Terms & Conditions
We offer for sale to you various products and/or services on behalf of our Principals such as airlines, rail, coach & other transport operators, hotel and other accommodation providers, tour operators and other principal suppliers. These are referred to throughout as ‘Principals’.
We will require you as the Customer to acknowledge your receipt and acceptance of these Terms and Conditions in addition to any Terms and Conditions of the Principals listed in our itinerary and quotations.
Our services consist of arranging and co-coordinating the services offered by the Principals. VCS Travel brings about a direct contractual relationship between you, the customer, and each Principal. Subject to these booking conditions VCS Travel will perform our services with reasonable care and skill.
VCS Travel does not guarantee the performance of the services offered by the Principals and we will not be liable in the event that you suffer loss, injury or disappointment by reason of any acts or failings of any Principal. In such case your remedy will lie against the Principal.
The brochures (including e-brochures) which we supply to you are the brochures of the Principals and that the statements and representations contained in such brochures are not ours but are made by the Principals. We accept no liability for any errors, inaccuracies or misrepresentations contained in such brochures.
Your travel arrangements will also be subject to the Principals’ terms and conditions including limits on liability and conditions of carriage. You are responsible for reading the Principals’ terms and conditions before paying for your booking or reservation.
Links to a list of our commonly used Principals Terms and Conditions can be found here . Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and you should you wish to sight any other Principals Terms and Conditions then you should contact your travel advisor.
Subject to the Australian Consumer Law, VCS Travel will not be liable for any loss or damage, injury, delay, inconvenience, or expense caused by a Principal. VCS Travel will not be liable for events beyond its control or the control of the Principals including, without limitation, strikes, accidents, pandemics or outbreaks of infectious diseases, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances or force majeure (Acts of God).
VCS Travel may receive fees, commissions, gifts or financial incentives from the Principals and other third parties in relation to your travel arrangements.
We recommend that you take out a travel insurance policy at the time you pay for your travel. You should ensure that such insurance will protect you against medical expenses arising from sickness or injury during your travel and protect you against loss or damage to your belongings. The Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade also strongly recommends you take out travel insurance.
If your travel arrangements involve group travel or a group event it is your responsibility to ensure you have travel insurance which is suitable for and covers those travel arrangements. You warrant that you have made appropriate enquiries and sought advice on your specific travel insurance requirements.
Please note that some credit card providers will provide the card holder with travel insurance. Where you are paying for all or any part of the services arranged through us by credit card and you intend to use travel insurance provided by the credit card provider you acknowledge that VCS Travel has offered you travel insurance and that you waive any claim against VCS Travel in respect of any loss or damage you may suffer as a result of you failing to take out any or adequate travel insurance.
Airfares and tour prices may change (almost invariably by being increased) without prior notice and even though your arrangements have been confirmed. Such price increases are beyond our control and you will be liable to pay for any such increases. Many airlines now impose surcharges on the price of air travel. These surcharges may change between the time you make a reservation and the date of full payment.
If payment has not been made by the specific date which VCS Travel will advise you, your bookings may be cancelled. Payments may be made by direct deposit or cheque. If you wish to pay by credit card it is necessary to check with us first as some airfares and package holidays cannot be paid for by credit card. In certain circumstances your credit card will be charged by the Principal. In these instances, you authorise VCS Travel to pass on your credit card details to the Principal. Credit Card payments may incur surcharges.
VCS Travel will add an additional surcharge to payments made by credit card. Please check with us for current charges. When your credit card is processed by VCS Travel you agree to not have your payment ‘charged back’ or reversed by your credit card provider where the services have been provided. Payments can be made via BPAY. They can be made directly from your savings/cheque account using PayID. All cheques must be made payable to VCS Travel.
Payments in foreign currency (other than Australian Dollar) may incur a currency conversion fee. Please refer to your financial institution for applicable fees.
Direct Deposits can be made to the VCS Travel’ bank account as advised on your invoice. Payments must be made at least 3 business days prior to actual due date.
