A family booked an overseas vacation from a travel agency and the travel agent noted that one of the passports was marked as invalid, but nevertheless, the vacation package was issued and upon landing in Turkey one of the family members was not allowed in because the passport was valid for less than 6 months.
The Court held that the travel agency should compensate the family. Israeli law requires a travel agency to pre-disclose in writing to purchasers of a vacation package full information on the services included in the package, including any information required in order to leave Israel and enter countries included in the vacation package, including the requirement for valid passports and the need for a visa. Here, the travel agency's general statement that the "passport is not valid" is not sufficient and neither is the general information published on the agency's website and therefore the travel agency was ordered to compensate the family.
Published in Afik News 294 23.10.2019