Thank you for engaging with uTravelSA in order to make your travel dreams a true reality. As with all things, there is some house cleaning we need to clear in order for you to have the best and safest travelling experience.
The following TERMS AND CONDITIONS are very important and must be read before confirming your itinerary to ensure that we have met our undertaking to you. Please ensure that you have READ and UNDERSTOOD the below completely and should you have any questions or queries, please contact your consultant to get clarity. Additionally, your consultant will email you the Terms and Conditions electronically in order to for you to accept them.
uTravelSA
References to, “us”, “we” or “our” in these booking terms will mean uTravelSA (Pty) Ltd registration number 2022/406320/07
uTravelSA Website and Bookings
Offers stated on our website can be removed or are subject to change and time
It is best to book as early as possible as all prices quoted are subject to availability and rate of exchange at the time of booking.
The terms and conditions should be read and understood prior to booking your travel, and will be binding on you as soon as they have been accepted by you and/or we have issued a confirmation invoice to you for the travel which you booked. Please retain a copy of the booking terms once your booking is placed.
Package prices included on the www.utravelsa.co.za website, are subject to availability and rate of exchange change. Our offers are a guide only and may vary depending on the departure date. Visas may be necessary, and insurance is strongly recommended.
Airfares have different validities and book by/travel dates, please ask us for more information. Pre-payable taxes are correct at the time of going to print and may vary. Taxes will increase if stops are made.
Travel Documents
PASSPORTS
Please ensure that you are in possession of a passport and that it is valid for a minimum of 6 months after your return date to South Africa. Temporary passports are no longer issued by Home Affairs. Please ask your consultant for more details.
For international travellers please check the rules of your country to ensure you are compliant when travelling.
UNABRIDGED BIRTH CERTIFICATE
New Immigration Regulations come into effect on 01 June 2015, one of which requires all children under 18 years of age to travel with their unabridged birth certificate or full birth certificate displaying both parents’ names. Please ensure you have applied for these well before your intended holiday.
VISAS
Please ensure all the necessary visa requirements have been met for all the countries you intend on visiting or transiting to during your travel.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Travel Insurance is essential to protect you and your family when you travel. It covers medical and personal expenses or loss, as well as any case of cancellation. We highly recommend purchasing insurance for all persons travelling.
CHECK THE NAMES ON THE TRAVEL ITINERARY
Please ensure that all names on your Travel Itinerary are spelt exactly the same as those on your passports or ID books (for domestic Travel. Once your tickets are issued, name changes are not allowed so please check this prior to paying for your booking.
Money Matters
PAYMENT OF YOUR BOOKING
All prices are quoted in South African Rand.
All quoted prices for flights and packages include our Standard Ticketing and Transaction fees as well as any administration fees. Please note: Cheque payments are not accepted.
We cannot be held liable for any increase to the quoted price, in the time it takes for payment of the booking to reflect in our account. If your booking is subject to a foreign exchange rate, the exchange rate on the day of the quotation provided to you will apply. Should the exchange rate have increased by the time that payment of your booking reflects in our account, such increase will be for your own account and payable in addition to the total price quoted.
All quotations are subject to availability from third-party service providers. Should the product range which you sought no longer be available, another product can be quoted for you, at an updated price.
Full payment is required at least 8 weeks prior to departure OR at the time of booking whichever is earliest and depending on the requirements of the third party suppliers. Please reconfirm your outstanding balance before you make payment as prices may have fluctuated with the rate of exchange.
All prices for bookings advertised by us are subject to availability and can be withdrawn or varied without notice to you. Advertised prices may be limited to specified dates.
If a booking price contains an inadvertent and obvious error, we are not bound by it and will be entitled to correct the error. If a pricing correction affects your pending order, we will offer you the opportunity to keep your booking at the correct price, or we will cancel your pending order without penalty. We are under no obligation to honour a misquote and may correct the pricing prior to payment being taken.
Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. We will not proceed with any booking until payment reflects in our account.
We accept the following methods of payment:
Electronic fund transfer (EFT). EFT are our means of payment. If you are paying by this method you will need to request account details from the consultant handling your booking and make the payment at least three business days prior to the actual due date for payment. You must notify the consultant of your payment once it has been made. We can only confirm your booking once the funds have been reflected in our bank account.
uTravelSA Banking Details:
FNB Account holder: uTravelSA (Pty) Ltd
Account Type: Gold Business Account
Account Number: 62943171786
Branch Code: 250655
Reference: Invoice Number
We will communicate with you at your chosen email address and will send you an invoice on a once-off basis in relation to a booking made. We will not be liable for any payment or damages suffered by you arising from a cybersecurity breach, and you will remain liable to make payment of any amounts due to us for your booking.
REFUND FEES
We will assist you to the best of our ability with obtaining any refunds which may be due or rebooking trips using future credits where applicable, for which we will charge a service fee. However, uTravelSA, including any penalties (changes or cancellation) imposed by the respective airlines/suppliers utilized in your booking.
DEPOSITS
All deposits are non-refundable. We reserve the right to cancel a booking should the required deposit not be received. Payment of a deposit does not guarantee the price quoted, this may be affected by rate of exchange fluctuations and other factors beyond our control.
