Terms and Conditions

Booking Conditions

These Booking Conditions together with the details in our Travel Information section form the basis of your contract with us. Please read these carefully as they explain the responsibilities and obligations undertaken by all parties when booking with us. All bookings are subject to these Booking Conditions and the Important Information.

All party members must ensure they read and understand all details published in our brochure or on our website (as appropriate) relating to their holiday prior to sending any booking details to us. Party Leaders are responsible for passing on any additional information and/or details of correspondence with us to other members of the party.

In these Booking Conditions the term "holiday" means tour, course, day trip or other inclusive arrangement. "You" and "your" are references to all persons named on the booking including anyone who is added or substituted at a later stage.

1 THE CONTRACT BETWEEN US

Your contract is with Equity Limited [company number 02598164] registered at One Jubilee Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1GE. Company VAT number: 587520905.

This contract and all matters arising out of it are governed by English Law except if you are a resident of Scotland or Northern Ireland in which case you may choose the law of your home country. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises out of or in connection with this contract or your holiday will be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales or, if you live in Scotland the courts of Scotland may be used or if you live in Northern Ireland the courts of Northern Ireland may be used or the ABTA Arbitration Scheme (see clause 12 ). Please note, changes to these Booking Conditions or the Important Information will only be valid if expressly agreed by us in writing. When you contact us to make a booking, we act as agent for the relevant carrier which will be disclosed on your documentation. We reserve the right to substitute the carrier if necessary.

When we have confirmed your booking by issuing a confirmation invoice, (see clause 2 below) a contract exists between us under which we accept responsibility for the provision of all services described on our invoice.

2 TERMS OF PAYMENT

In order to confirm your booking, you should send us your booking details (please see our "How to Book" section) together with the appropriate payments and in accordance with the time scales set out in Clause A below. Please note that when you return your deposits in order to confirm your booking you will be agreeing to the booking conditions published in our brochure. For flight inclusive bookings all monies paid by you to any authorised Travel Agent of ours in respect of your holiday will be held by that agent on our behalf until they are paid to us or refunded to you.

3 CONFIRMATION OF YOUR BOOKING BY US

Once we have received your booking details and all appropriate payments, we will, subject to availability, confirm your holiday by issuing a confirmation invoice. Where we issue this by email, a hard copy will follow by post. This invoice will be sent to the party leader. Please check this invoice carefully as soon as you receive it. Contact us immediately if any information which appears on the confirmation or any other document appears to be incorrect or incomplete as it may not be possible to make changes later. We regret that it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within ten days of our sending it out (five days for tickets).

4 FINANCIAL SECURITY

We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL number 2680.) This means the air holidays in this brochure are ATOL protected. In the unlikely event of our insolvency, the CAA will ensure that you are not left stranded abroad and will arrange to refund any money you have paid to us for an advance booking. For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk Please note, the ATOL protection scheme only applies to arrangements which include flights arranged by us where the person who pays for the booking is present in the UK when the booking is made or the first leg of any flight we arrange for you commences in the UK. We are also members of the Association of British Travel Agents(ABTA) No.V5376. If your holiday does not include flights, ABTA will financially protect your holiday in the same way.

5. THE PRICE OF YOUR HOLIDAY

The prices and the information in our brochure were correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication in November 2006. Please note, changes and errors do however occasionally occur. You must check the price of your chosen tour at the time of booking. We reserve the right to make changes to and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before your holiday is confirmed. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware and of the then applicable price at the time of booking.
The price of your travel arrangements is subject to surcharges in the following circumstances: Increases in transportation costs e.g. aviation insurance and security levy, fuel, government imposed transportation taxes such as Air Passenger Duty, scheduled air fares and any other airline surcharges which are part of the contract between airlines (and their agents) and the tour operator; and/or any dues, taxes or fees payable for services such as landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports or airports and Governmental action such as increases in VAT or any other government imposed increases and adverse fluctuations in the exchange rates which have been used to calculate the cost of your holiday. Even in these stated cases, we will absorb increased costs up to a total amount equivalent to 2% of the cost of your confirmed holiday (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges). Only amounts in excess of this 2% will be surcharged. If this means paying more than 10% of the tour price (excluding insurance premiums and any amendment charges), you will be entitled to cancel your tour with a full refund of monies paid to us except for insurance premiums and amendment charges. Should you decide to cancel because of this, you must exercise your right to do so in writing and within fourteen days from the issue date printed on the invoice.
If you do not tell us that you wish to cancel within this period of time, we are entitled to assume that you do not wish to cancel and will pay the surcharge. Any surcharge must be paid with the balance of the cost of the holiday or within 14 days of the issue date printed on the surcharge invoice, whichever is later.

6 SPECIAL REQUESTS

Although we will endeavour to pass any reasonable requests on to the relevant supplier, we regret we cannot promise that any requests will be complied with unless we have specifically confirmed this in writing.

Confirmation that a special request has been noted or passed on to the supplier or the inclusion of the special request on any documentation is not confirmation that the request will be met. All special requests are subject to availability and confirmation in writing by us.

