, obtained on time and that the Client’s passport will be valid for 6 (six) months to 1 (one) year after the Client’s return to his/her home country and contains sufficient blank pages (for visa issuance) along with any vaccinations, inoculations, prophylactic (e.g. for malaria), required, including any specific Covid-19 requirements imposed by the country/ies travelled to/from (i.e. testing, screening, quarantine etc.)
Visa and entry requirements may vary depending on nationality, the length of stay and purpose of visit, amongst other factors. All visa’s and information can be obtained by contacting the Consulate or Embassy of the countries involved or from a visa service company.
All these requirements must be checked, acknowledged and adhered to, before traveling and any feedback provided by a travel consultant should not be interpreted as advice concerning visas, entry requirements, immigration, residency or Covid-19 requirements/regulations etc.
When travelling with minors, Travellers should be aware that it is mandatory to carry the minor's unabridged birth certificate and their passport and, where applicable, affidavits from the parent/s giving the minor permission to travel.
Thompsons Travel shall not be responsible, liable or under any obligation for any consequence of any nature arising from the Traveller failing to ensure that he/she has complied with all such requirements. We shall endeavour to assist with all necessary information however, this should not replace the Client's responsibility in such matters. Thompsons Travel cannot be held responsible for a denial of a visa application for any reason, delay of issuance of the visa by the relevant Consulate or High Commission, loss of a passport(s) by the consular offices and/or courier, change in visa costs and requirements, any financial loss incurred as a result of a visa application being denied, passport application delays and/or incorrect issuance of passport or visa.
Methods of Payment
Ticket prices and reservations for individual Travel Services are not guaranteed until acceptance of the quotation or offer has been confirmed and paid for in full, issued, and are subject to change at any time prior thereto.
Final payment for any Booking must be made upon/prior to the confirmation of the booking and is based upon on the quoted and confirmed price, less any deposit paid, plus any additional charges that may have been incurred.
Thompsons Travel reserves the right to charge a consultation, administration and amendment transaction fee, where applicable. With the cancellation of a trip, the agent service fees will be non-refundable.
Late payment may result in cancellation of the bookings by Thompsons Travel, a Supplier or third party service providers.
Credit Cards- In accordance with International Airline Travel Association (IATA) the Client will be required to complete a Thompsons Travel credit card authorisation form. If the card is a foreign credit card, then you may be requested to supply further information.
Thompsons Travel reserves the right to charge interest on all overdue amounts at compound rate of 3% per annum above the prime overdraft rate charged by Thompsons Travel bankers. All invoices and statements received by the Client shall be payable as per the agreed terms, in full and no deduction or alteration may be made by the Client whatsoever.
All major credit cards payments will require positive identification when purchasing travel requirements through Thompsons Travel. Direct deposit and electronic funds transfers (proof of payment) must be sent to Thompsons Travel and reflect in our bank account prior to release of any travel documentation. This ruling pertains to all Travel Services arranged by Thompsons Travel.
Insurance
It is strongly advised that, prior to departure, all Clients purchase adequate travel insurance cover for the duration of the journey, such as for cancellation, worldwide epidemics such as SARS, Coronavirus, illness, accident or injury, personal liability and for loss or damage of baggage/personal equipment etc.
Travel insurance referred on by Thompsons Travel on your behalf is subject to the terms and conditions as stated in the policy wording. Please ensure that this is carefully read and understood. Thompsons Travel will not be responsible or liable if the Traveller fails to take adequate insurance cover.
The Supplier may be acquitted from responsibility in that they act as agent themselves or have contracted out of liability. It is therefore recommended that appropriate insurance be taken out by all Traveler’s and that Traveler’s acquaint themselves with the terms of such insurance, particularly the exclusions, and consider the adequacy of such insurance relative to their needs.
Thompsons Travel shall assume no responsibility in the event of a Supplier’s default, or cessation of service. Travel insurance that covers airline default is highly recommended.
Please note that various credit card companies offer limited levels of travel insurance, we recommend that the Client take out additional insurance cover over and above this type of insurance offered by the various credit card companies as Thompsons Travel does not consider this sufficient cover for travel.
Should the insurers dispute or query their liability for any reason, the Client and Traveler will have recourse against the insurers only and Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd will not be responsible or liable whatsoever for any loss, harm, damage, and costs of whatsoever nature and howsoever incurred in connection with the travel arrangements.
Flight timings and reconfirmations
Flight timings are provided by airlines and are subject to Air Traffic Control restrictions. All means of transportation are subject to weather conditions, the need for constant maintenance, and the ability of passengers to check-in on time. There is no guarantee that flights, ferries, ships, trains or coaches etc. will depart at the times stated on any itinerary or tickets received. All timings are estimates only, and we do not accept any liability for any delay, however arising, or for any schedule departures.
We highly recommend that you reconfirm the departure date and times of all your flights prior to departure. This is particularly important for onward connections on your journey.
You should confirm scheduled travel times at least 48 (forty-eight) hours prior to departure by completing an online check in and keeping the digital boarding card and downloading the recommended mobile application and ensuring that push notifications are activated.
