Swoop Patagonia Terms & Conditions

Updated in December 2019.

Resident in the UK or EU

These Booking Conditions, together with our privacy policy and, where your holiday is booked via our website, our Website Terms of Use together with any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking, form the basis of your contract with Swoop Travel Limited, a company registered in England & Wales with registered company name: 7953919 and registered office address of 15 Cornwallis Crescent, Bristol, BS8 4PJ (“we”, “us”, “our”). Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. In these Booking Conditions references to "you" and "your" include the first named person on the booking and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made or any other person to whom a booking is transferred or who is added to a booking.

By making a booking, the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that:

a) they have read these Booking Conditions and have the authority to and do agree to be bound by them;
b) they consent to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and are authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements);
c) they are over 18 years of age and resident in the United Kingdom or European Economic Area and where placing an order for services with age restrictions declares that they and all members of the party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services;
d) where a person detailed on the booking is under 18 years of age, the first named passenger guarantees the performance of these terms by any such persons and indemnifies Swoop Travel Limited against any losses, costs, claims, liabilities, damages, demands and expenses suffered or incurred by Swoop Travel Limited arising as a result of any breach of these terms by such persons under the age of 18 and/or any losses, costs, claims, liabilities, damages, demands and expenses suffered by Swoop Travel Limited which would not have been suffered or incurred had all passengers been over the age of 18 and bound by these terms;
e) they accept financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking. 


1. Booking & Payment 

A booking is made with us when you pay us a deposit (or full payment if you are booking within 60 days of departure) and we issue you with a booking confirmation. We reserve the right to return your deposit and decline to issue a booking confirmation at our absolute discretion. A binding contract will come into existence between you and us as soon as we have issued you with a booking confirmation that will confirm the details of your booking and will be sent to you. If your confirmed arrangements include a relevant flight, we will also issue you with an ATOL Certificate. Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on the ATOL Certificate or booking confirmation or any other document are wrong you must advise us immediately as changes cannot be made later and it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within 48 hours of receipt by you. 

The balance of the cost of your arrangements (including any applicable surcharge) is due not less than 60 days prior to scheduled departure. If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case the cancellation charges set out in clause 8 below will become payable.

VISA or Mastercard payments to Swoop will show on your card statement as 'swoop-patagonia.com'. 


2. Accuracy

We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices on our website are accurate, however, occasionally changes and errors occur and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances. You must check the current price and all other details relating to the arrangements that you wish to book before you make your booking.

3. Insurance

Adequate travel insurance is a condition of your contract with us. You must be satisfied that your insurance fully covers all your personal requirements including pre-existing medical conditions, cancellation charges, medical expenses and repatriation in the event of accident or illness, loss of baggage and money, supplier insolvency/financial failure and other expenses. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

4. Pricing

We reserve the right to amend the price of unsold holidays at any time and correct errors in the prices of confirmed holidays. We also reserve the right to increase the price of confirmed holidays solely to allow for increases which are a direct consequence of changes in:

(i) the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from the cost of fuel or other power sources;
(ii) the level of taxes or fees chargeable for services applicable to the holiday imposed by third parties not directly involved in the performance of the holiday, including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; and
(iii) the exchange rates relevant to the package.

Such variations could include but are not limited to airline cost changes which are part of our contracts with airlines (and their agents), cruise ship operators and any other transport providers.

You will be charged for the amount of any increase in accordance with this clause. However, if this means that you have to pay an increase of more than 8% of the price of your confirmed holiday (excluding any insurance premiums, amendment charges and/or additional services or travel arrangements), you will have the option of accepting a change to another holiday if we are able to offer one (if this is of lower quality you will be refunded the difference in price), or cancelling and receiving a full refund of all monies paid to us, except for any insurance premiums and any amendment charges and/or additional services or travel arrangements. Should you decide to cancel for this reason, you must exercise your right to do so within 7 days from the issue date printed on your final invoice. We will consider an appropriate refund of insurance premiums paid if you can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse your policy.

