Parents ask for government intervention after agency refuses to cancel finalist trips

Parents of some 10,000 students who paid for finalists’ trips to Spain on Tuesday asked the Government to intervene after the XTravel agency refused to cancel the displacement, following the Covid-19 epidemic.

In an open letter addressed to the Minister of Health, the Minister of Education and the Director-General of Health, the subscribers say that XTravel issued this Tuesday a statement in which “it refuses to cancel the finalist trip / Festival Village (FV2020)” to Punta Umbría, between March 28 and April 3, “where approximately ten thousand students enrolled who paid 475 euros for the trip and another 120 [euros] for a concert ticket “.

“In view of the concerns of the parents who requested the cancellation of the trip, the agency refuses to assume this responsibility and responds with a proposal, with four hypotheses, none of which contemplating the return of the monies already paid by the students”, reads in the published letter, at 7 pm, on the social network Facebook, counting, at 11 pm, with over a thousand comments.

In a statement posted on Facebook that triggered the reaction of parents, the travel agency recalls that “there are contractual links that link Xtravel with event organizers and, in turn, with hotel, transport, production, artist service providers. , among others, and which aim and aim to guarantee responsible production of the FV2020 “.

XTravel adds that “it is not unaware of the conditions surrounding the health of its customers and the inherent risks, prioritizing above all its safety and well-being”, but asks all customers to express, as of 10 am Wednesday, through the access to the client area, which option is the desired of the four provided.

The options are participation in the trip, according to the contract, between March 28 to April 3, 2020, participation in the event, but in December of this year (December 16 to 22), or the cancellation of the registration through a refund of 30% of the amount already paid, for customers who have paid the entire travel package within the established deadlines.

The fourth option is to cancel the registration with a credit corresponding to 50% of the amount already paid, for customers who have paid the entire travel package, within the established deadlines, for use in other Xtravel products, such as trips to other destinations , excluding and editing the FV2021.

The travel agency stresses that customers who do not comment until 23.59 hours on Thursday (March 12) “lose the right to change, thus remaining in the contractual condition they were in at the time”.

“These gentlemen, shielding themselves that the Government has not closed borders or banned travel, refuse to fulfill their obligation to their parents and, above all, their civic duty towards a world facing a pandemic”, says the open letter from parents.

“In view of the seriousness of this situation, we, the parents, call for a clear position on the part of the Government and health authorities of this country, refusing to be held hostage to the economic interests of a non-civic agency and admitting to proceed with collective action in court”, reads.

On February 27, the Prime Minister stated that it is necessary to act without “unnecessary panics” in the issue of the new coronavirus, he said that, at that moment, there was no need to close borders or schools, but he advised against student trips at Easter time .

“There is an international coordination that has been adopted identifying what are the good practices and what each country should do and that is how we must act, without unnecessary panics, but also without the unconsciousness of not realizing that there is obviously a risk” , said António Costa.

“Are health authorities going to allow a concentration of ten thousand students, divided into rooms of three and four people? Is the Ministry of Health going to allow a travel agency to carry out an event that could translate into thousands of infected students or , at least, in quarantine? Can the health authorities ask the Portuguese every day for containment measures and agree with this trip, in the middle of an epidemic outbreak? “, ask the parents in the letter.

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