UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 1:00 PM PDST AUGUST 9, 2020. COVID-19 required everybody to be quarantined. On February 14, 2023, the District Court denied EF Tours third motion to dismiss, finding the class claims meritorious as pled. We need to cancel due to medical and we were told we loose close to $800. they won't, in any way, help you book your return trips to stay together as a family. When I told them that nowhere in their cancellation policy where the egregious fees stated they said Well thats what they are now Benefits of the Peace of Mind program are only available to the entire group and not to individual travelers unless specifically indicated. When something goes wrong, you thing you are covered. One thing is guaranteed. Defendant, EF Educational Exchange, Inc., is a Delaware corporation having a The defendants cancellation policy will likely cause students whose tours were canceled to lose out on at least some of their investment, the suit alleges. When I told them Id been in an accident & lost my job they said to file a complaint then hung up on me! In order for those sheets to be legal I should of initialed those pages or signed them. There are several hidden fees which totaled $1,300! (This allows us to partially cover costs related to non-recoverable payments to our suppliers our staff and the investment we have always made and continue to make in itinerary date and destination flexibility.). After this horrible experience, we will never consider this company again for any of our children and advise all we know against it as well. Travelers can choose to enroll in one of the Global Travel Protection plans, both of which are designed specifically with EF travelers in mind. cash refund for the unused trip. HOW CAN THIS BE LEGAL??? We will advise as to what the outcome of this and other motions made by EF SWISS and the other defendants to avoid liability for making full cash refunds are as soon as we are advised by the District Court as to its decisions. It was an extremely uncomfortable situation and I had to leave the tour. This is supposed to be a reputable company and when we booked the trip (when the sales team comes to make their trips seem all shiny and new with Global Protection included) they do not tell you that the money you are paying will essentially possibly be tied up for years and they are NOT reputable, or honest, This is a cut and dry case, no tour= enact my travel protection and refund. If not for her, 30 of your kids would be sleeping in the airport for two nights in a row since their new flight to London has a huge 13 hour layover. Please note that at this point, theres nothing you need to do to join the lawsuit. 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. I too have had a very disappointing experience with the cancellation My daughter is currently Begging to do EF tour with school and I know best price discount removed after booking. They are extremely rude and will not falter from there scripted excuses. It was so uncomfortable. 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. Initially after this situation occurred a person from the company called me to get the story (since I immediately reported it to the tour director when I got off the bus) but never heard from him again. Also out of all four excursions throughout the trip, THREE OF THEM WERE CANCELLED! They won't tell you which airline or which hotel you will be staying at. 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!) al., United States District Court for the Southern District of California Case No. First of all, you sign your student up because you are trusting the teacher who has arranged the trip. Our people are your people. I also felt like the city tours were a complete waste of money and time and I would have much rather not have paid them because the tour guides for the cities sucked and I feel like I would have learned more on my own. One student got up in the middle of the night and tripped on the mattress and smashed her head into the wall. In my opinion, this is stealing. Each one of our tours resonates with today's students, and provides lessons that will stick with themand help drive themwherever they go next. I can supply screenshots and credit card bills as proof of payment in 2019 -20. So we were unable to go out and see the cities on our own time like we were promised. It was discovered by a parent who was monitoring the flight status. Coverage for baggage in cases of theft or delay. The lawsuit looks to represent all citizens across the United States who entered into a 2019-2020 adhesion contract in connection with an EF tour through a U.S. high school that was scheduled to leave after January 31, 2020 but has since been canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak and who were refused a full refund based on the public health al., United States District Court for the Southern District of California Case No. Get connected We're here to help. EF TOURS IS A COMPLETE FRAUD. Meet your people Its a joke. Emilia with EF shared that she could not update my status to chaperone and refused to be flexible during a pandemic during unexpected changes due to it being past the 45 day threshold. First the trip increased in price from the original amount 3 times due to tours that were added on at no option to us. ComplaintsBoard.com is a leading complaint resolution website on the Internet. Customer service is the WORST! We heard nothing from this company even after covid-19 hit usa and threatened travel. This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. My daughter wanted to go with members of her class on this great trip with EF tours. To be eligible, the traveler must enroll on a tour at least 110 days prior to the scheduled departure date. We were told that other than the deposit and a small admin fee, all the rest of the money was refundable. :? Coronavirus Tour Cancellations Spark Refund Lawsuit (1) . How on earth is this justifiable? 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. opens a world of possibilities. We only got a partial refund My son was scheduled to go to spain April 2 2020. 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. It was necessary for a family member to go to Costa Rica. ", On April 23, 2020, Mr. McGrane responded to Mr. Schirtzer, stating: "I stand by my 'worthless' remark. EF never notified the trip leader or travelers of this cancellation. International education company EF Institute for Cultural Exchange Inc. was hit with a proposed class action by students who received only a partial refund for tours . UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 9:00 AM PDST April 24, 2020, On April 22, 2020, William McGrane wrote to Richard Schirtzer advising Mr. Schirtzer that his clients, the EF Defendants' ". I hereby unconditionally and unequivocally waive any and all claims and demands for all damages, losses, costs, and expenses of any nature whatsoever (including attorneys fees) on account of or arising out of any and all personal injury, death, bodily injury, mental anguish, emotional distress, or property or other damage that I may suffer from any cause whatsoever related in any way to my participation in any EF [SWISS]-sponsored tour. McGrane PC. [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. 