Should the price of your holiday go down due to the changes mentioned above, then any refund due will be paid to you less an administrative fee of £10. However, please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.

There will be no change made to the price of your confirmed holiday within 20 days of your departure nor will refunds be paid during this period.

For the avoidance of doubt, neither Swoop nor our local partners will be held liable for any surcharges or any taxes, including VAT or its equivalent, that may be applied as a result of national or regional government policies or from other authorities. Please note that such charges can sometimes be modified at short notice and without prior notification.

5. Jurisdiction and Applicable Law

These Booking Conditions and any agreement to which they apply are governed in all respects by English law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises between us out of or in connection with your contract or booking will be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only. You may, however, choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you live in those places and if you wish to do so.

6. Cutting your holiday short

If you are forced to return home early, we cannot refund the cost of any travel arrangements you have not used. If you cut short your holiday and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we will not offer you any refund for that part of your holiday not completed, or be liable for any associated costs you may incur. Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.

7. If  You Change Your Booking & Transfers of Bookings

If you wish to change any part of your booking after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you must inform us in writing as soon as possible. This should be done by the first named person on the booking. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requested change. Where we can meet a request, all changes will be subject to payment of an administration fee of £50 per person per change, as well as any costs and charges incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers in making this change. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Where we are unable to assist you and you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you. A cancellation fee may be payable in accordance with clause 8.

Transfer of Booking:
If you or any member of your party is prevented from travelling, that person(s) may transfer their place to someone else, subject to the following conditions:
a) that person is introduced by you and satisfies all the conditions applicable to the holiday;
b) we are notified not less than 7 days before departure;
c) you pay any outstanding balance payment, an amendment fee of £50 per person transferring, as well as any additional fees, charges or other costs arising from the transfer; and
d) the transferee agrees to these booking conditions and all other terms of the contract between us.

You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out in clause 8 will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.

Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.


8. If  You Cancel Your Booking Before Departure

If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel your confirmed booking you must notify us in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by us at our offices and will be effective from the date on which we receive it.

Should one or more members of a party cancel, it may increase the per person holiday price of those still travelling and you will be liable to pay this increase.

Since we incur costs in cancelling your arrangements, you will have to pay the cancellation charges as follows:

Period before departure cancellation charge:

  • 80 days or more - Deposit only
  • 79-45 days - 60% of the holiday cost
  • 44 days or less - 100% of holiday cost

Please note that insurance premiums and amendments charges are not refundable in any circumstances.

Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration or cancellation could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements in addition to the charge above.

If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges.

Where possible, we will deduct the cancellation charge(s) from any monies you have already paid to us.

Cancellation by You due to Unavoidable & Extraordinary Circumstances: 
You have the right to cancel your confirmed holiday before departure without paying a cancellation charge in the event of “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” occurring at your holiday destination or its immediate vicinity and significantly affecting the performance of the holiday or significantly affecting the transport arrangements to the destination. In these circumstances, we shall provide you with a full refund of the monies you have paid but we will not be liable to pay you any additional compensation.  Please note that your right to cancel in these circumstances will only apply where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against travel to your destination or its immediate vicinity. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” means warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination.

This clause 8 outlines the rights you have if you wish to cancel your booking. Please note that there is no automatic statutory right of cancellation under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 (Directive 2011/83/EU).


9. If  We Change or Cancel 

As we plan your holiday arrangements many months in advance we may occasionally have to make changes or cancel your booking and we reserve the right to do so at any time.

Changes: If we make a minor change to your holiday, we will make reasonable efforts to inform you or your travel agent as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure but we will have no liability to you. Examples of minor changes include alteration of your outward/return flights by less than 12 hours, changes to aircraft type, change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard, changes of carriers. Please note that carriers such as airlines advertised on our website may be subject to change.

Occasionally we may have to make a significant change to your confirmed arrangements. Examples of “significant changes” include the following, when made before departure:
(a) A change of accommodation area for the whole or a significant part of your time away;
(b) A change of accommodation to that of a lower standard or classification for the whole or a significant part of your time away;
(c) A change of outward departure time or overall length of your arrangements by more than 12 hours.
(d) A change of  departure airport to one which is significantly more inconvenient for you (excluding changes between London airports or other airports within the same city);
(e) A significant change to your itinerary, missing out one or more destination entirely.