CONTRACTS/AGREEMENTS
You and uTravelSA
We depend on the authority of the person making the booking to act on behalf of any other traveller forming part of the booking, who hereby confirms that he/she is authorized to do so and that he/she binds all such travellers to the bookings terms and third-party service provider agreement(s).
uTravelSA and Third-Party Providers
uTravelSA acts at all times as an agent, subagent or broker for various principals and other parties, inter alia; tour operators, airlines, shipping companies, car hire and touring firms, hotels and other providers of tours, transport, sea or land arrangements and other travel-related services. We act on behalf of these principals and are not responsible for acts of error or omission made by them or their agents.
You, uTravelSA and Third-Party Providers
When you book travel through us, you conclude with the provider of your travel service for which we act as agent (such as airlines, coach operators, transport tour operators, accommodation, hotels, shipping companies, car hire, visa suppliers, rail and cruise line operators, wholesalers and other providers of air, land, sea or any other travel arrangements, products or services) (third party service providers), who all have their own terms and conditions applicable to your travel (the third-party service provider agreement). When you accept these booking terms, you also accept and agree to be bound by the third-party service provider agreement. Your third party service provider will be identified on your quote or travel documents and their third-party service provider agreement(s) applicable to your booking will be available on their websites or can be obtained by contacting them or us. By booking travel with us or by signing or electronically accepting the booking terms, you will be deemed to have read, understood and agree to be bound by the booking terms as well as the applicable third-party service provider agreement(s).
Confirming travel & schedule changes
You should confirm scheduled travel times at least 24 (twenty-four) hours prior to departure by:
Here at uTravelSA, we want you to have a fun travelling experience, but more importantly a safe travelling experience. We will do as much as we can from our side, however, your health and safety are in your hands. It is your responsibility to check health requirements and recommended precautions relevant to your travel, including but not limited to ensuring that all necessary vaccination documentation is presented. We recommend that you consult your local doctor, travel medical service or specialist vaccination clinic before commencing travel. Most vaccinations need to be administered prior to travel to be considered effective.
uTravelSA shall not accept any responsibility for COVID-19 related requirements that are imposed by travel suppliers, airlines or governments, such as health affidavit forms, health screenings prior to departure or on arrival and/or COVID-19 tests.
We suggest that you contact the Department of Health as well as the South African COVID Portal for general travel advice as well as specific advice (including safety alert levels) relating to the destination you wish to visit. The websites for both these entities are listed below:
Department of Health: http://www.health.gov.za/
South African COVID Portal: https://sacoronavirus.co.za
In addition, you should familiarise yourself with airline requirements around passenger safety, including the requirement for face masks and the need to produce evidence meeting airline and border control requirements in relation to a negative COVID-19 test both for transit and final destination passengers. This information is subject to change without notice so we recommend you update yourself in relation to the relevant airline and government policies for your transit and final destination at each of:
The time of booking,
As you approach your travel date, and
Immediately before travelling.
You acknowledge that you are choosing to travel at a time when you may be exposed to COVID-19. It is your own responsibility to acquaint yourself with all relevant travel information, including applicable health risks. You acknowledge that your decision to travel is made based on your own consideration of this information, and you acknowledge and agree that you are aware of, and assume responsibility for, the risks associated with travelling at this time. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we accept no liability in relation to these additional risks.
We assume no responsibility in this regard and shall not be liable for any unsafe conditions or health hazards including pandemics or other illnesses in any manner whatsoever. You must review the latest health information provided by the World Health Organization before embarking on your journey to ensure that you have all the specific information relating to your specific trip.
It is your responsibility to check health requirements and recommended precautions relevant to your travel, including but not limited to ensuring that all necessary vaccination documentation is presented. We recommend that you consult your local doctor, travel medical service or specialist vaccination clinic before commencing travel. Most vaccinations need to be administered prior to travel to be considered effective.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERENCES
Seating, meals, bassinets, room location or any other special requests.
Special requirements and requests are not guaranteed by us and must be confirmed by the third-party service provider. We may submit special requests on your behalf, however, we are not responsible for confirming and/or guaranteeing these requests.
Your preferred choice of aircraft seating may be requested prior to your departure, however, the airline and/or third-party service provider reserves the right to amend your seating plan up until the time of departure. You may have to pay for priority seating prior to departure.
Your travel itinerary will indicate the luggage allowances for your trip. Some airlines or low-cost carriers include a zero luggage allowance and may charge a fee per bag. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with the luggage allowance requirements for your entire trip.
DUTY-FREE CUSTOMS ALLOWANCES
If you are planning on taking goods such as alcohol, cigarettes or perfumes on your trip, please request the Duty-Free allowance for your specific country of destination from your travel consultant.
ONLINE CHECK-IN
We highly recommend that you check-in online wherever possible, using the airline websites. This is usually available 24 hours before the departure time of your flight but please check with each airline.
CHECK-IN TIMES
uTravelSA recommends a check-in time of 3hours prior to departure for international flights and 2 hours check-in time for South African domestic flights. These are a guide only and may vary at any time due to security and other factors at the airport.
These booking terms and conditions were last updated on 1 April 2022