Disappointed cruise passengers compensated

A judge has ordered a travel agency to compensate five clients who missed the first in a 12-day cruise after their flight was delayed.

The clients, a couple and three individuals, said they had booked their cruise to a number of Scandinavian and Baltic capitals through Mondial.

However, when they showed up at the airport for their flight to the UK where the cruise started, they were informed by a representative of the agency that the flight had been delayed and that they would not make it on time to embark at Dover.

They flew to Germany the next day and boarded the liner there but they missed out on the passage through the Kiel Canal, which was meant to be the highlight of the cruise.

The Consumer Claims Tribunal had found in favour of the complainants - Alfred and Josephine Zarb, Margaret Grech Mallia, Wilfred Schembri and Alfred Zammit - and ordered the agency to pay €1,500 in compensation.

Mondial appealed, claiming that it could not be held liable for a delay in an Air Malta flight, over which it had no control.

However the court, which heard the appeal, still ruled against the agency and declared that the risk of a delayed flight was part of the business of a tour operator. The court, presided over by Mr Justice Philip Sciberras, said it was not acceptable for the agency to pass such risk to consumers. On the contrary, the agency was bound to ensure its clients enjoyed their holiday in all its aspects.