If you or any member of your party has any medical problem or disability which may affect the holiday arrangements of that person, please tell us before you confirm your booking so we can advise as to the suitability of the chosen holiday. In any case, you must give us full details in writing at the time of booking. If we feel unable to properly accommodate the particular needs of the person concerned, we must reserve the right to decline/cancel their reservation.

7 INSURANCE

We consider adequate travel insurance to be essential. It is a condition of booking that you purchase insurance cover if this is not already included in the price of your holiday. Please see "What's Included" in our Prices Section. Medical treatment overseas and the cost of repatriation in the event of an emergency can be very expensive. Details of the policy we offer are shown in our Insurance Section. Where we are providing insurance you will receive details of the cover on confirmation of your booking. If you require extra cover please enquire. Please read your policy details carefully. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate for your particular needs. We do not check alternative insurance policies.

8 IF YOU CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING

If you add extra members or change your booking You may add extra members to your booking at any time, subject to availability, payment of the applicable holiday price and discretionary amendment fee below . If you wish to change your booking you must notify any changes to us in writing and we will do our best to comply. We cannot guarantee that such changes will be possible and we reserve the right to charge an amendment fee of up to £30 per person together with any extra costs incurred by ourselves and any extra costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. Certain travel arrangements (e.g flight/rail tickets) may not be changeable after a reservation has been made and any alteration request could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangement.
We require the names of all members of your group at the time of booking confirmation. It is the Party Leader¹s responsibility to ensure that ALL names given are in full and exactly as shown on the individual¹s passport. We do not accept any responsibility for incorrect/abbreviated names submitted and any subsequent amendments will be dealt with as a name change.
Air Tours: We reserve the right to use and/or substitute charter for scheduled and low cost carriers such as Easyjet, Ryanair etc. In these cases once the airline has received and processed the names, any subsequent amendments or name changes will carry a minimum charge of £100 plus the insurance premium of £19 for European Tours. Most airlines do not allow name changes after tickets have been issued or in some cases (e.g. Easyjet, Ryanair or Jet2 etc) once names have been received. In these instances the charge is usually the full cost of the flight.
Coach Tours: Names are required at the time of booking confirmation. Any name change which subsequently takes place must be accompanied by a payment of £19 to cover insurance premiums.
Any name change alterations made by you within 4 weeks of departure will be treated as a cancellation of the original booking and will be subject to the cancellation charges set out in Table B and payment of the full cost of the new booking.
If you cancel your booking : You may replace any cancelled member. We reserve the right to charge an amendment fee as set out in clause 8 (a) above together with any extra costs incurred by ourselves and any extra costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out in Table B below will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. You must notify all cancellations and substitutions to us in writing. Charges apply from the date written notification is received at our offices. The cancellation charge is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling, excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges. These are not refundable. Depending on the reason for cancellation, you may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) under the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the insurance company concerned. We will deduct the cancellation charge(s) from any monies you have already paid to us. If there is/are any outstanding cancellation charge(s) remaining, you must pay this to us.

9 IF WE CHANGE OR CANCEL YOUR BOOKING

We start planning the holidays we offer many months in advance. Occasionally, we have to make changes to and correct errors in our published information both before and after bookings have been confirmed, and we may have to cancel confirmed bookings. Whilst we always endeavour to avoid changes and cancellations, we must reserve the right to do so.

Most changes are minor such as changes to the overseas airport, airline, aircraft, ferries or coaches used, changes to departure times of less than 12 hours or the withdrawal of certain facilities. Occasionally, we have to make a significant change which include a change of accommodation to that of a lower official classification or standard for the whole or a major part of the time you are away; a change of resort for the whole or a major part of the time you are away; a change of outward departure time or overall length of time you are away of 12 or more hours; and a change of UK departure point (except as between Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted or Luton and instances where we offer connecting transportation). All other changes are minor.

If we have to make a significant change or we have to 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 the following options:-

accepting the changed arrangements or
purchasing an alternative holiday from us, of a similar standard to that originally booked if available (if the chosen alternative is less expensive than your original one, we will refund the difference but if it is more expensive, we will ask you to pay the difference) or
cancelling, in which case you will receive a full and quick refund of all monies you have paid to us.

If we have to make a significant change or cancel on or after the date when the balance of your holiday cost becomes due we will pay you compensation as set out in Table C below subject to the following exceptions. Compensation will not be payable and no liability beyond offering the above mentioned choices can be accepted where we are forced to make a change or cancel as a result of unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which we could not have avoided even with all due care. No compensation will be payable if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply with any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (eg if you fail to pay on time).

In all cases, our liability for significant changes and cancellations is limited to the above mentioned options and, where applicable, compensation payments as in Table C. We regret we cannot pay any expenses, costs or losses incurred by you as a result of any change or cancellation. No compensation is payable for minor changes or where we make a significant change or cancel on or before the date when the balance of your holiday cost becomes due.
Very rarely, we may be forced by Force Majeure (see below) to change or terminate your holiday after departure but before the scheduled end of your time away. This is extremely unlikely but if this situation does occur, we regret we will be unable to make any refunds (unless we obtain any refunds from our suppliers), pay you any compensation, or meet any costs or expenses you incur as a result.

