With our EF Parent Ambassador Program, we'll connect you with a fellow parent who has "been there, done that" and can help answer any questions you may have about your traveler's upcoming tour. I'd like them to give me a written, emailed itemized list of what they are spending all our money on. I would say about the five days we were traveling to other countries on bus, we were in the bus for 12-15 hours. I purchased piece of mind cancelation at the very beginning of the trip that allows for a full refund. I was just on an EF tour to Portugal and I can honestly say it was horrible. *$490 is the current cost for tours departing on or after October 1, 2023. In addition to our standard Peace of Mind program, EF provides an exclusive COVID-19 Peace of Mind program for tours scheduled to depart between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2022, to account for situations related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This company is a fraud and steals money from families. and subject matter experts who understand This paves the way for the three named class representative plaintiffs to file a class certification motion so long as they can demonstrate the class is comprised of persons who suffered some variety of concrete injury for federal case or controversy jurisdictional purposes. I will not let this go if need be I will take them to court and sue there asses. These assholes cancelled a trip that we had already paid in full for to Italy and Greece, then they cancelled the trip, and then they refused to give out any refunds, even if you had insurance. EF Ultimate Break Enroll online or call 800-766-2645. He could no get us on flights home. Due to traffic and bad timing we traveled. 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!) These affordable plans provide pre-departure and on-tour benefits, including medical expense coverage that may apply on tour and tour cancellation for the stated reasons below. We were quoted a price and told the insurance was a great thing to have because with it you could cancel up to 24 hrs before the trip for a full refund minus the cost of insurance. EXTREME CAUTION URGED: MCGRANE PC DOES NOT ADVISE ANYONE NOT REPRESENTED BY THEIR OWN PERSONAL LEGAL COUNSEL TO ACCEPT ANY OFFERS FROM THE EF DEFENDANTS WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING THE ADVICE OF SUCH LEGAL COUNSEL. It took me to every floor and A) the offices are gorgeous! We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you personalised advertising. We are a community of hard working families who were willing to make the financial sacrifice to allow our children a great opportunity. Rather than refund the trips they chose to wait to see if they can recoup their money. Meet Carlos, an expert local guide 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! How on earth is this justifiable? Very creative thinking by the [California] Legislature.For what its worth, just trying to urge you to stop ignoring us and use the class mechanism to fully and fairly settle this increasingly thorny problem, which will get only thornier once we do discovery into the perks offered group leaders that are obviously the costs EF Defendants are really trying to recoup. She is welcome to call traveler support for more clarification! I hope your child knows that they will be sharing a bed with their roommates even if they are traveling with another school. This was saddening but completely understandable. Submit a complaint and get your issue resolved. Imagine being in London not able to tour anything because you don't have the proper tour bus that you were promised?? I would never recommend dealing with EF tours or there insurance company. So, even the itinerary is a lie! I signed on in 201920 when no restrictions were in force. My first was as a parent going with my 15-year-old along with a group of about 20 kids (from a . 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. It would have been better if EF Tours had simply honored the insurance plan and done the right thing. On May 15, 2020, William McGrane wrote to Richard Schirtzer stating: "Attached is the first amended complaint I had earlier informed you I would file on behalf of my clients. Kinda defeats the whole concept of insurance. Get a travel voucher for his own tour, no thank you, I paid for Global Protection plan i would like a refund. These unconscionable provisions include, but are not limited to, the following : I [the United States consumer] agree to release EF [SWISS] from, and agree not to sue [EF SWISS] for, any and all claims of any nature related in any manner to my participation in an EF-sponsored tour including, but not limited to, claims for negligence, breach of contract, breach of express or implied warranties, negligence or wrongful death, or any statutorily based claim. It has been no surprise that management NEVER called. Travel Company efeducationaltours eftours eftours Photos See all Videos See all 1:02 I ended up booking our own flights home to the US for $1500. ** The Global Travel Protection Plus plan includes a non-insurance Cancel for Any Reason waiver benefit provided by EF Educational Tours. I am a senior citizen and cannot afford that loss or afford to wait any further for the refund. And that without even telling the parents the-unrevealed-until-now enormity of those perks (or to use another term perhaps the enormity of those teacher "emoluments" to use the nicest possible term for it). However, the problem has wider implications for your clients. 