Italian citizens who had planned a trip to Spain and Portugal for the bridge of May 1st can cancel their departures without incurring penalties and requesting the complete refund of what already paid to travel agencies, tour operators, accommodation facilities and airlines. This is the position of Codacons in response to the emergency situation that is being occurred in the two countries.
The current situation sees a transport paralysis in Spain, with completely stopped trains and subway, while airports face serious difficulties with flights subject to significant delays. Telephone communications are interrupted and numerous businesses are closing across the country. Similar inconveniences are also recorded in Portugal, where the transport system is suffering similar problems.
This emergency is creating considerable difficulties for thousands of Italians who had planned to leave in these hours to spend a few days of vacation in the Iberian peninsula and who are now in uncertainty on how to manage the situation.
The president of Codacons, Carlo Rienzi, explains:
“The exceptional nature of the story and the implications on the safety and transport front legitimize the right of travelers to renounce departures without paying any criminal.”
This is because the very purpose of the travel contract is lost, since there is no longer the guarantee that the services purchased (planes, trains, hotels, excursions, guided tours, etc.) can actually be used.
For these reasons, until the complete return to normal, all Italian citizens who have purchased travels to Spain and Portugal to be carried out in these days can give up departures obtaining the full refund of what was paid, or evaluate with agencies and tour operators alternative destinations.
