Terms and Conditions for Online Travel Bookings made on the BLT Website
Definitions
“IATA” is the International Air Transport Association. IATA is a trade association of the World’s airlines.
“AFTA” Is the Australian Federation of Travel Agents.
“ATAS” is the Travel Industry Accreditation scheme managed by AFTA.
“We” and “Us” and “BLT” means BLT (QLD) Pty Ltd (ABN 93 010 687 733), an Australian registered company and IATA and ATAS Accredited travel agent.
“You” means all clients of BLT and includes any person who acquires a Travel Product via BLT (whether or not the Booking & Advisory Services were acquired by another person on your behalf).
“Booking & Advisory Services” means the services provided by us to you in assisting you to acquire Travel Products from Third Party Travel Providers and includes advisory and consulting services, making and providing a facility to enter into transactions with us and Third Party Travel Providers eg ticketing of airline reservations.
“Third Party Travel Provider” means the company or person who provides you with the Travel Product on terms and conditions agreed with you.
“Travel Product” means the service or product provided by a Third Party Travel Provider, for example, by an airline, a cruiseline or a hotel.
Agency Liability
BLT is a fully ATAS accredited travel agent, and member of AFTA. We arrange and book travel services and sell travel related products on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, tour and cruise operators, car hire companies and accommodation providers. In doing so BLT gives no warranty nor makes any representation regarding the services to be supplied or the products purchased by you. Your booking will be subject to the terms and conditions of the providers of the travel services or products. You agree that if travel services or products are not supplied in accordance with your confirmed booking your remedy lies with the service provider and not with BLT.
Nothing in these terms and conditions shall be read as excluding, restricting or modifying rights under the Australian Consumer Laws, Trade Practices Act and other legislation given to consumers in relation to the supply of goods and services.
Bookings made online
If you make a booking online you must provide us all information required in order to proceed with your booking. You must also ensure that all information which you provide is accurate and that the credit or debit card you are using is your own or, subject to our agreement, if it is a third party’s you have their express authorisation to use their credit or debit card and that sufficient funds are available to cover the cost of the arrangements which you book.
If we accept your booking, we shall debit payment from you and send you a confirmation invoice. From this point cancellation charges will apply. Please note that an online booking confirmation is as firmly confirmed as if it were made/confirmed in writing immediately. As soon as you receive the confirmation, please check the details carefully and inform us immediately if anything appears to be incorrect as it may not be possible to make changes later.
Names and Titles of all Passengers
Please ensure that you enter correct name details for each passenger at the time of booking as names on travel documents and airline tickets must exactly match the spelling as they appear in passports (or on photo ID for domestic travel)
For security planning and pre-clearance reasons on International Airline, most airlines require passport details to be input into the air booking prior to ticketing. Where this is the case we must sight your passports before travel documents can be issued. In the case where this is not possible (for example where passenger passports have not yet been issued) we will not be liable for fare/tax increases due or where incorrect information has been given to us. Nor will BLT be liable for any re-issue fees imposed by the airline or tour wholesaler should delayed issue or re-issue of documentation be required due to non-supply of passport details or incorrect name spelling.
We use the following titles for all passengers:
Mstr – Male Child (0 to 11 years inclusive)
Mr – Male (12 years and over)
Miss – Female Child (0 to 11 years inclusive)
Ms – Female (12 years and over)
Mrs – Adult Married Female where we are advised of Marital Status
Should you require us to use a different title eg Reverend, Doctor, Captain etc – please ensure we are advised of this at time of booking.
Quoted Prices
Prices and rates quoted are not guaranteed until full payment has been made.
While every effort is made to ensure that the prices quoted to you are correct, prices may fluctuate due to many factors. Deposits merely hold the reservations but do not guarantee prices until reservations are paid in full.
BLT acts only as an agent and relies on information provided to us from the suppliers of the travel services and products. We will bring to your attention any change in price made prior to you completing your booking and paying any balance due.
Many air fares, cruise fares, confirmed hotel and tour bookings are subject to strict conditions regarding amendments, cancellations and refunds. In addition most suppliers impose taxes, fees and charges. It is your responsibility to ensure the type of fare you purchase is suitable for your particular needs.
All fares and rates are subject to taxes and charges levied by both government and the travel operators themselves; in addition global fuel costs and currency exchange rates are constantly changing. Most suppliers pass on the increase in taxes and fuel surcharges without notice and whilst we will endeavour to advise you of these additional charges in advance that may not always prove possible. BLT reserves the right to pass on fuel and tax increases, levied by suppliers, without notice.