Force Majeure - except where otherwise specified in these booking conditions, we regret we cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of our contractual obligations is prevented or affected by reason of circumstances amounting to '"force majeure". In these booking conditions "force majeure" means any event which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include war or threat of war, riots, civil strife, actual or actual threatened terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control.

10 SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTY LEADER

The Party Leader accepts responsibility for the good conduct of all party members. Furthermore it is the Party Leader's responsibility specifically to ensure that:

No party member under 18 years of age consumes alcoholic drinks unless written permission from a parent or guardian can be produced.
All local laws relating to the consumption of alcohol are at all times obeyed.
No party member smokes in an hotel bedroom or at all in apartments, or in any way causes a fire hazard.
Party members act in a responsible fashion and do not behave in a way likely to cause damage to property or offence or danger, to other people.
All party members are at the correct departure point in good time for their departure. We cannot be held responsible for any loss or expense suffered due to any party member's late arrival at the departure point.

11 BEHAVIOUR

When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss must be paid direct at the time to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us (together with our own and the other party's full legal costs) as a result of your actions.

We expect all clients to have consideration for other people. If in our reasonable opinion or in the reasonable opinion of any other person in authority, (for example, any airline pilot, coach driver, accommodation owner or manager, or senior member of our staff), you or any member of your party behaves in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party or damage to property, we reserve the right within our reasonable discretion and without prior notice, to terminate the holiday of the person(s) concerned. In this situation, the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation or other service. We will have no further responsibility toward such person(s) including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.

12 DEALING WITH PROBLEMS

If you have a complaint
If a problem arises you should report it as quickly as possible to our Representative or Agent and the Supplier in question so that efforts can be made to rectify it to your satisfaction. Our Representative or Emergency Contact can deal with most problems on the spot, so please do not wait until you get home before reporting a problem. If we are unable to resolve matters the Party Leader must write to our Head Office within 28 days of return, explaining the problem fully. If you do not follow this simple complaints procedure your right to claim the compensation you may otherwise have been entitled to may be affected or even lost as a result. We undertake to acknowledge receipt of your letter within 14 days and within 28 days to send you a full reply or an explanation for the delay. In any event we undertake to send you a full reply within 56 days.
Arbitration
Disputes arising out of or in connection with this contract which cannot be amicably settled may be referred to Arbitration, if the customer so wishes, under a special scheme arranged by the Association of British Travel Agents, and administered independently by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators provides for a simple and inexpensive method of arbitration on documents alone with restricted liability on the customer in respect of costs. Full details will be provided on request or can be obtained from the ABTA, 68-71 Newman Street, W1T 3AH (www.abta.com). The Scheme does not apply to claims for an amount greater than £5,000 per person. There is also a limit of £25,000 per booking form. Neither does it apply to claims which are solely in respect of physical injury or illness or their consequences. The Scheme can however deal with compensation claims which include an element of minor injury or illness subject to a limit of £1,000 on the amount the Arbitrator can award per person in respect of this element. The Application for Arbitration and the statement of claim must be received by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators within 9 months of the date of return from the holiday. Outside this time limit, arbitration under the Scheme may still be available if we agree, but the ABTA Code does not require such agreement.

13 LIABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY

We promise to make sure that all parts of the holiday we have agreed to arrange as part of our contract are provided to a reasonable standard and in accordance with that contract. We also accept responsibility for what our employees, agents and suppliers do or do not do providing they were at the time acting within the scope of their employment. Please note that we will not be liable for any injury, illness or death or consequent losses suffered by you or any member of your party unless you are able to prove that such injury or illness or death was caused by lack of reasonable care and skill on the part of ourselves or our suppliers in the performance of our obligations under our contract with you. And in all claims of whatever nature we will not be liable where the alleged loss or damage results from any of the following;
1. the fault of the person(s) affected or any member(s) of their party or
2. the fault of a third party not connected with the provision of your holiday which we could not have predicted or avoided or
3. an event or circumstances which we or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not have predicted or avoided even after taking all reasonable care (see clause 9).
4. the fault of anyone who was not carrying out work for us (generally or in particular) at the time.
  In addition, we will not be responsible where you do not enjoy your holiday or suffer any problems because of a reason you did not tell us about when you booked your holiday or where any problems you suffer did not result from any breach of our contract or other fault of ourselves or, where we were responsible for them, our suppliers or agents or where any losses, expenses, costs or other sum you have suffered relate to any business.
  Please note, we cannot accept responsibility for any services which do not form part of our contract. This includes, for example, any additional services or facilities which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you where the services or facilities are not advertised in our brochure and we have not agreed to arrange them.
The promises we make to you about the services we have agreed to provide or arrange as part of our contract - and the laws and regulations of the country in which your claim or complaint occurred - will be used as the basis for deciding whether the services in question had been properly provided. If the particular services which gave rise to the claim or complaint complied with local laws and regulations applicable to those services at the time, the services will be treated as having been properly provided. This will be the case even if the services did not comply with the laws and regulations of the UK which would have applied had those services been provided in the UK. The exception to this is where the claim or complaint concerns the absence of a safety feature which might lead a reasonable holiday maker to refuse to take the holiday in question.
Where we are found liable for loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions (including money), the maximum amount we will have to pay you is limited to the excess amount payable under the insurance policy we offer per person affected. You are assumed to have taken out adequate insurance at the time of booking. Please also see clause 13(4) below.
Where any claim or part of a claim concerns or is based on any travel arrangements (including the process of getting on and off the transport concerned) provided by any air, sea, rail or road carrier or any stay in a hotel, the maximum amount of compensation we will have to pay you will be limited. In respect of travel by air, sea and rail, 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 accommodation arrangements). You can ask copies of these Conventions from our offices.
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.
You must provide ourselves and our insurers with all assistance we may reasonably require. You must also tell us and the supplier concerned about your claim or complaint as set out in clause 12(a) above. If asked to do so, you must transfer to us or our insurers any rights you have against the supplier or whoever else is responsible for your claim or complaint (if the person concerned is under 18, their parent or guardian must do so). You must also agree to cooperate fully with us and our insurers if we or our insurers want to enforce any rights which are transferred.
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. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions (see clause 13 (4) Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from ourselves or the supplier concerned.
Should you or any member of your party have the misfortune to suffer illness, injury or death through misadventure during your holiday arising out of an activity which does nor form part of the arrangements made by us, nor an excursion purchased through us, we shall, where appropriate and at our discretion give you every help we can by way of assistance (which may include help with initial legal costs associated with bringing a claim against a third party) up to a total cost to ourselves of £5,000 per booking form, provided that such assistance is requested within 90 days of the misadventure. In the event of there being a successful claim for costs against a third party or a suitable insurance policy in force, we will however be entitled to recoup from you the costs we actually incur.