PayID and Osko payments may be made using the PayID code issued on the invoice generally within 1 day prior to actual due date.
Under no circumstances will VCS Travel accept cash payments, nor should payments be made to any other bank account.
VCS Travel will not be liable for any loss caused by a failure of a tour manager or tour wholesaler to make payments to VCS Travel for reservations for airfares and services made on behalf of a tour group or any individual traveller.
If you cancel a confirmed reservation or booking the Principal is likely to charge you a cancellation fee. Further, some tickets may be non-refundable or non-transferable. It is important to check the position with us before you confirm arrangements and/or before you cancel any confirmed reservations. Please read the Principal’s special conditions in relation to your travel arrangements.
In addition to any cancellation fee charged by a Principal, if a confirmed reservation or booking is cancelled for any reason (including but not limited to a cancellation as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or a force majeure event), VCS Travel will retain its commission paid and/or service fee charged in respect of the travel arrangements. You acknowledge that the retention by VCS Travel of the commission and/or service fee is fair remuneration for the work done by VCS Travel in arranging your travel arrangements.
If you wish to change a confirmed reservation or booking you are likely to incur fees. In some cases, it may not be possible to change a reservation or booking or to cancel or it may be uneconomic for you to do so. You should always check the cost before requesting changes to your travel arrangements. Please read the terms and conditions of the Principals which apply to your travel arrangements.
Unless otherwise stated in your costings and itinerary document in addition to any fee charged by a Principal, VCS Travel will charge you a fee to process an amendment as per the Schedule of Fees below.
If your travel arrangements are cancelled for any reason (including force majeure) after you have paid, no refund will be available to you until VCS Travel receives the monies from the Principal involved. In most cases, the Principal will charge a cancellation fee and in some instances you may not be able to claim a refund.
VCS Travel is not responsible for any delays by a Principal in processing a refund. You should be aware that airlines may take a significant amount of time to process a refund.
Should the price of an airfare, cruise or tour be reduced after you have made payment your right to a refund (if any) is governed by the terms and conditions which apply to the airfare, cruise or tour as determined by the airline, cruise line or tour operator.
Unless otherwise stated in your costings and itinerary document in addition to any fee charged by a Principal, VCS Travel will charge you a fee to process a refund request as per the Schedule of Fee below.
VCS Travel earns commissions and/or charges service fees in making your travel arrangements. VCS Travel reserves the right to retain the commissions and service fees that is earned on your booking from any refund should your booking be cancelled for any reason (including for force majeure).
Please note the fees below are VCS Travel’s fees and do not include any fees the Principal may charge in addition. All fees are non-refundable.
Itinerary Design fee: $50/leg or tour
Booking fee: $75/person (less Itinerary Design fee)
Cancellation fee prior to full payment: $75/person
Cancellation fee after full payment: $100/person
Change/Amendment fee: $50/hr, minimum ˝ hour.
Name change fee: $25/name
Prior to confirming your travel arrangements, you should check your passport and establish that it will remain current for the entire period of your travel. Certain countries require that your passport remains valid for a period of up to twelve months after the date upon which you are scheduled to leave such country. You may be denied entry to a country if your passport expires within 12 months. You should clarify visa requirements with the Embassies of the countries that you plan to visit as certain countries may require you to take out a visa dependent on whether you are travelling on an Australian or a foreign passport. The authorities in some countries (including the USA) require holders of Australian passports to take out a visa for entry into their country where the traveller has been sentenced or imprisoned or been convicted of certain types of criminal offence. A visa may be required where a contagious disease or a serious health problem exists. It is the responsibility of each member of the travelling party to ensure that they have a valid passport and the necessary visa/s for the destinations to be visited.
Re-entry visas will/may be required for travellers leaving Australia holding a foreign passport. If you hold a foreign passport then it is your responsibility to make your own enquiries and satisfy yourself as to the position in regard to your passport and/or visa requirements before leaving Australia.
