theworldetc.com - General Policies

Ticket changes may incur penalties and/or increased fares –plus- any additional stated change fees. You must cancel or change your airline ticket in advance. In some cases, the value of the ticket is lost if not cancelled with enough advance notice. Please call ETCS during business hours, or the airline directly. Most non-refundable and excursion fares have strict penalties to change or cancel. Make sure you understand these penalties before committing. For changes while traveling, please contact ETCS or the airline. Any remaining value of your ticket will be placed toward the new ticket if applicable.
Should your change result in a lower fare, some airlines allow the residual amount to be placed on a future travel certificate. All penalties would still apply, and would be the responsibility of the traveler. In the event that a refund is due and the change was made through the airlines directly, please ask the carrier for a receipt. We cannot obtain receipts for transactions that the airline processes.

Rebooking:

Changes to an itinerary are not uncommon. Should the need arise to make modifications, please contact ETCS as soon as possible. All charges which result from changes are your responsibility. If ETCS is closed, and you are not a member of our 24/7 service, you must call each supplier directly for your changes.

Cancellations:

In the event that your reservation has to be cancelled, all penalties charged by the “supplier” are your responsibility. ETCS will make every effort to advise you of published penalties and restrictions at the time of booking.

Reservation Names:

Domestic-all reservations MUST be booked in the EXACT name as it appears on your government issued identification. Nicknames are not permitted under any circumstances.

International-all reservations MUST be booked in the EXACT name as it appears on your passport.

Failure to adhere to the above requirements may delay your departure or arrival at security check points. ETCS will not be held responsible for security delays or denied boarding due to name mismatch or any other cause.

Travel Documentation/Entry Requirements (US Citizens):

A general rule of thumb, for security reasons, you should travel at all times with your United States passport.

All travelers within the 50 United States are required to present a government issued photo identification. It is imperative that your identification match your name as is appears on your travel documents.

If traveling with children, a parent or legal guardian must vouch for the child’s identity. Carrying the child’s passport or birth certificate is recommended to avoid delays at security check points.

For travel outside of the United States, you must carry your passport. Your passport is required to have at least 6 months of validity remaining after your anticipated entry date. Depending on the country/countries that you are planning to visit, visas may also be required. You must allow ample time for processing.

Note: Some countries are jurisdictional and do not allow processing by a third party. In those cases, a personal appearance may be required to obtain a visa. It is your responsibility to make sure that you are in possession of proper travel documentation at all times during your trip.

Please contact ETCS for further assistance and guidance.

Inoculations/All Nationalities: if you plan to travel to a destination with conditions that could affect your health, inoculations or other health precautions may be required or advisable. Please see: www.travel.state.gov or www.cdc.gov for more information.

International Citizens/H1B Visa Holders/Green Card Holders:

Please contact ETCS for specific requirements to travel. Depending on your country of citizenship and immigration status in the United States (green card, H1B, etc.), we may be able to assist in getting the proper entry visas for you.

Seat assignments/special requests:

All seat assignments and special requests (i.e. meals) should be requested at the time of booking. There is no guarantee that the airline will assign your preferred seat. It is highly advisable to accept any seat assignment, even if it is not your preference. Airlines often oversell flights, and those without seat assignments are the first to be bumped. Seats can always be re-requested or changed upon check in or at the airport, depending on availability.

Not all airlines offer special meal service. We will request special meals where offered, but they are not guaranteed. It is recommended that you advise the airline of special requests at the time of reconfirmation.

Check-In requirements:

For domestic flights, check-in should take place at least 2 hours prior to intended departure time.

For International flights, check-in should take place at least 3 hours prior to intended departure time.

Special note: Due to TSA requirements and possible changes without prior notice, security check points may take longer than expected. Please arrive early.

Airline Schedule Changes:

All airlines reserve the right to cancel or change schedules without notice. All schedules shown are based on flying times as stated by the airline. Weather and other factors may affect departures and arrivals, and are not the responsibility of ETCS.

Reconfirmations:

It is highly recommended that you reconfirm your itinerary at least 24 hours prior to departure for Domestic flights, and 72 hours prior for International flights. Always reconfirm on the day of departure as well, before you leave for the airport. This will allow the airline to advise of any delay or schedule change, and possible re-accommodation if necessary.

Overbooking:

Airlines often overbook flights based on statistics and research. Any person denied boarding due to overbooking, may be entitled to compensatory payment. Please see an agent at the ticket counter or call the airline customer service department for assistance.

Pricing:
Pricing is only guaranteed at the time of ticketing. Most advanced purchase fares require immediate ticketing and are non-refundable and non-transferable. Any fare increases that result from a reservation being held without being authorized to ticket, are the responsibility of the traveler or arranger.

Note: Airlines do not allow most reservations to be held without ticketing for longer than 24 hours. The fare may change, even if the reservation has been held.

Agency disclaimer

ETCS acts only as an independent travel representative in all matters with the making and securing of reservations for transportation, accommodations and tours. Disclosed contractors in the form of airlines, car rental companies, tour wholesalers, passenger ship lines, limousine services, hoteliers, and others are referred to ongoing as “suppliers”.

ETCS does not own, control, manage or operate any hotel, restaurant, transportation vehicle, tour company, sightseeing company, insurance company, or any other service that would be described as “supplier”. All related charges as well as terms and conditions set forth by the “supplier” are the responsibility of the customer.

Neither ETCS nor any representative of ETCS is responsible or liable for any losses, injury, and damage to persons or property in connection with products or services sold through a “supplier”. Neither ETCS nor any employee , agent or representative of ETCS shall be held responsible or liable for, but not limited to: acts of God, wars, weather, hostilities, strikes, riots, thefts, acts of governments or other authorities, customs regulations, delays or cancellations, or any defaults by “suppliers”. ETCS is not responsible or liable for any company, corporation or incorporation not directly under it’s direct control or management. In the case of: air, rail, ship, automobile, hotel or other transportation, the passenger contract in use by the provider of such transportation or accommodation shall constitute as the sole contract between the passenger and the “supplier”.