14 SAFETY STANDARDS

Please note: The requirements and standards of the country in which services are provided apply and not those of the UK. These requirements and standards will not be the same as the UK and may sometimes be lower.

15 ITINERARY CHANGES AND FLIGHT TIMINGS

Whilst we take care to ensure that all timings on our itineraries are accurate, we cannot guarantee them as they are subject to local weather and traffic conditions which can cause delays. The flight timings given on booking are for general guidance only and are subject to change. The latest timings will be shown on your confirmation invoice. However, the actual flight times will be those shown on your tickets which will be despatched to you approximately two weeks before departure. You must accordingly check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. It is possible that flight times may be changed even after tickets have been despatched - we will contact you as soon as possible if this occurs. We are not always in a position to confirm the airline, aircraft type and airport of destination which will be used in connection with any flight included in your holiday. When this information is provided at the time of booking or subsequently, it is subject to change. Any such change will not entitle you to cancel or change to other arrangements without paying our normal charges.

16 DATA PROTECTION

(For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998 and ABTA Code of Conduct 2000) For the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998, we, Equity Travel (also t/a Schoolski) are a data controller. In order to process your booking, we need to collect certain personal details from you. These details will include, where applicable, the names and addresses of party members, credit/debit card or other payment details, and special requirements (including some sensitive data, as defined by the Act), such as those relating to any disability or medical condition which may affect the chosen holiday arrangements and any dietary restrictions which may disclose your religious beliefs. If we need any other personal details, we will tell you before we obtain them from you.

We need to pass on your personal details to the companies and organisations who need to know them so that your holiday can be provided (for example your airline, hotel, other supplier, credit/debit card company or bank). Such companies and organisations may be outside the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein if your holiday is to take place or involves suppliers outside these countries. We would also like to use your personal details to send you information concerning the holidays and services we offer. All details you give us in connection with your booking (including those relating to any disability or medical condition or your religious beliefs (sensitive data), will be kept by us but we will only use names and addresses for marketing. Occasionally, we may sell and or share clients' names and addresses (but not sensitive data- see above) to other companies or organisations who offer goods or services which we feel may interest you. We will ask you for your consent first before doing this.

Except where expressly permitted by the Data Protection Act, we will only deal with the personal details you give us as set out above unless you agree otherwise. We have appropriate security measures in place to protect this information.

You are generally entitled to ask us (by letter or e-mail) what details of yours are being held or processed, for what purpose and to whom they may be or have been disclosed. We will charge a fee to respond to such a request. We promise to respond to your request within 40 days of receiving your written request and fee. In certain limited circumstances we are entitled to refuse your request.

17 FREE PLACES AND OTHER OFFERS

Free places and other offers such as free coach travel to the airport (where applicable to your holiday) are subject to the minimum numbers stated in the brochure. Free places are guaranteed only after final payment has been received by Equity. Please also see How to Book.

18 Clause A Terms Of Payment And Deposits

School Ski

You should send an Initial Deposit of £75 per paying member at the time of booking (or full payment if booking 10 weeks or less before departure ("late bookings").
Not later than 10 weeks after receipt of Initial Deposits we must receive a Second Deposit of £85 per paying member.
At least 16 weeks before departure we will send you Final Details Forms which you must complete and return no later than 14 weeks before departure.
An invoice for the balance due will be sent 12 weeks before departure.
If we do not receive all payments due to it in full and on time, we reserve the right, at our discretion, to treat your booking as cancelled by you (in which case the cancellation charges set out in table B will be
Tickets are usually dispatched around 2 weeks before departure.