Taxes
Various countries, states, towns and airports around the world and in Australia impose a variety of Security, Airport & Departure Taxes. Where applicable and possible these will be included in the cost of the ticket and will be shown in the relevant tax boxes. There may be some variations in final costs depending on exchange rate fluctuations and the number of taxes imposed at time of ticketing. Any additional costs or taxes that occur such as departure taxes payable at airports in cash will be the responsibility of the traveller.
Booking Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement of your booking request will be sent via e-mail or telephone call within 24 hours of your request being received. Full payment must be received in line with the payment requirements of the travel service provider’s confirmation unless otherwise agreed by us the agent. Some tickets are instant purchase which will require payment at time of booking. Failure to pay for tickets within the advised timescale will result in automatic cancellation of the booking. We accept no responsibility for loss or additional costs incurred due to automatic cancellation of your booking due to non-payment.
Payment Options
All prices quoted are based on payment by cash or direct deposit. Cheques will not be accepted for onward payment to suppliers where insufficient time exists between banking of the cheque and payment deadlines of amounts to suppliers before cheque clearance can take place nor within 10 working days of travel. Credit card payments may also be accepted however costs may vary dependent on the airline or tour operator used. If you intend to pay by credit card to obtain reward points it is essential that we are informed at the time of booking what type of credit card you wish to use so that we can ensure that the airline or tour wholesaler accepts this type of card as form of payment.
A “Credit Card Charge Authority Form” will be included with our confirmation letter, please complete the details and return it to your consultant as soon as possible. Reference is also made to the section that advises that credit card details may also be passed on to the airline or tour wholesaler to process the charge.
A merchant processing fee may be charged if the airline or tour wholesaler does not accept credit cards as payment. Similarly, the airline or tour wholesaler may also charge a processing fee. Your consultant will advise you of this
Amendments
In addition to the fees and penalties charged by airlines, wholesalers & other travel suppliers, a BLT amendment fee applies. Please ensure you are familiar with the penalties that you will incur in the event of making changes to your booking.
Cancellations
In addition to the fees and penalties charged by airlines, wholesalers & other travel suppliers, a BLT cancellation fee applies. Please ensure you are familiar with the penalties that you will incur in the event of cancelling your booking.
Prior to Final Payment: If you cancel your holiday at any time you will forfeit your deposit and may also forfeit any deposits paid to third parties. After Final Payment: In addition to forfeiting your deposit you may liable for cancellation fees charged by airlines, cruise lines, hotels, sightseeing, transfers, vehicle hire services, and the like, amounting to all or a portion of monies paid. Once your holiday has commenced, no refund whatsoever is available for a cancellation after the date of commencement of the holiday package, or in respect of any itinerary item, fares, accommodation or any other service not utilised.
Refunds
In circumstances where travel has been paid but is subsequently cancelled and the respective suppliers’ terms and conditions indicate that the cancelled travel arrangements are either partly or fully refundable, BLT will pursue all/any refunds due on your behalf and when refunded amounts are received by BLT these will be refunded to you. Please note that this process can take up to 6 months.
Privacy Policy
By submitting information to BLT, you agree that BLT may use it in accordance with this Privacy Policy. Unless you voluntarily submit information to BLT via any means including via a BLT website enquiry form or by direct mail to BLT, BLT does not collect any personal information at all. If personal information is voluntarily submitted to BLT, BLT will use it to fulfil requests for location information or sale enquiries. BLT does not otherwise sell, rent, exchange or disclose clients lists or information about its clients or website users, except to the limited extent necessary to protect the rights, property and safety of its commission, clients, or to others, or to comply with applicable law, or if it is acquired and client information or information about our website users is a transferred asset. If you prefer you may contact BLT by phone or email. This privacy policy is applicable only to information you provide to BLT or its websites. BLT is not responsible for the privacy practices of any third party sites that are linked to or from our sites. Should you have any further questions concerning this policy, please email: directors@blt.com.au
Force Majeure
BLT shall not be liable for any loss or damage incurred by you as a consequence of BLT or any of the suppliers being unable to perform its obligations under your contract(s) due to the unusual or unforeseeable circumstances (a “force majeure event”) beyond the control of the party affected by the force majeure event.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of the State of Queensland, Australia and the parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Queensland and Courts of Appeal from those Courts and waive any right they may have to claim that those Courts are an inconvenient forum.