This document will provide Customers the company guidance and standpoint on questions & contractual T&Cs regarding Covid-19.

 Booking & Cancellation queries

Q. If I cancel my booking because of Corona Virus, will I get a refund?

A.   Any hirer who makes a cancellation as a result of Corona Virus will still be contractually obliged to pay the cancellation fees in accordance with the T&Cs agreed to at the time of booking. These are as follows:

 Days prior to cancellation charge:

8 days or more 20%

6-7 days 25%

3-5 days 35%

2 days 50%

1 day 75%

Day of Travel 100%

However, we will allow the following adjustments to assist customer requirements during this time:

1.    To avoid forfeiting an amount paid or owed against a booking, you will be given the option to retain the 20% Transport Planning Fee, or any further amount paid, as credit towards the rescheduling of the hire at a later date in 2020. The rescheduled hire will require a new quote & may affect the price. 

2.    For hires that are cancelled with 2 or fewer days left to the date of travel, the hirer will still be required to pay the cost of the driver for the hire.

3.    For all hires that incur additional costs, the hirer will still be required to pay any of these that are not recoverable by the company when rescheduling the hire, including, but not limited to, Driver costs, driver accommodation costs, ferries & crossings, admission tickets, theatre tickets, catering costs, or other ancillary products purchased by the company for the purpose of this hire.

Q. What if the Government makes the decision to cancel all large group events? (including events such as Cheltenham, Grand National etc)

A. Any closures of public spaces or cancellations of large public events by the Government that result in the hirer cancelling a booking will still incur the cancellation fees as agreed to in the booking T&Cs. As the Government is not putting a stop on transportation in this scenario, the liability would fall with the hirer who can seek compensation with the event holders/ organisers should they wish to.

Q. Is there a reduction in the normal cancellation fee as a result of Covid-19?

A. No, normal cancellation fees will apply, as agreed to in the T&Cs.

Q. On our booking link, it says that if the customer does not pay their deposit within 7 days of making the booking, we will release the coach. Why should they still have to pay the 20% deposit?

A.The 20% value is payment for the Transport Planning Service, which has still taken place. When the customer signs the T&Cs and makes the booking, they agree to pay 20% of the value of the hire if they cancel the booking, and payments in accordance with the cancellation scale for bookings cancelled within 7 days of the travel date of the booking.

Q. What happens if Airsym / Symphony / Groupsym cancel the booking?

A. The customer will be due a full refund if the booking is cancelled by us.

Q. What if travel into Europe/ border crossings are banned and therefore the booking has to be cancelled by us (the company)?

A. The customer will be refunded for the cost of the hire as we have been unable to complete it.

Q. Is cancellation of a booking by the hirer covered by a Force Majeure clause?

A. There is no Force Majeure clause in the Private Hire contract that was agreed to by the customer at the point of booking. In any case, the hirer is choosing to cancel the booking and therefore could not argue a direct causal link between the event (covid-19) and the non performance.

Q. Are we taking extra precautionary measures in regards to the cleaning of our vehicles?

A. We are ensuring our vehicles are fully cleaned with appropriate cleaning products after every hire to ensure every precaution is taken to keep our vehicles properly sanitised. All vehicles go through a rigorous cleaning regime on a daily basis as standard. Our engineering departments are also reviewing and implementing further cleaning precautions to ensure that there are surgical standard cleansing of high contact areas on board our coaches.

Q. Have any individuals or groups travelled on Symphony/Airsym vehicles that have subsequently been found to have Covid-19?

A. There have been no cases involving Symphony, Airsym, SymGroup vehicles, or customers/employees being affected by the virus. We continue to monitor all of our staff and ensure up to date and regular information is shared with them to reduce the risk or impact they are exposed to.

Q. Has the vehicle operated in, or from, any known areas of concern and known outbreaks of coronavirus?

A. Any of our own vehicles or operators that have travelled in to affected areas in the past 14 days will be expected to have an additional deep clean before going out on to another job; following their return from that area.

Q. What checks are we carrying out to ensure the drivers used on any hire are not at risk of or pose a risk of infection?

A. All of our drivers (and non driving staff) are fully briefed in the guidance from Public Health England. We have hand sanitiser available for all staff and issue frequent communications to ensure all necessary precautions are taken and that all staff are up to date with the official published government information and advice.