Table B

CANCELLATION CHARGES (please refer to Clause 8 above)

Equity School Ski

Period before departure	Cancellation charge
More than 70 days before departure	Deposits only
70-35 days before departure	65%
34-15 days before departure	75%
14-8 day before departure	90%
7 or less days before departure	100%

Table C

COMPENSATION (please refer to clause 9 above)

Equity School Ski

Period before departure significant change is notified to you or your travel agent	Compensation per person excluding infants or cancellation
More than 70 days	Nil
70-35 days	£10
34-15 days	£15
14 days or less	£25

Table D

HOW OUR PRICES ARE CALCULATED
The prices shown in our brochure were calculated on 17/01/07 on the basis of then known costs and exchange rates of UK £1. Euro 1.5237, Swiss Franc 2.4637, US$ 1.9762.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
We hope that the following information answers your queries but do feel free to telephone us from 9am to 5:15pm Mon-Fri. Out of office hours, you can fax, email or leave a message on our answering machine. Please read the following information in conjunction with our Booking Conditions.

ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation is inspected regularly to ensure our high standards are maintained. "Hotel" is a generic term that and may include gasthofs, pension, or other category. We also use apartments and chalets.
Facilities - Many hotels make a charge for saunas, swimming pools, nightclub and other facilities.
Beds - These are almost always singles but doubles can be provided in some hotels on request. (Please refer to our Special Requests section in our Booking Conditions). Bunks may be used in multi-bedded accommodation.
Damages - these must be paid to the hotelier by the person(s) responsible or by the Party Leader without exception. If it is impossible to allocate the costs to an individual member, then the whole group must pay them. We will do our best to effect an amicable settlement but under no circumstances will Equity provide funds or accept responsibility. For Equity-run hotels and apartments, a security deposit or credit card imprint may be payable by you on arrival which is redeemable in full on departure if there have been no damages.
Fire Drill - We or the Hotel management may operate a fire drill or briefing during the course of your stay. We ask for your cooperation in this procedure.
Food and Drink - Unless you have booked self catering accommodation, it is forbidden to consume food and drink on the hotel premises that has not been purchased from the hotel. This is discourteous to the hotelier and may be a breach of local regulations. Hotels may only be licensed only for food and drink stored on the premises Hot Water - There is usually no problem with hot water supplies.
Hot Water - There is usually no problem with hot water supplies. Occasionally however, at periods of peak demand there may be a temporary shortage. We ask for your patience please.
Room service - In hotels and chalets a thorough cleaning is done and linen is changed once a week on changeover day and thereafter rooms are tidied and rubbish is collected daily. In some hotels, usually those with a rating of 3 stars or above, cleaning may occur more often, but this depends on local policy. Towels and soap are provided in hotels but not in apartments. We recommend that each party member takes their own. In emergency, they may also be needed en-route. Some continental hotels provide thin towels not the thick type usually provided in the UK.
Room supplements - The prices charged reflect only the real cost to us.
Apartments may be costed on multi-occupancy so supplements will be chargeable for under-occupancy. Single rooms are more expensive because one occupant pays the entire heating and service costs. Hotels have very few single rooms and they are often located in the least attractive parts of the hotel. Regrettably, we have no control over this. Twin or double supplements may still be payable even if the doesn't contain 2 beds or more. Sometimes, particularly in Austria, 2 single beds are pushed together and share the same headboard but have separate mattresses and duvets. The prices we show for single rooms are estimates only. There may only be one or two single rooms in an entire hotel so when twin rooms are used for one occupant the price will be higher than that shown.

Brochure and Prices Accuracy
We reserve the right to make changes and correct errors in advertised prices at any time before your holiday is confirmed. We will advise you of any error of which we are aware of and the applicable price at the time of your booking. Please therefore ensure that you check any important details with us at the time of booking. Please also ensure that you receive confirmation of these in writing. Some photography in the brochure may be used to convey a general atmosphere and may not represent any particular resort.

Coaches
It is unfortunately not yet possible to guarantee that video recorders, microphones and radios will cope with the vibration so please bear with the driver if there are problems. Coach WCs are designed for emergency use only and need to be emptied regularly. We strongly recommend using the facilities at refreshment stops. Seat belts are not yet EU law, so your transfer/continental coach may not have these fitted.

Departure times
We recommend a half hour check-in time for coach departures and a 3 hour check-in for flight departures due to additional security checks.

Disabled passengers
We are not specialists in catering for the disabled or those with special needs although we will try to accommodate such bookings where possible. Please contact our office for advice before booking. You should also refer to our Special Requests section in our Booking Conditions.

Extra Charges in Resort
Extra expenses incurred in resort must be settled as they arise. Please see "What Your Price Includes" and "meals" below.

Facilities
We have done our best to ensure that our brochure is true and accurate at press date but please bear in mind that things can change. Owners or suppliers of facilities may wish to make repairs, and at certain times of the year or in certain types of weather, facilities may close down or become temporarily unavailable without our knowledge. We are therefore unable to accept responsibility for this. Should we become aware of any changes which in our opinion would significantly affect your enjoyment, we will do our best to advise you.

Insurance
We believe the travel insurance policy we offer is one of the best available. In the unfortunate event of a claim our suppliers in resort are familiar with our policy and procedures, which makes for a smoother operation at a stressful time. You must however check that our policy provides sufficient cover for your particular needs. Please see the Summary of Cover in this brochure and Price Information.

