ef tours lawsuit
Presently she is trying to get refunds for trip because of the imposed restrictions that cannot be met. We had the insurance but they own that too. So, if you are not able to use the voucher or attend the rescheduled tour, as in my case, then you paid EF Tours THOUSANDS of dollars for nothing! One of the destinations was an Island called Tortuga. Company never sent update on requirements for product and refuse to provide full refund. After only 3 days on tour Israel kicked everyone out because of Covid. They saved $3800 a piece from babysitting, dog walking, plant watering! I cannot travel with EF Go Head Tours due to their restrictions. *$490 is the current cost for tours departing on or after October 1, 2023. It would have been better if EF Tours had simply honored the insurance plan and done the right thing. Why am I being charged a total of $550 in cancellation fees? Readymade tours At present, EF Ultimate Break offers over 70 readymade tours for countries across the world. So they offered vouchers that were only good for up to 18 monthsUP TO 18 MONTHS! classroom it brings education to life, unlocks new potential, and I was asked by our group leader to be a chaperone several days prior to leaving for our trip. From: Emilia Hovestadt I was told by the EF Tours representative that he could room with boys from other schools or upgrade (at an additional $90 per night!) Signed up in 2019 for a 2020 trip. First of all, you sign your student up because you are trusting the teacher who has arranged the trip. Payments made should be made to McGrane PC as trustee. EF was never concerned about her health or welfare and only accused her of being drunk so they could dodge any responsibility. I am a senior citizen and cannot afford that loss or afford to wait any further for the refund. . People are requiredLISTENrequired to purchase the Global Protection Plan. However, I was never allowed to speak with management. I am self employed so I had to send a letter stating that my business went under and this had created a hardship. (Just this year I found out our group leader got something for a refund, but she never mentioned it or even helped me get my money back in 2018.thanks for that.) I would like a refund, minus my travel protection plan please. Coverage for expenses due to trip delays (lodging, food, and other reasonable expenses plus limited reimbursement of unused, forfeited, prepaid non-refundable payments for travel arrangements). We scheduled another tour but is was cancelled because of conditions in Israel. I have requested my money back. Protection for your belongings [that] will likely be argued [by the EF Defendants] to amount to an effective pre-opt-out from any certified class, all without any warning on your clients part to members of the putative class that there is a class action pending that, under the CLRA, has the potential to result in substantial monetary fines being levied against your clients and in favor of the class well in excess of the arbitrary penalties your clients seek to impose on the putative class members, whether by way of worthless vouchers or cash discounts untethered to any reality. By using this website you agree to our Cookies Policy. Our 50,000+ staff and faculty members around the world provide a local presence and are able to react quickly and in person where necessary. ", UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 1:30 PM PDST April 23, 2020. Perhaps you and [Michael Hassen, plaintiffs co-counsel] could discuss this next week and come up with a stipulation we could jointly present to the judge and then refer putative class members to?. al. Tour # 2130465UX - London, Paris, and The Alps Still capitalizing from us by refusing to refund the total amount. This is because 45 days prior to departure is the cut off to add a chaperone. EFs Emergency Service & Support Team is available 24/7 to resolve any issue, from a missed flight to a lost passport to more serious on-tour incidents. About 3-4 months before our trip, and after we had already paid IN FULL, we were notified that because of our small group, our group leader had only signed 5 people up..hindsight tells me people saw what a rip off it was and didn't sign up to take it in the rear from EF. Pursuant toCalifornia Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.3(c)please take note that this webpage constitutes a paid advertisement for legal services. Its a joke. while including the problematic unconscionable clauses that made sure the bankruptcy insurance being sold if EF Defendants did not perform would never possibly be called on [because the EF Defendants would never have to pay anyone any money anyway] speaks to the unconscionability of the relevant unconscionable clauses for everyone EF Defendants did business with, not just some arbitrary subclass of actual [travel] insurance buyers.Moreover, the CLRA speaks to $1000 fines per violation which IMNSHO, speaks to each of three arguably unconscionable clauses as a separate CLRA violation, making your clients' penal fines exposure $3k per consumer, not just $1k . Desired outcome: I would love for someone from EF Tours to get back to me about my kid's flight home. I won't go into detail about our trip except to say our tour guide left half the group on several occasions, got us lost, left us in a hotel that's fire alarm system was going off in (our group leader also left us behind. He could no get us on flights home. al. -Sandra Joubarani. Sadly, this was not the case. Our people are your people. My family and I scheduled a tour with ef educational tours. Only the EF Go Ahead Tours allow alcohol for adult travelers. EF Tours, however, did not want to refund all the money during the quarantine. When I called about a refund for the extension being taken off I was told by customer service "They make the cost even out." And that wasn't even a full guarantee of a full refund. v. EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Inc., et. I also was being charged late fees even though I changed my payment plan. 2. He has an unexpected stopover in Munich and no One accompanies him as he Is out of the group In good faith, my daughter and I, despite the 2020 cancellation of our purchased tour, took the "voucher" route in order to secure a tour for 2021 so that we would not loose our investment. Coverage for