Cancellation: We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than 60 days before your departure date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. We may cancel your holiday before this date if, e.g., the minimum number of clients required for a particular travel arrangement is not reached. 

If we have to make a significant change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of:
i (for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements; or
ii having a refund of all monies paid; or
iii if available and where we offer one, accepting an offer of an alternative holiday (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value).

You must notify us of your choice within 7 days of our offer. If we do not hear from you within 7 days, we will contact you again to request notification of your choice. If you fail to respond again, we will assume that you have chosen to accept the change or alternative booking arrangements.

Insurance If we cancel or make a significant change and you accept a refund, we will provide a full refund of your travel insurance premiums if you paid them to us and can show that you are unable to transfer or reuse your policy.

Compensation
In addition to a full refund of all monies paid by you, we will pay you compensation as detailed below, in the following circumstances:
(a) If, where we make a significant change, you do not accept the changed arrangements and cancel your booking;
(b) If we cancel your booking and no alternative arrangements are available and/or we do not offer one.
The compensation that we offer does not exclude you from claiming more if you are entitled to do so. 

Period before departure in which we notify you                            Amount you will receive from us*
60 days or more                                                                                         £0
59 - 28 days                                                                                                £20 per person
27 - 14 days                                                                                                £30 per person
13 days or less                                                                                           £40 per person

*IMPORTANT NOTE: We will not pay you compensation in the following circumstances:
(a) where we make a minor change;
(b) where we make a significant change or cancel your arrangements more than 60 days before departure;
(c) where we make a significant change and you accept those changed arrangements or you accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements;
(d) where we have to cancel your arrangements as a result of your failure to make full payment on time;
(e) where the change or cancellation by us arises out of alterations to the confirmed booking requested by you;
(f) where we are forced to cancel or change your arrangements due to Force Majeure (see clause 10).

If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of the arrangements that you have booked with us after you have departed, we will, if possible, make alternative arrangements for you at no extra charge and where those alternative arrangements are of a lower standard, provide you with an appropriate price reduction.

10. Force Majeure

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Booking Conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by “Force Majeure”. For the purposes of these Booking Conditions, Force Majeure means any event beyond our or our supplier’s control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions such as volcanic eruptions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, labour strikes, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned’s control.

Brexit Implications: please note that certain travel arrangements may be affected as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. This could include an unavailability of certain flight routes, access to certain ports and airports and changes to the visa requirements of British citizens travelling to, within or through the EU. Please rest assured that this is something we will continue to monitor and will advise our customers as soon as possible if we become aware of any confirmed bookings that will be affected. However, since this is something which is completely unprecedented and outside our control, we would treat any such changes as Force Majeure, and whilst we will endeavour to provide suitable alternative arrangements or refunds where possible, we will not be liable to pay you any compensation.

11. Special Requests

Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking e.g. diet, room location, a particular facility at a hotel. You should then confirm your requests in writing. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try to arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled.  The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met. Failure to meet any special request will not be a breach of contract on our part unless the request has been specifically confirmed by us.  We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.

12. Disabilities and Medical Problems

We are not a specialist disabled holiday company, but we will do our utmost to cater for any special requirements you may have. If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect your booking, please provide us with full details before you make your booking so that we can advise you as to the suitability of your chosen arrangements. We may require you to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that you are fit to participate. Acting reasonably, if we are unable to properly accommodate the needs of the person(s) concerned, we will not confirm your booking or if you did not give us full details at the time of booking, we will cancel it and impose applicable cancellation charges when we become aware of these details.

13. Complaints

We make every effort to ensure that your holiday arrangements run smoothly but if you do have a problem during your holiday, please inform the relevant supplier (e.g. your hotelier) immediately who will endeavour to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, please contact advice@swooptravel.co.uk.