Meals
For details of the meal plan included in the cost of your holiday, please see "What's Included" in our Prices section. Our prices are based on continental breakfast (rolls, preserves, tea or coffee) but some hotels provide buffet breakfast with cold meats, cheese and cereals. Eggs or English breakfast may be available at a supplement. Vegetarianism is not so well understood abroad and strict vegetarians may have problems. We are sorry about this and we are doing what we can. Equity-run hotels always offer a vegetarian option and on request we can prepare special meals.

Hotels with buffet catering often offer vegetable dishes. If you need special meals for medical or religious reasons, we can usually cope but do please let us know in advance so that we can inform the hotel and airline. We cannot cater for strict Kosher, Muslim or Vegan diets. Please advise us in writing at the time of booking of any dietary or medical conditions.
Please see also see the Special Requests section in our Booking Conditions.

Passports, Visas and E111 Form
It is your responsibility to ensure that you and your group are in possession of all necessary travel and health documents and you must pay all costs incurred in obtaining these. We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused access to any transport or entry into any country due to the failure on your part to carry correct documentation. Non British Citizens or holders of no British Passports must seek advice from the relevant consulate or embassy to or through which they are intending to travel. You will be responsible for any financial penalties imposed on us resulting from your failure to obtain correct documentation. British Citizens require a full, valid 5 or 10 year British Passport which presently takes approximately 2 weeks to obtain. All travellers, including children and babies if not included on accompanying parents' passport, must have a full passport and any necessary visas. Currently British Citizens do not require visas for destinations in this brochure but requirements may change and you must check the up-to-date position in good time before departure. If you are 16 or over and haven't yet got a passport, our recommendation is that you should apply for one at least six weeks before your holiday. The UK Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and from October 2006 will ask you to attend an interview in order to do this.

Information on health is contained in the Department of Health leaflet T6 (Health Advice for Travellers) available from your local Department of Health office and most Post Offices. At the time of going to press, there were no mandatory health requirements for destinations featured in this brochure but we advise you to check with your doctor for the latest information. For European travel you should obtain a completed and issued European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) prior to departure. The EHIC entitles you to the reciprocal health scheme whereby all EU nationals can receive a certain amount of free, reciprocal medical treatment. An EHIC is not a substitute for travel insurance but we strongly recommend you obtain one. (Not valid in the USA or Canada). The EHIC replaces the old E111 form. To obtain your new EHIC you can either 1.apply online at www.dh.gov.uk (your card will be delivered in within 7 days) 2.Call the EHIC Applications Line on 0845 606 2030 (your card will be delivered in within 10 days) or 3. by picking up an EHIC application pack from your local Post Office (your card will be delivered in within 21 days).

Payments
Please ensure all payments are made in accordance with our How to Book section and Clause A in our Booking Conditions. Cheques should be made payable to Equity Limited. We can also accept payment by credit card (Mastercard, American Express, Visa) but a 2% charge is payable. For direct debit cards (Switch or Delta) there is no charge.

Resorts
No resort appears in our brochure without very careful consideration as to its suitability for our clients. Our descriptions are designed to help you choose the right resort for you and your group. We do not assume however that every resort will suit everybody so please do discuss your requirements with us so that we can help.

Safety First
Our prime concern is always to provide enjoyment within a framework of safety. In the event of an accident, our staff will ensure that the injured person receives the fullest assistance. Please contact us immediately, either in resort or at our Brighton office. Our insurance policy automatically covers our clients for personal accident, medical and emergency repatriation expenses, but we strongly recommend that you also obtain the EHIC card mentioned above.

Standards abroad
Many things will be different to those you may be used to in the UK. Local service suppliers and hotels comply with their own customs and regulations, which are often different to the UK, and we request consideration of these differences.

Tickets
Final travel details and tickets will be sent to you about two weeks before departure. Please check carefully as information and timings can sometimes change. Please note: the name on the flight ticket and the passport must be the same. If, for example, the passport is in the maiden name and the ticket is in the married name, check-in will be refused and a scheduled airline will apply full cancellation charges, which are not recoverable. You will be responsible for all costs and expenses we, and/or you, incur as a result of any disparity. Please also see our Booking Conditions.

Timings and delay
This clause only applies to charter flights. For ski courses involving scheduled flights or low cost flights any arrangements provided in the event of flight delay are only provided at the sole discretion of the airline concerned. We publish many months before final schedules are available so timings may change but we will do our best to adhere to any preferences you may have. It is unfortunately impossible to guarantee that services will run to time because of bad weather or other problems beyond our control. In the event of a lengthy delay we will endeavour to provide the following catering: over 4 hour delay - light refreshments; over 6 hours - main meal.

To avoid further delays we do not provide catering when departure is imminent. Alternatively, we can, at our discretion, make interim arrangements for accommodation and food, whilst you continue to wait for the delayed departure of the service. If you are insured on our policy, and your outward departure is delayed for more than 12 hours due to strike, industrial action, adverse weather conditions or mechanical breakdown, you are entitled to cancel and receive a full refund less the insurance premium and policy excess.