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). However, I was never allowed to speak with management. My mom had to put hotel rooms for 30 students in her credit card. My daughter wanted to go with members of her class on this great trip with EF tours. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 12:00 PM PST FEBRUARY 14, 2023. 3. When you decide to travel with EF, we want you to feel secure in that decision. Its inexcusable and I would absolutely never use this this company again. Defendant, EF Educational Exchange, Inc., is a Delaware corporation having a We would like a refund of cash to use for real educational purposes. No materials from this website may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way. All I know to do is make this issue public. this absurdity not previously announced 1. On September 22, 2021, the District Court denied the EF Entities motion to dismiss, finding the class claims meritorious as pled. Privacy Policy | Copyright I haven t received any schoolplan, no activities, Just an enourmous amount of Money paid and no information at all, apart some general meetings where lots of people speak and no body answers your questions on the chat. EF Explore America Call 888-333-9756 to enroll. A few days later, EF responded to an earlier complaint submitted by the plaintiff to the Arizona Office of the Attorney General in which the defendants allegedly offered the plaintiff a partial cash refund of $1,000 less than what she paid for her childs tour. Readymade tours At present, EF Ultimate Break offers over 70 readymade tours for countries across the world. Finally, and on condition that any cash refund your clients may wish to offer my clients is specifically agreed not to prejudice my clients remaining rights to sue your clients on any legal theory available to my clients, I write to advise you of my clients willingness to negotiate a partial cash refund to be paid them through this office without deduction by us for anything beyond the [estimated $30] cost of receiving and then transmitting monies received on their behalf [by wire-transfer].". Also told cancellation fee is now $400 not the $300 listed. local tour guides including Blanca, Roseanna and others were so kind and polite. I booked a tour in 2022 to Greece through Girl Scouts of America for 2024. This program was created to provide the safest possible tour experience for our customers. I am self employed so I had to send a letter stating that my business went under and this had created a hardship. release my refund and return $500 cancelation fee. After only 3 days on tour Israel kicked everyone out because of Covid. 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. Want class action news sent to your inbox? Poor communication, date changes, do not uphold refund requests. I registered my son and I to go on a tour in June 2017. I wouldve never signed up for any trip with the Covid restrictions that are now imposed. [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. Help Center: Coverage and policy flexibility. As a working class family that was attempting to give our child a wonder experience, I am outraged that a company would gain such a profit off of a cancellation! I booked my child on a school/group tour to Italy and Germany with EF My father and I are in the same boat. Per the cancellation policy, there is a $95 non-refundable charge and a $300 cancellation fee. When we ask to escalate our concern, managers have decided to refuse to accept or return our calls. Ms. Alaina Kommer from Grant High School does only think about herself and her travelling experience. Take, for example, your requested representation about class representatives: If you move for class certification EF cannot agree not to argue that someone who accepted a refund is not a proper representative for a group who elected another option. But its also about the smaller moments on the road. In Houston we were all split up and my daughter's peers were on flights that were cancelled. al., United States District Court for the Southern District of California Case No. To be eligible, the traveler must enroll on a tour at least 110 days prior to the scheduled departure date. The number of travelers in each group is capped at 14-38, and small group tours only . Trip Interruption coverage I called to see if they would at least just do $1000 for both kids and they told me no. Beware. 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. (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.) The teacher wouldnt return my phone call, or emails. Four boys were also booked in a room in London with only a king sized bed! They are so many other excellent companies out there. Payments made should be made to McGrane PC as trustee. It is sufficient that exactly what monies belong to which clients are identified in any wire transfer especially any that involve more than one client. Weve experienced the transformative power of travel firsthandand we cant wait to explore the opportunities that are out there for you and your students. There was a fellow passenger who had caused a few problems earlier in the trip and later on the trip, threatened me on the bus (literally cornered me in the back seat) and nothing was done. 