If the problem cannot be resolved and you wish to complain further, you must send formal written notice of your complaint to us at our office within 28 days of the end of your stay, giving your booking reference and all other relevant information. Please keep your letter concise to assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you. Failure to follow the procedure set out in this clause may affect ours and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and will affect your rights under this contract.

If you are unhappy with the way your complaint has been dealt with, you can choose to use the European Commission Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform, which provides an alternative way of dealing with your complaint. You can access the ODR platform at http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/.

14.  Your Behaviour

All of our customers are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. If in our opinion or in the opinion of any hotel manager or any other person in authority, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any other customers or any third party, or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, we reserve the right to terminate your booking with us immediately. In the event of such termination our liability to you and/or your party will cease and you and/or your party will be required to leave your accommodation or other arrangements immediately. We will have no further obligations to you and/or your party. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination. You and/or your party may also be required to pay for loss and/or damage caused by your actions and we will hold you and each member of your party jointly and individually liable for any damage or losses caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or losses must be paid directly to the hotel manager or other supplier prior to departure. If you fail to make payment, you will be responsible for meeting any claims (including legal costs) subsequently made against us as a result of your actions together with all costs we incur in pursuing any claim against you.

We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.

15. Our Responsibilities

(1) We will accept responsibility for the arrangements we agree to provide or arrange for you as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, as set out below and as such, we are responsible for the proper provision of all travel services included in your package, as set out in your confirmation invoice. Subject to these Booking Conditions, if we or our suppliers negligently perform or arrange those services and we don’t remedy or resolve your complaint within a reasonable period of time, and this has affected the enjoyment of your package holiday you may be entitled to an appropriate price reduction or compensation or both. You must inform us without undue delay of any failure to perform or improper performance of the travel services included in this package. The level of any such price reduction or compensation will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors such as but not limited to: following the complaints procedure as described in these Booking Conditions and the extent to which ours or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your holiday.  Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us.

(2) We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from:
(a) the acts and/or omissions of the person affected; or
(b) the acts and/or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable; or
(c) Force Majeure (as defined in clause 10).

(3) We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this clause:

(a) loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are required to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind.

(b) Claims not falling under (a) above and which don’t involve injury, illness or death: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is up to three times the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where you or your party has not received any benefit or enjoyment at all from your booking.

(c) Claims in respect of international travel by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel:

i) The extent of our liability will in all cases be limited as if we were carriers under the appropriate Conventions, which include The Warsaw/Montreal Convention (international travel by air); The Athens Convention (with respect to sea travel); The Berne/Cotif Convention (with respect to rail travel) and The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask for copies of these Conventions from our offices. In addition, you agree that the operating carrier or transport company's own 'Conditions of Carriage' will apply to you on that journey. When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those 'Conditions of Carriage'. You acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions contained in those 'Conditions of Carriage' form part of your contract with us, as well as with the transport company and that those 'Conditions of Carriage' shall be deemed to be included by reference into this contract.
ii) In any circumstances in which a carrier is liable to you by virtue of EC 261/2004 (denied boarding and flight disruption), any liability we may have to you under our contract with you, arising out of the same facts, is limited to the remedies provided under the Regulation as if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier.
iii) When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

(4) It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this clause that you notify any claim to us and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these conditions. 

(5) Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to us or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require.

(6) Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description:
(a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to our accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you;
(b) which relates to any business; 
(c) which arises from indirect or consequential loss of any kind.

(7) We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not form part of our agreement or where they are not advertised on our website. For exampleany excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you. 

(8) Where it is impossible for you to return to your departure point as per the agreed return date of your package, due to “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances”, we shall provide you with any necessary accommodation (where possible, of a comparable standard) for a period not exceeding three nights per person. Please note that the 3 night cap does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, pregnant women or unaccompanied minors, nor to persons needing specific medical assistance, provided we have been notified of these particular needs at least 48 hours before the start of your holiday. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” mean warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely back to your departure point.