AIR CARRIER LIABILITY
Air carrier liability for passengers and their baggage This information notice summarises the liability rules applied by Community air carriers as required by Community legislation and the Montreal Convention. Compensation in the case of death or injury There are no financial limits to the liability for passenger injury or death. For damages up to 100000 SDRs (approximately £80,000) the air carrier cannot contest claims for compensation. Above that amount, the air carrier can defend itself against a claim by proving that it was not negligent or otherwise at fault.

Advance Payments
If a passenger is killed or injured, the air carrier must make an advance payment, to cover immediate economic needs, within 15 days from the identification of the person entitled to compensation. In the event of death, this advance payment shall not be less than 16000 SDRs (approximately £13,000).

Passenger Delays
In case of passenger delay, the air carrier is liable for damage unless it took all reasonable measures to avoid the damage or it was impossible to take such measures. The liability for passenger delay is limited to 4150 SDRs (approximately £3,300).

Baggage Delays
In case of baggage delay, the air carrier is liable for damage unless it took all reasonable measures to avoid the damage or it was impossible to take such measures. The liability for baggage delay is limited to 1000 SDRs (approximately £800).

Destruction, Loss or Damage to Baggage
The air carrier is liable for destruction, loss or damage to baggage up to 1000 SDRs (approximately £800) In the case of checked baggage, it is liable even if not at fault, unless the baggage was defective. In the case of unchecked baggage, the carrier is liable only if at fault.

Higher Limits for Baggage
A passenger can benefit from a higher liability limit by making a special declaration at the latest at check-in and by paying a supplementary fee.

Complaints on Baggage
If the baggage is damaged, delayed, lost or destroyed, the passenger must write and complain to the air carrier as soon as possible. In the case of damage to checked baggage, the passenger must write and complain within seven days, and in the case of delay within 21 days, in both cases from the date on which the baggage was placed at the passenger's disposal.

Basis for the Information
The basis for the rules described above is the Montreal Convention of 28 May 1999, which is implemented in the Community by Regulation (EC) No 2027/97 (as amended by Regulation (EC) No 889/2002) and national legislation of the Member States."

VAT
All prices include the VAT element due under the Tour Operator's Margin Scheme. This is paid over by the company to HM Customs and Excise but is non-reclaimable by the client. The invoice supplied to you therefore, will not be a VAT invoice.

Written Requests
Please refer to the "Special Request" section of our booking conditions.

Arrival in Resort
If your travel arrangements mean you arrive in resort early morning your rooms may not be fully prepared for you. We suggest you take lunch or explore your resort in the meantime. We arrange ski fit shortly after arrival.

Behaviour
In the interests of all our guests, Party Leaders must ensure the good conduct of their party at all times. In particular, the party should be quiet by 11pm. The use of alcohol and tobacco must be strictly controlled. Please refer to our Booking Conditions for further detail.

Passports and Visa's
It is the Party Leader's responsibility to ensure that all members of their party have a valid passport and/or a visa when applicable. All British Citizens (including children and infants) require a full British passport to travel. If you or any member of your party is not a British citizen or holds a non British passport, you must check passport and visa requirements with the Embassy or Consulate of the country(ies) to or through which you are intending to travel. A collective passport can be used for the majority of European countries. An application form can be obtained from the Passport Office. The cost of the collective passport is not included in the tour price. We cannot accept responsibility for any cost or fines incurred due to non-compliance with the above nor can we accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transport or into any country due to failure on your part to carry correct documentation.

Creche and Kindergarten
These services must be booked direct with the supplier of the crèche and kindergarten and paid for in resort. These services do not form part of your contract with us. Where possible, we will provide information on these services to assist you. This information is provided by the supplier of the crèche or kindergarten in question and we cannot accept responsible for its accuracy. The information often changes pre-season so please enquire for the up to date position. Some resorts and hotels operate mini-clubs, which are designed to entertain infants while adults ski. Some resorts operate ski kindergartens where infants and children are taught to ski in a controlled environment with special teachers. This is not conventional ski school and is at extra cost.

Ski passes
We go to press many months before some lift companies are prepared to confirm their prices for the following season. We will not increase the price if we estimate too low but if the lift company build new lifts, thereby improving significantly the ski system described in the brochure, this is an extra service which is not included in our prices and a supplement may be added.
Hands-free magnetic ski passes are becoming increasingly prevalent and allow skiers to be processed quicker through an automated system. There is usually a €5 deposit payable which is returned at the end of the week.

Diabetics
School ski courses are exciting, energy-consuming and fun for everybody, including diabetics but we thought a word of caution may be in order, especially for first timers who may never have been away from home before. It's even more important for diabetics to remember to eat, sleep and drink regularly enough and to take any prescribed medication to avoid hyperglycaemia and other problems.

Ski Passes
We go to press many months before some lift companies are prepared to confirm their prices for the following season. We will not increase the price if we estimate too low but if the lift company build new lifts, thereby improving significantly the ski system described in the brochure, this is an extra service which is not included in our prices and a supplement may be added. Hands-free magnetic ski passes are becoming increasingly prevalent and allow skiers to be processed quicker through an automated system. There is usually a €5 deposit payable which is returned at the end of the week.