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. Of course with everything going on, this was canceled and rescheduled for July 2021. Tour # 2130465UX - London, Paris, and The Alps There were about 4 pages of fine print and legal jargon that was confusing. NEW YORK Kiss announced the final shows of its last tour: The band's rockers plan to hang up their platform boots after two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden in New York at the end . If I can get any student considering this company to stop, I will. v. EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Inc., et. . Filed: March 17, 2020 3:20-cv-00508-GPC-BLM. Dear Sirs or delay EF tours for public health issues or quarantine or threats of public health issues, in which case the . DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD ON AN EF TRIP!! While not happy with that amount I understood. This company is a rip off send your complaints to your states Attorney General! This program is automatically included for all travelers and can be enacted at the group level for any reason, including terrorism, pandemics, or other world events. Thats why we prioritize safety, value, var dt = new Date(); So opted to try one more year to see if restrictions were lifted. This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. I cannot travel with EF Go Head Tours due to their restrictions. Out of that $550, $95 is the none refundable deposit but come on, the rest if ridiculous, especially when the cancellation request is made OVER A YEAR in advance. use of a redeem voucher button is already something . . EF tours do not want to speak to me to accommodate my child's travel to join the EU trip after taking $6000 from me 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 . This plan includes Trip Interruption coverage. al. . Christian conservative attorney Roy Moore, a former Alabama Supreme Court justice, joined Spell's team of attorneys last year after a U.S. district judge dismissed his lawsuit in Baton Rouge . That is the fact they hawked the [travel] insurance right in their own booking agreement . Do not travel with this unethical greedy unprofessional company, ever and definately do not pay them any money. Yet I received a check in the mail for $300 before I could talk to someone. I would like to reimbursed for being a chaperone. Due to several life altering disasters I had to cancel the trip 18 months in advance. This will not work for many reasons, first I we are most likely moving. We also were traveling to all the countries during the world cup. Please DO NOT add attachments that contain your or other peoples personal information, if you dont want it to be visible to the public. Camp Lejeune residents now have the opportunity to claim compensation for harm suffered from contaminated water. What a rip off! This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. People should be able to get a refund, without all of the hidden fees. I have been a group leader with EF for 10 years and they have been getting so bad that I will no longer travel with them. Recently I was notified by EF Tours that my child was cancelled from the tour after paying off almost whole trip price. For over 55 years, weve dedicated ourselves to one global mission: Opening the World Through Education. For more than 15 years we have helped nearly 50000 customers resolve their issues and will never stop striving to ensure further improvements on our platform for a better communication between companies and customers. No one responded. EF Educational Tours (international) EF Tours for Girls; EF Educational Tours Canada; EF College Study; EF Ultimate Break; EF Go Ahead Tours; EF Gap Year We did not have enough free time (which we were promised). 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. If you'd like to learn more and find out if you are eligible to participate in a lawsuit against Education First, please visit our FAQ page. SCUMBAGS!!!!! They said if we wanted to appeal we had to send them a letter from my company explain why I am no longer employed or show a death certificate that I died. 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. Risk-Free Enrollment Period We understand that plans can change due to unforeseen circumstances. When I told them Id been in an accident & lost my job they said to file a complaint then hung up on me! These itineraries are your answer. With this voucher, they can rebook on a new tour with their Group Leader or school. As the coronavirus outbreak continues to ripple across the globe, a proposed class action lawsuit has been filed over an educational travel companys alleged failure to issue sufficient refunds for canceled student tours. We sent emails. All Rights Reserved | Website Design by LunaGraphica, California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.3(c). The school uses them for all there spring break trips and this is very disappointing that they are doing this to us. If a traveler needs to cancel a trip due to reasons specified in the plan, this reimburses non-refundable pre-paid payments. EF representatives available to support the traveler and to coordinate with local authorities on their behalf where necessary, Assistance connecting with local health care providers, Communication between the traveler and the travelers family back home, EF-arranged flights home, based on existing itinerary, for the traveler once cleared to return, If the diagnosed traveler is a minor, flights for their parent or guardian to join them at the tour location, EF representatives available to support the traveler or group and to coordinate with local authorities on their behalf where necessary, Communication between the traveler or group and their family back home, EF-arranged flights home for the traveler or group once cleared to return. This program is automatically included for all travelers and can be enacted at the group level for any reason, including terrorism, pandemics, or other world events. With Genesis and Atomic blocks, you can build beautiful, powerful websites in minutes with our robust theme framework and professionally-designed sections and layouts. 