Travelers no longer know what to turn to: waste of money after another organizer took over contracts

In late April, two other major organizers took over contracts with clients of the tour operator Megaturo. Megaturas provided brokerage services. Later, in late May, the State Consumer Rights Service revoked the company’s tour operator certificate. However, the tour organizer Tez, who took over the contract, does not have all the details on the money transferred by clients for the trips.

Delphi sent questions “Megaturo” managers. We will add it when we receive a comment.

The company of six friends planned to go to Turkey in April this year, paid an advance of 128 euros and then the remaining amount of money for the trip. In total, it cost 1,400 Eur for two people.

“Don’t see” all the money paid

When the pandemic riots began, according to Raimonda, the friends decided to cancel the trip and hope for better times. They canceled their trip just before the quarantine in Lithuania. Since then, it has become impossible to contact Megaturo representatives.

“We went to Megatura, wrote requests to cancel the trip and waited for the money. Unfortunately, we didn’t get it. We called for maybe a couple of weeks, but we can’t be contacted by email. No one answers the letters either,” says Raimonda.

Finally, a representative of the Tez Tour travel agency called the interlocutor and allegedly announced that he had taken over all contracts with Megaturo clients.

“He offered to postpone the trip for next year, we plan to agree, because it is unclear when our money will be returned. However, when asked if our advance and other money would carry over to a new contract, I got the answer that they see the advance that we transferred and the other money: the demons know where. Again, I ask what to do in such a case, I received an answer: contact lawyers. Is this normal? Raimonda was angry.

The money promised to be returned, it’s just not clear when

However, the woman says that Tez’s tour reportedly announced that she would return the money, but friends with whom she planned to go on the trip learned that there were inaccuracies.

“We ‘pressured’ them, we applied to Consumer Rights, we sent letters, we had to follow the way of the cross, but in the end that money came. But the organizer began to write to his friends again that he did not see the money. Again, it was not clear how it would be there and when the money would be returned, ”says the interlocutor.

According to him, the Tez tour promises to return the money for the lost trip within 90 days. after the end of the emergency, but it is still unclear when it will end. Raimonda plans to wait patiently for the money to return.

Monika, who planned the trip together, says that only after requesting the Tez Consumer Rights tour was it possible to get confirmation that the money will be refunded, but it is unclear when.

“When we contacted Consumer Rights, we received a response that the money would be refunded after quarantine, and last week we received a message asking us for all the data again, because they are no longer supposed to approve the payments, but someone else will.” he points out.

The interlocutors said that they had originally planned to go to Turkey in six, but only four had paid the full amount. The remaining two friends left the advance to the organizer and decided not to bother.

The money paid left and more travelers left

There are at least a few dozen of these cases in the traveler group.

“Hello vacationers and travelers, maybe there are more people who bought trips to Megature, paid all or part of the amount, and did not get them back because they supposedly disappeared somewhere? We brought the total amount, and they just disappeared,” writes a traveler.

This and other similar posts have received over a hundred comments with similar experiences from travelers. Some complained that they had lost half the amount: 600 euros and did not keep the check, others say they had lost 1800 euros.

The contracts with Megaturo’s clients were assumed by the main organizers.

At the end of April, Megaturas announced on its Facebook account that the main tour operators are taking over customer contracts:

“During the quarantine, without our knowledge, the unannounced Novaturo employees took all of our contracts with Megaturo’s clients. The value of the contracts is over 2 million. Euros One week later, the Tez tour, without notice and without our knowledge, he took contracts with Megaturo’s clients, its value: around 1 million. “

Inga Aukštuolytė, Head of Public Relations and Marketing at Tez Tour, comments that even before the termination of the brokerage agreement with UAB Megaturas, the company began to fulfill its obligations under the agreement, for which Tez Tour received a series of Complaints from travelers, reported that they could not contact the company, does not respond to their queries, etc.

Around 2,500 travelers have purchased trips from the Megaturas Tez Tour travel agency.

Refunds, coupons offered, or travel transfers.

“Upon termination of the contract with this company, it became clear that not all the money that had to be transferred to the tour operator under the contract had been transferred. As the tour operator has no information on the money actually paid by travelers, it is requested Proof of payment to those who wish to transfer the trip or recover the money paid.

Travelers who have submitted all documents will be reimbursed, will be offered a travel voucher or a transfer of the travel date in accordance with the procedure established by law, “says the representative of Tez Tour.

I. Aukštuolytė adds that the organizer knows the mentioned people: “The travelers were contacted and after presenting all the documents that prove the payments, the total amount paid was credited.”

According to her, if travelers want to recover the money paid for the trip, they must complete a refund form and present all the necessary documents: a signed contract for an organized tourist trip and documents that prove the payments.

However, Monika, who had planned the trip, noted that she no longer had the trip reservation number or the contract itself, because after terminating the contract, Megaturas allegedly took it. All that remains is a termination agreement and installment checks, but it is unclear if these documents are sufficient.

Travelers who have purchased trips on Megaturas and have questions can contact the tour operator Tez Tour by email. by email: [email protected] or by phone: +370 5 2113026.

SCRPA has received around 600 consumer complaints from tour operators.

According to the State Service for the Protection of Consumer Rights (SCRPA), in 2020. May 19 UAB Megaturas has revoked the validity of the tour operator’s certificate. As Megaturas did not organize the tourist trips on its own, but acted as an intermediary in the sale of tourist trips organized by other tour operators, these trips purchased by tourists are subject to the provisions of the tour operator specified in the tour package contract.

This means that the tour operator specified in the contract concluded with the tourist is responsible for the performance of organized tourist trips purchased by tourists and for the refund of money in the event of a trip.

SCRPA has received consumer complaints about UAB Megaturas’ activities, but is unable to provide accurate statistics, as consumer requests generally indicate the responsible tour operator and not the intermediary. During the quarantine period, SCRPA received around 600 requests for consumer disputes with tour operators.

“A consumer who believes that their legitimate rights and interests have been violated, in accordance with the provisions of the Consumer Rights Protection Act, must first contact the service provider in writing and indicate their claim.

The Service Provider must examine the consumer request free of charge and provide the user with a detailed reasoned document-based written response no later than 14 days from the date of receipt of the consumer request.

The consumer, if they do not agree with the response received or have not received the response within the established period, has the right to request SCRPA for the out-of-court resolution of the consumer dispute.

It is important to provide supporting evidence with the application, i. and. a copy of the request to the service provider, a copy of the response from the service provider (if received), a copy of the contract, copies of the documents justifying the payment of money and other available evidence, “reports SCRPA.

If the organized tourist trip was entered into the UAB Megaturas account, the consumer must provide supporting evidence.

In accordance with the Tourism Law, package tours sold to tourists by all licensed tour operators in Lithuania are covered by insolvency and bankruptcy insurance for companies.

According to SCRPA, UAB Megaturas has 50,000 shares issued by the insurance company Ergo last August. a tour operator insurance policy valid until September this year.

Tourists must request directly from the tour operator specified in the contract the execution or termination of organized tourism contracts concluded by Megaturas as an intermediary.