Multi-bedded rooms
Rooming is arranged in 2,3,4,5 or 6 bedded rooms in single and bunk beds. To keep prices affordable, we cost on full occupancy and accompanying adults will be expected to share rooms.

Piste Maps
Piste maps can only be taken as a guide. Sometimes resorts do not specify lifts or grades of runs and may not show blue and green runs separately. We are happy to supply official resort piste maps on request.

Pocket Money and Currency
It is advisable to carry small amounts of currency for expenses en-route. Spending money may be kept to a minimum because so much is included in the price. We suggest about £10 per child per day. Some party leaders like to set up a banking service. Sterling travellers cheques provide security for large sums.

Rooming Lists
We will try to provide an accurate rooming list for your group before departure but please note that this is subject to change by the hotelier. We have no control over this and they may be only received by us at the last minute.

Ski Facilities
We do not own or operate ski lifts or winter sports facilities and from time, ski lifts, toboggan runs, ice rinks and other facilities may close down or become temporarily unavailable, often without our knowledge. We are therefore unable to accept responsibility if these are withdrawn.

Ski Insurance
Our ski insurance policy is amongst the best available on the ski market. Some policies exclude skiing and other sports, some have large excesses, some exclude medical bills. Please check if you have alternative cover. Please also check that our policy provides sufficient cover for you particular requirements.

Ski Pass Photos
We are not always able to tell you which resorts require ski pass photos, and the information changes periodically, so we recommend you obtain these in advance from a UK photo booth because photographs in resort are expensive. You can keep any spares for future ski holidays.

Ski Schools
Ski school is based on an average of 12 children per class, and does not include supervisory adults. Extra 6 x 2 hour lessons can be provided at the supplement in the price list. Ski schools are reluctant to allow young children to join adult ski classes because different teaching techniques are required. The age limit for children in adult classes varies but is usually from age 7 in Italy, and 12 in Austria and France.

Snow Guarantee
We select our resorts with great care, paying particular attention to the snow record. Many resorts have snow cannons and access to glaciers. It is the responsibility of the local ski school to decide if conditions become unsuitable for skiing. Should this occur, we will do our best to get you to snow, within, and sometimes in excess of, the conditions of our insurance policy.

Teacher's role
We hope teachers will derive as much enjoyment and satisfaction from the ski course as the pupils. We encourage teachers to participate fully in the daily programme to help develop the rapport with ski school and other resort personnel. Party leaders are responsible for supervising pupils out of lesson times and have a general overall responsibility in loco parentis for the pupils. We suggest you ask for a letter of consent from parents/guardians if older children are to be granted free time out of the immediate supervision of the teachers. Supervision is easier if children are organised in groups of 10 with 1 member of staff to each group.

Resort representatives
There may be occasions when your rep is not resident in resort. Don't worry, we are always contactable immediately by phone, and our reps will see you during the week to provide our usual excellent service. Equity resort representatives are not employed to sell you extras. Ski passes, equipment hire and ski school are included in your price so your rep is free to help you have a good time. They will suggest après ski events and so on but there is absolutely no pressure to participate. We have, on your behalf, negotiated prices based on our high volumes, so Equity clients always benefit from the best prices available.

19 Tips for Children

You may find the following useful if you intend producing a list of useful tips for the children.

Continental traffic comes from the left so be very careful to LOOK BOTH WAYS. Do not walk into the road after checking right only. Oncoming vehicles will come from the left.
Listen carefully to instructions and ask for clarification if necessary.
Make sure you keep appointments to meet up with the group at the correct time and place.
No smoking, or drinking alcohol without the express permission of a teacher.
Follow all instructions from teachers and those in authority. Failure to do so may endanger yourself and others. Never act recklessly or you may cause an accident.
Report any injuries or illnesses immediately to your teachers who will provide first aid or arrange medical attention.
Do not stray or wander away from your group.
Do not go swimming without permission.
At refreshment stops, stay close to the party leaders and do not wander around the car park or near the road.
On the ferry, listen to safety instructions and never visit outside decks without permission. Take note of where staff will be seated throughout the voyage and of agreed meeting places. Stay in groups of 3 or 4. Staff will take turns to make regular tours of the ferry.
Respect the hotel rules and be polite to each other and other visitors. Keep noise down especially after 11 pm. Do not run along corridors and round blind corners. Do not socialise in bedrooms; a lounge is available.
Do not use bad language. This gives a bad impression of your school and of British students. Most people understand English.
Luggage should be restricted to one medium sized suitcase and one small bag for hand luggage.
Do not overpack. Apart from a camera, do not bring valuables and jewellery. Comfortable and loose fitting clothes are best. Label your luggage.
Always have with you the hotel telephone no. and any emergency contacts numbers.
Never explore on your own.
Know the fire drills.
CHECKLIST: Personal medication, travel sickness pills, inhalers, suncream, sunglasses, lip salve, ski hat, gloves, ski suit, snowboots or shoes, camera and film, swimming costume, toiletries, night clothes, tracksuit, jumper.
For the journey: games, puzzles and books, personal
stereo, suitable video film
Daily check: Any medication, sunglasses, lift pass, ski hat,
gloves, suncream, camera and film, money, packed lunch.

Terms and Conditions

Booking Conditions

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