16. Excursions

Excursions or other tours that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are on holiday are not part of your contracted arrangements with us. For any excursion or other tour that you book, your contract will be with the operator of the excursion or tour and not with us. We are not responsible for the provision of the excursion or tour or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the operator.

17. Your Financial Protection 

The Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT) provides financial protection under its ATOL Franchise and The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 for Swoop Travel Ltd 5516, ATOL number 10893, and in the event of Swoop’s insolvency, protection is provided for the following:

1. non-flight packages sold to EEA & UK residents;

2. flight inclusive packages that commence outside of the UK, which are sold to residents outside of the UK but within the EEA; and

3. flight inclusive packages, flight only and linked travel arrangements (LTAs) sold as a principal under the ABTOT ATOL Franchise to UK residents

ABTOT cover provides for a refund in the event you have not yet travelled or repatriation if you are abroad. Please note that bookings made outside the UK but within the EEA are only protected by ABTOT when purchased directly with Swoop Travel Ltd. 

In the unlikely event that you require assistance whilst abroad due to our financial failure, please call ABTOT’s 24/7 helpline on +44 1702 811397 and advise you are a customer of an ABTOT protected travel company.

You can access The Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/contents/made

When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us, you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.

The price of our ATOL protected flight inclusive Packages includes the amount of £2.50 per person as part of the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA. This charge is included in our advertised prices.

We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate or holiday itinerary, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate or itinerary (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder or supplier may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder or supplier will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder or supplier. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder or supplier, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under ABTOT.

If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate or holiday itinerary, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder, alternative supplier or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, ABTOT Limited may make apayment to (or confer a benefit on) you under its scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to ABTOT Limited any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ABTOT ATOL Franchise scheme.

For further information visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk or the ABTOT website https://www.abtot.com/

If you book arrangements other than a package holiday from us, your monies will not be financially protected. Please ask us for further details.

18. Passport, Visa and Immigration Requirements & Health Formalities

It is your responsibility to check and fulfill the passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary. We can only provide general information about this. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.

Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. If your passport is in its final year, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting. UK customers requiring further information can contact the Passport Office on 0870 5210410 or visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/citizenship/passports.

Up to date travel advice can be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visit https://www.gov.uk/travelaware.

Non British passport holders, including other EU nationals, should obtain up to date advice on passport and visa requirements from the Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of your destination or country(ies) through which you are travelling. 

We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities. You agree to reimburse us in relation to any fines or other losses which we incur as a result of your failure to comply with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.

19. Conditions of Suppliers

Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers.  Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions which will form part of your contract with us.  Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions.  Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from us or the supplier concerned.

20. Prompt Assistance

If, whilst you are on holiday, you find yourself in difficulty for any reason, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and assistance with distance communications and finding alternative travel arrangements. Where you require assistance which is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors we will not be liable for the costs of any alternative travel arrangements or other such assistance you require. Any supplier, airline or other transport supplier may however pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these Booking Conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances, if you fail to obtain our prior authorisation before making your own travel arrangements. Furthermore, we reserve the right to charge you a fee for our assistance in the event that the difficulty is caused intentionally by you or a member of your party, or otherwise through your or your party’s negligence. 

21. Delays, Missed Transport Arrangements and other Travel Information

If you or any member of your party misses your flight or other transport arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject to a delay of over 3 hours for any reason, you must contact us and the airline or other transport supplier concerned immediately.

Under EU Law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from the airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights. Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. If the airline does not comply with these rules, UK customers should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www.caa.co.uk/passengers. Customers resident in other EEA countries should complain to their aviation supervisory authority. Reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline and will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your holiday price from us. If, for any reason, you do not claim against the airline and make a claim for compensation from us, you must, at the time of payment of any compensation to you, make a complete assignment to us of the rights you have against the airline in relation to the claim that gives rise to that compensation payment. A delay or cancellation to your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight.

We cannot accept liability for any delay which is due to any of the reasons set out in clause 10 of these Booking Conditions (which includes the behaviour ofany passenger(s) on any flight who, for example, fails to check in or board on time).