16 years' experience in successful complaint resolution, Each complaint is handled individually by highly qualified experts, Last but not least, all our services are absolutely free. 4. We bottled some of this events magic in our student Summit video recap. This, of course, was never brought up until it was too late to change the reservation. and the kind of learning that prepares students for the future and So talking to the customer service representative, I asked how if we hadn't paid so much into the trip that they would be receiving that much back in fees. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 3:00 PM PDST May 15, 2020. Unfortunately, there isnt a way for us to give Darianne a discount. They saved $3800 a piece from babysitting, dog walking, plant watering! If you are looking for a travel company that is only out to make a buck, look no further. 2021 came with Covid restrictions that could not be met. Desired outcome: Building tours that go beyond expectation. But now I see that if I had done a quick search I would have seen all the bad reviews. 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. McGrane PC. Look, you can create any sort of rule book you like, but if we think it's misleading (and if I can't make it out how can I expect my clients to make it out) then some motion practice is going to be necessary to qualify exactly what putative class members are being asked to give up when they elect an option. Our school will be traveling with three other schools from different parts of the country. Joining the EF family means you'll have the support of our community of educators, tour architects, operations wizards, and ever-curious explorers. Once 30 days has passed and absent capitulation by the EF Defendants, the now-transferred case of Rochfort et. We asked to leave to home too. Thats why as the world changes, so do we. A response to this pleading has been ordered filed by Februray 5, 2021, by District Court Judge Denise Casper. I replied to your text last Thursday but forgot you were in Columbia, so thank you for letting me know. 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. This plan includes coverages that can provide a benefit in the unlikely event a traveler should need to return home unexpectedly due to a natural disaster or unrest. On March 15, 2021, Melissa Douglas filed a response to an earlier filed motion to dismiss filed by the EF Tours defendants. Four girls were placed in a room with one queen sized bed and two twin mattresses on the floor in London. Purchase was completed prior to pandemic..tour to Italy. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 1:30 PM PDST April 21, 2020. . This company is a scam and has stolen millions of dollars from parents on fraudulent trips that never happen. al. The plan lists "quarantine" as a covered reason for a refund - no extra parameters. A situation completely out of the control of myself and other families. That's when we found out it would be around $800 to cancel. Nonrefundable fees are outlined in EFs Booking Conditions. This has to be illegal. the unforeseen. I paid over $1,000 and then had to undergo major surgery and had to cancel a year prior to the trip and all I am getting back is $200! Their solution is to book another tour to avoid losing money. My oldest son was scheduled to take a school trip to Peru next year. Some of it was just bad luck however I feel like most of it was EF tours being lazy and not trying to help make the experience the best that it could have been. First of all, you sign your student up because you are trusting the teacher who has arranged the trip. A copy of the demand letter can be viewed by visiting our UPDATES page. I will never, ever even consider sending any of my other kids on one of these trips. 3) They pretend that you can extend your student's trip. And just think, are our kids safe with this company? Policy terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Get connected We're here to help. that compelling itineraries should be full of EF Tours is holding back $500 of the total $1,960 I have already paid towards the trip. EF Educational Tours is keeping $700.00 as a cancellation fee. They are basically stealing our money and find this to be okay. Your password has been sent to the specified email address. EF Tours company has gladly excepted the government stimulus hand out. Not only did I make a complaint to the Better Business Bureau but I also requested that a manager call me and I have yet to hear from anyone. This company is a scam. COVID-19 required everybody to be quarantined. EF Gap Year Call 800-726-9746 to enroll. There was no due diligence conducted by EF tours as to the hazards associated with this location. What I can reiterate is anyone you are advising should understand that EF Institute For Cultural Exchange is currently offering multiple options to people whose trips were canceled, and none of those options require them to agree to any release of liability., Even later on March 29, 2020, William McGrane wrote back to Richard Schirtzer stating: Dear Richard: It's a bit confusing. EF Go Ahead Tours is a brand under the EF Tours group that offers both guided and fully customizable tours to destinations worldwide. Tour Consultant, EF Education First, Desired outcome: If you wanted a refund, there was a fee. Future Travel Vouchers are transferrable at the face value of the voucher to members of the travelers immediate family or school community. View Opportunities; Resources. Trip Interruption coverage It was necessary for a family member to go to Costa Rica. Against my better judgement. their futures. By 10pm that evening we were