Trips are often booked well in advance. However, in the run-up to a holiday, there can always be price adjustments – however, this is not always legal and customers may have the opportunity to contest this.
The consumer advice center in Lower Saxony is currently receiving an increasing number of letters with complaints from consumers on this subject. Shortly before the holiday, the organizers suddenly demand energy surcharges. But they are not allowed to call up any prices.
In the case of subsequent surcharges, there is a distinction between individual and package tours. If you have booked an individual trip, the previously agreed price usually remains the same. Short-term price changes are only effective with a corresponding clause in the General Terms and Conditions (GTC). If this is not included, you do not have to make an additional payment.
Things are a bit different with a package tour: the organizer can still make price adjustments up to 20 days before the start of the trip. However, the total price may only increase by a maximum of eight percent. Otherwise you may cancel your trip immediately.
If an item or a flat rate for energy costs is already included in the total price, then organizers are not allowed to collect additional charges – because rising prices for gas and electricity do not count as force majeure.