The carrier(s), flight timings and types of aircraft shown on our website and detailed on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. We shall inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of it.  The latest flight timings will be shown on your tickets which will be despatched to you approximately two weeks before departure. You should check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. If flight times change after tickets have been dispatched we will contact you as soon as we can to let you know.

Please note the existence of a “Community list” (available for inspection at https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/safety/air-ban_en) detailing air carriers that are subject to an operating ban with the EU Community.

22. Advance Passenger Information

A number of Governments are introducing new requirements for air carriers to provide personal information about all travellers on their aircraft to the Authorities before the aircraft leaves the UK. The data will be collected either at the airport when you check in or in some circumstances when, or after, you make your booking. Accordingly, you are advised to allow extra time to check in for your flight. Where we collect this data, we will treat it in accordance with our privacy policy.

23. UK Foreign Office Advice

You are responsible for making yourself aware of UK Foreign Office advice in regard to the safety of the countries and areas in which you will be travelling and to make your decisions accordingly. Advice from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute Force Majeure. (See clause 10).

Resident outside the UK and EU

Except where otherwise specified, we, Swoop Travel Limited, a company registered in England with company number 7953919 and registered office address of 15 Cornwallis Crescent, Bristol, BS8 4PJ  (“Swoop Travel”, “we”, “us”, “our”) act only as a booking agent in respect of all bookings we take and/or make on your behalf. We accept no liability in relation to any contract you enter into or for any travel arrangements or other services you purchase (“Arrangements”) or for the acts or omissions of any supplier, local operator or other person(s) or party(ies) connected with any arrangements.  For all Arrangements, your contract will be with the supplier of the Arrangements in question (the “Supplier/Principal”).

By making a booking with us,the first named person on the booking agrees on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that they:

a. have read these Agency Terms & Conditions and agree to be bound by them;
b. consent to our use of personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy and they are authorised on behalf of all persons named on the booking to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable, special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements); and
c. are over 18 years of age and where placing an order for services with age restrictions they declare that they and all members of their party are of the appropriate age to purchase those services;
d. where a person detailed on the booking is under 18 years of age, the first named passenger guarantees the performance of these terms by any such persons and indemnifies Swoop Travel Limited against any losses, costs, claims, liabilities, damages, demands and expenses suffered or incurred by Swoop Travel Limited arising as a result of any breach of these terms by such persons under the age of 18 and/or any losses, costs, claims, liabilities, damages, demands and expenses suffered by Swoop Travel Limited which would not have been suffered or incurred had all passengers been over the age of 18 and bound by these terms;
e. accept financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking.

1. Contract When making your booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the applicable Supplier/Principal (e.g. local operator) of the Arrangements, as specified on your confirmation invoice. As agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the Supplier/Principal or for the services provided by them. Your booking with us is subject to these Agency Terms and Conditions and the specific terms and conditions of the relevant Supplier/Principal(s) you contract with. We will provide you with a link to the Supplier/Principal's terms and conditions as soon as practicable after you have received your booking confirmation and you are advised to read them carefully. The Supplier/Principal's terms and conditions may limit and/or exclude the Supplier/Principal's liability to you.  If you have any questions relating to the Supplier/Principal's terms and conditions or wish to cancel your booking because you do not accept them, then you must notify us within 48 hours of receiving them and if you cancel you will be entitled to a refund of the monies you have paid to us. If we do not hear from you within 48 hours of receiving them, you will be deemed to have accepted the Supplier/Principal's terms and conditions.

Your booking is confirmed and a contract between you and the Supplier/Principal will exist when we send you confirmation on their behalf.

2. Booking Please check that all names, dates and timings are correct on receipt of all documents and advise us of any errors immediately. Any changes to these details will incur the charges stated below. Please ensure that the names given are the same as in the relevant passport. The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the relevant Supplier/Principal of your Arrangements or other persons necessary for the provision of your Arrangements. The information may be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any special category (sensitive) information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, we will be unable to provide your booking. Full details of our data protection policy are available upon request.