Certain countries and Principals require that travellers be vaccinated against specific infection (including but not limited to COVID vaccinations) and/or diseases. VCS Travel strongly recommends that you check with your doctor and the embassies of countries to which you are travelling to with respect to any health requirements.
As Governments and Principals start to open and accept clients their requirements for Covid vaccinations, PCR Tests and other requirements are constantly evolving. Whilst your personal travel advisor may assist you in navigating these travel requirements you are ultimately responsible for all medical and travel-related documentation required by state, federal or international authorities that allow entry or exit into their state, territory, return to Australia or overseas travel from Australia to another country. You should ensure that you have satisfied yourself that you have all the required documents before booking your travel and keep yourself up to date on any changes to these requirements.
If provided by you, you authorise VCS Travel Australia to store a copy of all relevant COVID vaccination certificates and forward a copy to any Principals as reasonably required.
You acknowledge that your failure to produce a copy of a valid COVID vaccination certificate may lead to your booking being cancelled and as a result, you may incur cancellation fees which will be subject to the Principals’ terms and conditions as well as the fee’s outlined in Schedule of Fees.
We have exercised care in putting together the arrangements requested by you in regards to your travel and accommodation. It is important that you check all of the documentation handed to you in relation to your proposed travel and accommodation to ensure that it fully meets with your requirements and to ensure that there have been no misunderstandings. All documents, in relation to international travel, must be issued in the name of the passport holder. You may be denied carriage if the name varies.
* We strongly recommend that you contact your airline prior to any travel to ensure that the scheduled departure time has not changed.
* We strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with current travel advisories/information from smartraveller.gov.au before you travel.
* Payment of any excess baggage charges is the Traveller’s sole responsibility.
* Carry on baggage is subject to security rules on the carriage of various items. It is your responsibility to check with the relevant authorities.
VCS Travel accepts no responsibility for any loss, cost or expense that arises or is incurred by the customer to the extent that it arises or is incurred directly or indirectly as a result of any booking made by, or on behalf of, the customer independently of VCS Travel.
Before confirming your travel arrangements, it is your responsibility to inform your Personal Travel advisor of any medical conditions, mobility concerns, or dietary restrictions. While we are committed to fulfilling your needs, you acknowledge that certain suppliers may encounter limitations in service availability.
Minimum age requirements may apply to specific travel services, such as cruise travel. Additionally, legal regulations govern the travel of children without one or both parents or legal guardian, with specific guidelines enforced by airlines, cruise lines, and various countries. It is essential you inform your Personal Travel advisor if you are travelling with children. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the necessary permission for the child’s travel and provide the documents to VCS Travel Australia if required. Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in denied boarding or other travel-related consequences.
If you’re pregnant and planning to travel, it is your responsibility to research your destination before you go. We encourage you to consult your doctor and understand any potential risks that may arise. Airlines and cruise lines have specific rules on when you can travel while pregnant. Please advise your Personal Travel advisor before committing to your travel arrangements about the rules or restrictions that could affect your travel plans.
VCS Travel endeavours to deliver exceptional quality professional travel services. We are committed to being responsive to the needs and concerns of customers and to resolve your complaint as quickly as possible. Customer feedback is welcomed as it helps us improve our service delivery to you. Full details of our Complaints Handling Policy can be found here.
Nothing in these terms and conditions is to be read as excluding, restricting, or modifying your rights under the Australian Consumer Law and other legislation given to consumers in relation to the supply of goods and services.
Please note, the above terms and conditions apply to all personal travel advisors. Each personal travel advisor operates their own business in partnership with the VCS Travel Australia brand. As such, they each operate as individual businesses and may have their own ancillary terms and conditions to the general core conditions published on VCS Travel’ central website. Please check with your personal travel advisor to ascertain if they have any ancillary terms and conditions.
These terms and conditions were updated on 03 April 2024.