given green light to go and assurance everything was safe and on track. *$190 is the current cost for tours departing on or after October 1, 2023. as the premier companies. Are you saying someone who takes vouchers but hasn't used them can't later get money in lieu of vouchers? They have horrible people on the chat, like actually rude. Mr. Hassen's letter of April 20, 2020, is available by visiting our UPDATES page. Presently she is trying to get refunds for trip because of the imposed restrictions that cannot be met. Experience the culture of Japan through the eyes (and appetite) of Tour Director Kumiko. steer clear of this scam! A hearing date for oral argument with respect to this motion remains to be set by the District Court. Their contact information can be found in the complaint below. I would NEVER stay at a truck stop, nor would I deceive students into thinking they were going to be safe on a trip and then place them there. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 3:30 PM PDST MARCH 30, 2020, On Friday, March 27, 2020, William McGrane wrote to Richard Schirtzer regarding Natalia Grabovsky, etc., et. 3:20-cv-00508-gpc-blm stating: "Dear Mr. Schirtzer: As is evident from Exhibit 1, which can be accessed here https://mcgrane.egnyte.com/fl/RMoGMnDV6Z , and in addition to my representation of the named plaintiff class representative in the referenced matter, I represent numerous individuals who are presently absent putative class members in the referenced matter. Sign up for ClassAction.org's newsletterhere. Help Center; How It Works; About EF; Blog; Customer Reviews; Stay connected. $900 which we did. A more personalized on-tour experience. In my opinion, this is stealing. Why would I need to do the work for them? 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! EF will make every effort to accommodate revised tour requests. The Global Travel Protection Plus plan must be purchased when you book your tour. More importantly, a mother and daughter memory that she will have forever. Individual Coverage Provides benefits related to hospital bills, doctors fees, and medical transportation associated with on-tour illnesses or injuries, as well as travel and accommodation expenses for a family member to be with your child while hospitalized in the event of a life-threatening illness. Desired outcome: Emilia Hovestadt They need to be outted with their unfair business practices. Wife and daughter were planning to go on a trip to Italy in over a year. Illness and accident coverage The first thing to keep in mind is that there are alcohol restrictions with these tours. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 1:30 PM PDST April 12, 2020, On April 10, 2020, William McGrane wrote to Richard Schirtzer regarding Natalia Grabovsky, etc., et. This company canceled our tour claiming Covid caused them to be short of staff to accommodate the tour. My son is (or perhaps was) traveling on an EF tour this summer with a very small group from our high school. To date I paid $1063 on this trip to Peru and canceling it over 1 year in advance due to unforeseen circumstances has cost me $560. Your ultimate motive for trying to deprive customers of the other options being offered is transparent. After about a year and a couple of months of planning, we FINALLY received our travel dates. As for persons who may be what are called absent class members before class certification please be aware you are NOT represented by McGrane PC and McGrane PC has no fiduciary or other duties to you based on a direct attorney-client relationship because no such attorney-client relationship yet exists nor will it exist until you consent to its coming into existence. Even with the "Global traveler's protection" insurance I purchased at $165 per traveler, which I paid for both my daughter and I. Pursuant to California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.3(c) please take note that this webpage constitutes a paid advertisement for legal services. It was discovered by a parent who was monitoring the flight status. They also facilitate communication between travelers and families in the event of an emergency at home. We went ahead and waited. I also was being charged late fees even though I changed my payment plan. They simply answered the phone, we provided the tour, dates and names of our family members and paid a deposit for each of us. Other EF tour brands. Plus, the staff in each office and school are trained to respond to a wide range of emergency situations. I went on my trip June 11, 2014-June 25, 2014. Russia is at war with Ukraine. Your travelers have to cover that. WE never want to travel with EF again and this is not acceptable. I would like a refund, minus my travel protection plan please. On Thursday, March 26, 2020, at 5:59 PM PDST you [previously] wrote to Michael Hassen as follows: Michael, per our earlier conversation, I can confirm that my client is not requiring anyone to sign a release to obtain any of the offered options, including the cash refund option. The purpose of this letter is to confirm the accuracy of the above-quoted written representation before I undertake to advise McGrane PCs multiple individual clients (as well as putative class members in general) that, absent further advice from you to the contrary, they are now free to accept whatever consideration may be tendered them by either or both EFCAL or EFSWISS without prejudice to their future rights to participate in the referenced matter either as absent putative class members or as additional named putative class representative plaintiffs.

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