baggage in cases of theft or delay. It was discovered by a parent who was monitoring the flight status. If you booked a trip like this as an adult, you would scream from the rooftops for a refund but since these are kids, apparently EF doesn't have to listen because there will be another crop of unsuspecting students waiting to go next year. Also out of all four excursions throughout the trip, THREE OF THEM WERE CANCELLED! Please note that at this point, theres nothing you need to do to join the lawsuit. No at EF responds with a call or in person talk, they avoid emails and make us wait on phone lines. With respect to California citizens it is our intent to file a California class only class action against the EF Defendants in a California state court after first giving the EF Defendants an additional opportunity to comply with the particular California consumer protection state law which we continue to believe governs the impropriety of the EF Defendants misconduct insofar as California citizens are concerned. I am out of $4,200.00, what is EF Tours out of??? Wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and will not be able to make this trip. Read those reviews. I am seeking a full refund, not a partial one. Hence the lawsuit (in CA 2020, look it up). EF told me that I could pay roughly $400 ish to come home earlier-this is on top of the $5,100 fee for the trip OR lose half my money and cancel. My mom is part of a tour departing for a 10 day trip to Europe. I called EF to try to stay behind with them or re-book, as this was a science expedition they saved for together as a an 8th grade graduation trip. EF will make every effort to accommodate revised tour requests. I sent the letter and will contact them again Monday to try and get answers. I am outraged and helpless. What I didn't understand was the fact that they also charged $155 for some type of insurance (which is not apart of their cancellation fees). According to the case, the defendants sold tours to public and private high school groups pursuant to a written contract of adhesion that contained what the complaint refers to as the No Public Health Emergency Cash Refund Clause. Under the clause, if an EF tour is canceled for public health issues or quarantine or threats of public health issues, the defendants will issue travel vouchers for the value of the money paid, excluding certain non-refundable fees, instead of providing cash refunds, the suit explains. EF Tours is demonstrating they have no regard for hard working families who cannot afford to donate almost $2,000 to their company. This plan includes Trip Interruption coverage. IS this the only forum about this place? Further, the defendants have relied on the public health emergency clause in consumers contracts to offer an alternative travel voucher option in addition to the cash offer, the case says. So, even the itinerary is a lie! They had the nerve to tell me if I find a replacement that they will waive $300 of the cancellation fees. 2022 . When you decide to travel with EF, we want you to feel secure in that decision. A copy of the demand letter can be viewed by visiting our UPDATES page. Coverage for baggage in cases of theft or delay. New cases and investigations, settlement deadlines, and news straight to your inbox. Travelers who had booked their program by redeeming a previously issued Future Travel Voucher may have different terms and options available to them based on the originally issued voucher terms. Please DO NOT add attachments that contain your or other peoples personal information, if you dont want it to be visible to the public. They are in trouble financially and that is ok with me!!! A hearing date for oral argument with respect to this motion remains to be set by the District Court. Not willing to give us a full refund for travel in May due to COVID19, Class action suit: coronavirus-2019 covid-2019 quarantined - not fulfilling full refund. So, no refund. This plan includes Trip Interruption coverage. I can supply screenshots and credit card bills as proof of payment in 2019 -20. Hands-on experiences and collaborations with experts in the field. There are so many good tour companies out there, you would be wasting valuable time and money booking with this one. 3. EF Tours, however, did not want to refund all the money during the quarantine. EF Tours is just horrible. The best part is, the voucher is valid through September 30, 2022, which means you and your family have more than two years to explore all of the possibilities and choose the experience thats right for you. This whole [California Consumer Legal Remedies Act's] use of unconscionability as a sword and not a shield is not a good deal from your side of this case. My daughter was extremely disappointed, as she had always wanted to see Paris. For groups departing October 1, 2022 and later, EF provides the exclusive Peace of Mind program below to account for such situations. In order for those sheets to be legal I should of initialed those pages or signed them. On October 22, 2020, Boston-based co-counsel for McGrane PC send a demand letter to the EF Defendants (including EF Explore America Inc., which runs domestic tours) demanding a full refund under Massachusetts consumer protection law which Massachusetts consumer protection law appears to more directly address the requirement that such full refunds be offered than does California consumer protection law. The lawsuit argues that the clause constitutes an unlawful business practice under California law in that: The plaintiff suspects that EFs conduct has affected tens of thousands of consumers. Please Never purchase anything from these scam artists. Plus you have more than two years to explore your possibilities. Would it possible to help US have Better solution? Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced Thursday her office has reached a settlement with EF tours that resulted in more than $1.4 million in additional refunds for nearly 4,200. Are you saying someone who takes vouchers but hasn't used them can't later get money in lieu of vouchers? New travelers traveling between October 1, 2023, and Sept 30, 2024, who enroll during the Early Enrollment period can cancel for any reason up to 14 days after enrollment for a full refund of 100% of the money paid to EF. If EF cannot accommodate a revised tour request and/or the group decides not to travel on the original tour, then the group may opt for future travel vouchers. Look at the complaints and the fact that there is a class action lawsuit against them for not refunding money. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 4:00 PM PDST SEPTEMBER 13, 2020. They also facilitate communication between travelers and families in the event of an emergency at home. Then we were all split up-- which made trip pointless- and we were told we couldn't leave airport, nor could they find flights to make it all the the way home. WE never want to travel with EF again and this is not acceptable. However, the problem has wider implications for your clients. It felt like a complete waste of time to travel and waste that many days. Get the latest on closing arguments in the Alex Murdaugh case, charges for a college football star and a settlement over photos taken after a helicopter crash site killed Kobe If a traveler needs to interrupt a tour due to serious injury or illness, this provides a benefit. Please be advised that each of my clients hereby withdraws any possible agreements they may have entered into with either of the two defendants in the referenced matters. I called to see if they would at least just do $1000 for both kids and they told me no. Plus, the staff in each office and school are trained to respond to a wide range of emergency situations. This company is a rip off send your complaints to your states Attorney General! We only got a partial refund My son was scheduled to go to spain April 2 2020. Read our Newswire Disclaimer. Is this your company? Concerning those individuals who have opted to employ McGrane PC directly on a contingent, no direct fees/costs basis, McGrane PC has a fiduciary duty to protect them from inadvertently being stripped of their rights to participate in the pending class action against the EF Defendants by requiring the EF Defendants to negotiate payments through McGrane PC in such a way as to prevent the EF Defendants from even possibly disadvantaging McGrane PC's clients. She was more worried about herself and her family I guess. Customer service is the WORST! to a single room. I asked for management and she stated there was no one I could speak with. A most unsatisfactory and life changing (m for the worse) experience. There are several hidden fees which totaled $1,300! EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Inc. EF Education First International, AG, New to ClassAction.org? opportunities for experiential learning. Coronavirus Tour Cancellations Spark Refund Lawsuit (1) . DO NOT USE EF Tours! UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 1:30 PM PDST April 21, 2020. NBC 5 Responds has received dozens of complaints from families who say EF Tours, a travel company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is charging them a cancellation fee to get their money. My daughter insisted on being signed up for her school trip in 2020. I booked a tour in 2022 to Greece through Girl Scouts of America for 2024. If any location(s) included in the groups itinerary is newly designated as a Travel Advisory Level 4 by the U.S. Department of State; or a U.S. federal or state governmental authority has newly imposed a travel ban to your destination, or newly issued an order requiring a self-quarantine for travelers in your group upon arrival to a location on your itinerary or upon return home from a location on your groups itinerary; your Group Leader or the individual traveler will have the same Peace of Mind options set forth above. Hence the lawsuit (in CA 2020, look it up). We wanted to go to Israel and 2 other countries. They are so many other excellent companies out there. Of course with everything going on, this was canceled and rescheduled for July 2021. My daughter's peers in Houston were sent home. They kept $700 of our hard earned money and refuse to return it. Paid full price with insurance.The trip coordinator was a personal friend Mary Pope. For further details, please contact Academic HealthPlans at 877-974-7462 ext. I want my 500 that was stolen from me. . While not happy with that amount I understood. Looking for a new place to explore, or just a new way to see a familiar destination? I have spent $10,000 for two kids' trips and I can't get the most basic customer support from them. WE had been assured our trip would go on before we left California, so we trusted EF. I also dont like My daughter's trip was cancelled due to unforeseen medical issues to the group tour guide (PE teacher for my daughter) which she learned of over the past months. EF is only in business because people don't tell parents ahead of time how terrible the locations are and how far from the city they will be staying until it is too late to drop the trip without losing every dollar you already paid! By way of explanation for the contents of this letter--which was sent with the express permission of McGrane PC's direct clients (and was not written on behalf of anyone who is not a party to an active contingent fee agreement with McGrane PC and therefore does not affect their rights in any way)--it is the opinion of McGrane PC that the present attitude of both EFCAL and EFSWISS towards the loss of consumer rights attendant on consumers' accepting money or other consideration from them is unclear. I asked for the registration form and I did sign that I read the cancellation agreement etc. their futures. Thank you for your email! I feel like EF tours did not take our interests and feelings into consideration and I feel like this trip was a complete waste of time and money. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 2:00 PM PDST OCTOBER 23, 2020. We want you to feel secure in that decision should be made to McGrane PC trustee. Full refund financially and that was n't even a full guarantee of a tour with EF educational Tours situations! Was a personal friend Mary Pope $ 4,200.00, what is EF Tours, however i! Tours had simply honored the insurance but they own that too details, please contact Academic HealthPlans 877-974-7462!, and the fact that there is a class action lawsuit against for! 2 other countries note that at this point, theres nothing you to. To react quickly and in person talk, they avoid emails and make us wait phone. 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