Documents
It is important that you check and confirm all details of your travel documents (including your itinerary) when you receive them. Once documents have been issued, name changes are not permitted to airline tickets and any change thereto will require that the ticket/s is submitted for a refund and a new ticket is issued. Any financial penalties imposed by the service provider(s) as a result of name changes will be payable by the Traveler. Thompsons Travel will not be liable for any delay and/or loss occasioned as a result of any inaccuracies on any travel documents once you are in receipt thereof.
Cancellations and refunds
If you wish to cancel or refund your booking, cancellation penalties will apply in accordance with the terms and conditions of the product purchased. These conditions will be determined by the Supplier. Thompsons Travel will not be responsible for the forfeiture of any deposits, cancellation costs or administrative charges paid to the Supplier or other third party Suppliers, or the failure to obtain any refunds from any such Suppliers on the Client’s behalf.
Important to note that there are products which are sold at a lower than premium rates, however, carries non-refundable penalties.
In the event of a Traveler not cancelling Travel Services booked by Thompsons Travel, it will result in both penalties and the forfeiture of costs of Services.
Large group bookings and events may require upfront deposit or pre-payments to the Supplier on the Client’s behalf. As such, the Client acknowledges and agrees to the terms and conditions set out herein pertaining to cancellations and refunds. Thompsons Travel reserves the right to cancel any agreement in respect of which payment has fallen in arrears, and in the event of this right being exercised, the full balance still owing shall immediately become due and payable on demand.
As Thompsons Travel acts as an intermediary, we can only assist in processing and following up on refunds and will only initiate refunds to the Client once received by the incumbent Supplier.
Whilst travelling
Should the Traveller experience inconsistent service levels during their journey this must be reported immediately to the Supplier in question, including contacting Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd to assist in correcting any inconsistent service levels.
Confidentiality
Subject to statutory constraints or compliance with an order of court, Thompsons Travel undertakes to deal with all Client information of a personal nature on a strictly confidential basis.
Force Majeure
Except where otherwise expressly stated in the booking conditions, we regret that we are unable to accept any liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our or any Supplier’s contractual obligations is prevented or affected, or you otherwise suffer any damage or loss, as a result of "force majeure". In these Booking Conditions, "force majeure" means any event which we or the Supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity or actual threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, epidemics such as SARS, Coronavirus, Government Lockdowns or travel restrictions and the like, fire and all similar events outside of our control.
Responsibility and Limitation of Liability
Thompsons Travel acts as an intermediary for local and international ground operators and airlines and accordingly accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss, damage, injury, accident, delay or any other irregularity howsoever arising. Thompsons Travel makes every effort to ensure that all the arrangements and Travel Services connected with a Travellers itinerary will be carried out as specified in the most efficient and effective way possible. However, we do not have direct control over the provision of Travel Services by Suppliers and, whilst they are in all cases selected with the utmost care, we do not accept liability for error and omissions of such Suppliers. The contract in use by such Suppliers shall constitute the sole contract between the Supplier and the Client and any right of recourse the Client may have, will be solely against the Supplier.
Jurisdiction and Law Applicable
Thompsons Travel shall be entitled, at its option to institute any legal proceedings arising out of or in connection with this contract in any Magistrate's Court, notwithstanding that the amount in issue may exceed the limit of such jurisdiction. The parties hereby respectively choose their domicilium citandi et executandi for all notices and processes in connection herewith as their respective addresses which appear in the Client application form.
The Client and Authority
The person requesting such quotations or estimates or making such booking or to whom any service is rendered, is deemed to have read and accepted the Conditions and to have the authority to do so on behalf of the person in whose name the estimate or quotation or reservation is requested and/or provided and/or the person to whom the services are rendered.
PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ACT (“POPI”)
“Operator” means an operator as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013;
“Personal Information” means personal information as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013;
Protection of Personal Information
You hereby authorise Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd to collect your Personal Information as it is relevant to this Agreement and/or service which we are providing for you or is deemed to be relevant for the provision of such service.
Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd is committed to the adherence of national legislation and regulations pertaining to the safeguarding of data privacy.
Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd shall use information previously provided by you to perform our services and to amongst other things, process invoices, credit notes, statements and any other document related to the services.
You confirm that we may share your personal information with the following persons, who have an obligation to keep the personal information secure and confidential:
Employees of Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd who are required to be informed of the personal information in order to attend to the services supplied and;
All third parties who may assist us in supplying the services.
We undertake not to disclose your personal information unless it is legally or contractually required to do so.
We agree to use all reasonable efforts to ensure your personal information in our possession is kept confidential, stored in a secure manner and processed in terms of POPI.
You hereby acknowledge and warrant that:
Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd is entitled to process and store any such Personal Information in the manner set out in Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd Privacy Policy, available on the website www.thompsonstravel.co.za
Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd is entitled and authorised by you to transfer any Personal Information to any of its Operators; and
Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd is entitled to store and back-up your Personal Information on its servers.
You confirm that you have read and agree to Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd Privacy Policy and hereby provide your consent to Thompsons Travel (Pty) Ltd to process your personal information and acknowledge that you understand the purpose for which it is required and for which it will be used.