3. Payment In order to book your chosen Arrangements, you must pay a deposit as required by the Supplier/Principal of the Arrangements (or full payment if booking within 130 days of departure or as requested by the Supplier/Principal). You must also pay all applicable booking fees.

If you have paid a deposit, you must pay the full balance by the balance due date notified to you. If full payment is not received by the balance due date, we will notify the Supplier/Principal who may cancel your booking and charge the cancellation fees set out in their booking conditions.

Except where otherwise advised or stated in the booking conditions of the Supplier/Principal concerned, all monies you pay to us for Arrangements will be held on behalf of the Supplier/Principal and forwarded on to the Supplier/Principal in accordance with our agreement with the Supplier/Principal.

Some banks and credit card companies impose fees for international transactions. If you are making a booking from outside your country on your credit card, your bank may convert the payment amount to your local currency and charge you a conversion fee. This means the amount listed on your credit or bank card statement may be in your local currency and therefore a different figure from that shown on your documentation. In addition, a foreign transaction fee may be assessed if the bank that issued your credit card is located outside your country. Booking international travel may be considered to be an international transaction by the bank or card company, since Swoop Travel may pass on your payment to an international travel supplier. The currency exchange rate and foreign transaction fee is determined solely by your bank on the day that they process the transaction. If you have any questions about these fees or the exchange rate applied to your booking, please contact your bank.

VISA or Mastercard payments to Swoop will show on your card statement as 'swoop-patagonia.com'.


4. Prices We reserve the right to amend advertised prices at any time.  We also reserve the right to correct errors in both advertised and confirmed prices. Special note: changes and errors sometimes occur.  You must check the price of your chosen Arrangements at the time of booking.

For the avoidance of doubt, neither Swoop nor our local partners will be held liable for any surcharges or any taxes, including VAT or its equivalent, that may be applied as a result of national or regional government policies or from other authorities. Please note that such charges can sometimes be modified at short notice and without prior notification.

5. Insurance We and our suppliers require that you take out a policy of insurance in order to cover you and your party against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; supplier insolvency/financial failure and other expenses. If you choose to travel without adequate insurance cover, we will not be liable for any of your losses howsoever arising, in respect of which insurance cover would otherwise have been available.

6. Special requests If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the Supplier/Principal, but we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled and we will have no liability to you if they are not.

7. Changes and Cancellations by you Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us in writing, by email, and will take effect at the time we receive it. Please ensure that you have received written confirmation of any changes to your booking prior to travel. While we will try to assist, we cannot guarantee that the Supplier/Principal will meet such requests.   

Unless you are cancelling your booking because you have notified us that that you do not accept the Supplier/Principal’s terms and conditions within 48 hours of receiving them, all amendments and cancellations can only be accepted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Supplier/Principal of your Arrangements. The Supplier/Principal may charge the cancellation or amendment charges shown in their booking conditions (which may be as much as 100% of the cost of the Arrangements and will normally increase closer to the date of departure).

In addition, you must also pay us an administration fee of $100.00 per person per change or cancellation.
Please note: some Supplier/Principals do not allow changes and therefore full cancellation charges will apply.

8. Changes and Cancellations by the Supplier/Principal We will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if the Supplier/Principal needs to make a significant change to your confirmed Arrangements or to cancel them. We will also liaise between you and the Supplier/Principal in relation to any alternative arrangements offered by the supplier but we will have no further liability to you.

9. Our responsibility for your booking Your contract is with the Supplier/Principal and its booking conditions apply. We are an independent contractor and are not an employee, agent, or representative of any of these suppliers in respect of the performance of your contract by the suppliers. We do not own, manage, operate, supervise, or control any transportation, vehicle, airplane, hotel or restaurants, or any other entity that supplies services related to your trip. We are not affiliated with any other tour operator. All suppliers are independent contractors, and are not agents or employees or representatives of Swoop Travel. All tickets, receipts, coupons, and vouchers are issued subject to the terms and conditions specified by each supplier, and by accepting the coupons, vouchers, and tickets, or utilizing the services, all customers agree that neither Swoop , nor its employees, agents, or representatives are or may be liable for any loss, injury, or damage to any trip participant or their belongings, or otherwise, in connection with any service supplied or not supplied resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrence beyond the control of Swoop Travel. We assume no responsibility or liability for any delay, change in schedule, loss, injury or damage or loss of any participant that may result from any act or omission on the part of others; and we shall be relieved of any obligations under these terms and conditions in the event of any strike, labor dispute, act of God, or of government, fire, war, whether declared or not, terrorism, insurrection, riot, theft, pilferage, epidemic, illness, physical injury, quarantine, medical or customs or immigration regulation, delay, or cancellation. We accept no responsibility for lost or stolen items. We reserve the right to refuse any participant or potential participant at our sole discretion. As booking agent, we accept no responsibility for the actual provision of the Arrangements. Our responsibilities are limited to making the booking in accordance with your instructions. We accept no responsibility for any information about the Arrangements that we pass on to you in good faith.

10. International Travel, Visa, passport and health requirements By offering bookings for travel in particular international destinations, we do not represent or warrant that travel to such areas is advisable or without risk. We will not be liable for damages or losses that result from travel to such destinations.

It is your responsibility to check and fulfill the passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.  We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel, or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.

11. Complaints Because the contract for your Arrangements is between you and the Supplier/Principal, any queries or concerns about your Arrangements should be addressed to them. If you have a problem with your Arrangements while using them, these problems must be reported to the Supplier/Principal immediately. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity for the Supplier/Principal to investigate and rectify your complaint.

If you wish to complain when you return home, write to the Supplier/Principal. You will see their name and contact details in any confirmation documents we send you.

If you wish to complain about any service we have provided to you (i.e. our booking service) then please contact us directly. Participant claims not submitted and received within sixty (60) days shall be deemed waived and barred.

12. Indemnification Subject to these Agency Terms & Conditions, you will defend, indemnify and hold us and each of our officers, directors, employees and agents harmless from and against any claim, cause of action, liability, expense, loss or demand, including—without limitation—reasonable legal and accounting fees, arising out of, or in any way connected with your breach of these Agency Terms & Conditions or the agreements made part of these Agency Terms & Conditions by reference or your breach of any applicable law.

13. Law and Jurisdiction These Agency Terms & Conditions are governed by the substantive federal law of the United States of America  and, as we are an English registered company, we both agree that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute, claim or other matter which arises between us. 

14. Accommodation Ratings and Standards All ratings are as provided by the relevant Supplier/Principal. These are intended to give a guide to the services and facilities you should expect from your accommodation. Standards and ratings may vary between countries, as well as between suppliers. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any ratings given.

15. Documentation & Information  All descriptions and content on our website or otherwise issued by us are provided on behalf of the Supplier/Principal in question and are intended to present a general idea of the services provided by the Supplier/Principal. Not all details of the relevant services can be included on our website. All services shown are subject to availability. If you require any further details in respect of any Arrangements or any other services please contact us.

Terms and Conditions for using this website

Welcome to Swoop Travel Ltd’s website. If you continue to browse and use this website you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Swoop Travel's relationship with you in relation to this website.

The term 'Swoop Travel Ltd' or 'us' or 'we' refers to the owner of the website whose office is at 1st Floor, 15 Cornwallis Crescent, Bristol, BS8 4PJ. The term 'you' refers to the user or viewer of our website.

The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:

  • The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice.
  • Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law.
  • Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meet your specific requirements.
  • This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions.
  • All trade marks reproduced in this website which are not the property of, or licensed to, the operator are acknowledged on the website.
  • Unauthorised use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence.
  • From time to time this website may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).
  • Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of England, Scotland and Wales.

This website and its content is copyright of Swoop Travel Ltd © Swoop Travel Ltd. All rights reserved.

Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited other than the following:

  • you may print or download to a local hard disk extracts for your personal and non-commercial use only
  • you may copy the content to individual third parties for their personal use, but only if you acknowledge the website as the source of the material

You may not, except with our express written permission, distribute or commercially exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system.

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