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. Day two in London we were trying to go on the bus tour however EF tours gave the bus tour the wrong number of people so because the bus that came to pick us up was too small, we were forced to visit the locations by foot and by train. When we called to cancel, they refuse to give us our full refund and claim to keep $500 despite their poor communication, COVID restrictions, and the paid insurance plan which has turned out to be a scam too. If a traveler needs to interrupt a tour due to serious injury or illness, this provides a benefit. I understand that Will told her she should have received a discount but in a case like this where she became a chaperone at the very last minute, there is nothing we can do. Sign up for ClassAction.org's newsletterhere. A most unsatisfactory and life changing (m for the worse) experience. My signature was on paperwork for a trip THIS July. Read our Newswire Disclaimer. I was told that they only charge whats been deposited. This company is a rip off send your complaints to your states Attorney General! Wife has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and will not be able to make this trip. 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 Explore America Call 888-333-9756 to enroll. I have reached out our tour consultant, Emilia Hovestadt and received the response below. My son was scheduled to go to Peru on 8/3/2022, today is 7/28/22. EF Go Ahead Tours Call 800-590-1161 . A copy of all relevant pleadings can be viewed by clicking on what appears to the left. The Global Travel Protection Plus planprovides a refund of the Program Price (minus the cost of the plan and other non-refundable fees) if your child needs to cancel their tour up to 24 hours prior to departure for any reason. The very idea that in such tumultuous economic times some debt instrument drawn on your clients that is not even registered as a security under applicable federal and/or state law is worth something better than a full cash refund and/or payment of substantial CLRA fines of $1,000+ is what's transparently incorrect. That means that I will receive less than half that amount back! EF Educational Tours Call 800-665-5364 to enroll. Unfortunately, there isnt a way for us to give Darianne a discount. 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. She is welcome to call traveler support for more clarification! It took me to every floor and A) the offices are gorgeous! Beware. Was told that in total I will lose the $749 each person as we also will lose the Global Travel Protection Plan amount as well. However, I was never allowed to speak with management. Dear Sirs Poor communication, date changes, do not uphold refund requests. 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. Pursuant toCalifornia Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.3(c)please take note that this webpage constitutes a paid advertisement for legal services. classroom it brings education to life, unlocks new potential, and Emilia Hovestadt Below are a range of policies and programs designed to flex to meet our travelers specific needsno matter where they are in the planning process. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 12:00 PM PST FEBRUARY 14, 2023. 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. UPDATE ON EF CASES AS OF 2:00 PM PDST DECEMBER 7, 2020. . This plan includes Trip Cancellation coverage. Signed up in 2019 for a 2020 trip. She had a black eye and blood in her eyeball for the entire trip. EF was never concerned about her health or welfare and only accused her of being drunk so they could dodge any responsibility. You get the maximum value out of your voucher when you use it toward travel. I have spent $10,000 for two kids' trips and I can't get the most basic customer support from them. That's when we found out it would be around $800 to cancel. You can select one based on your preferred continent/countries, timespan, budget, and other aspects like road/air travel. 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. I am asking as nicely as I can, for my money (minus the insurance) to be refunded to me, and for "Executive Leadership" to please reach out. 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. In what universe is this considered acceptable?!?!?!? Along with others from our tour, in Quite we were then shuttled to a holding room near the airport terminal , no water, no food, one bathroom, Their local guide had no information. Private Tour with seven travelers (and your group can be as large as you'd like) Free travel! 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. Building tours that go beyond expectation. 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! This company is a scam. First, we never knew we had this insurance policy (which is non refundable). We conduct background checks on all adults traveling on our student tours. No one responded. My mom is part of a tour departing for a 10 day trip to Europe. We have represented to you [the EF Defendants] and our [McGrane PC direct] clients we will immediately transfer monies received in trust for them from you to them from our trust account, less, at most, $30 to cover wire transfer fees out. v. EF Institute for Cultural Exchange, Inc., et. They also charged me $189 for insurance I declined. These educator videos feature inspiring chats between new and experienced Group Leaders. Weve experienced the transformative power of travel firsthandand we cant wait to explore the opportunities that are out there for you and your students. Kinda defeats the whole concept of insurance. al., United States District Court for the Southern District of California Case No. EF claims that they are the least expensiveYou get what you pay for. 2021 came with Covid restrictions that could not be met. 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. Never again. They are basically stealing our money and find this to be okay. 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. When students go beyond the al. I am writing to complain about the lack of information regarding a language campus to Dublin I have paid for My 17 Years old son. Per the cancellation policy, there is a $95 non-refundable charge and a $300 cancellation fee. 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. If a traveler needs to cancel a trip due to reasons specified in the plan, this reimburses non-refundable pre-paid payments. Said she would pay for it herself as the total cost for her to go alone would be enough to take my entire family on a nice vacation. 3. I have requested my money back. Company is stealing 500.00 saying that is the cancelation policy. Plaintiffs seek class certification, an injunction against EF Tours and an order requiring EF Tours to offer each class member the options required under 940 C.M.R. Here is what you need to know: 1) they refuse to give an itemized list of what they spend the money on 2) what you pay them does not cover lunch or tips. 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. 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 . In response to the public health emergency declared by the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020, EF canceled all tours that were scheduled to leave on or after that date, according to the suit. Now I've fought this as much as I could. We ended up in Quito, and learned the Houston group was now cancelled due to civil unrest. EF Educational Tours Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of www.eftours.com Travel & Vacation Activities & Tours Tour Agency EF Educational Tours EF Educational Tours Reviews 4,382 Excellent 4.3 VERIFIED COMPANY www.eftours.com Visit this website kharden 1 review US 2 days ago DO NOT USE EF Tours! Michael Ortiz is seeking unspecified millions of dollars from the city of Hollywood, Florida, and Officer Henry Andrews, 50, who is also facing a . This will not work for many reasons, first I we are most likely moving. (EF SWISS Immunity Clause). Is this your company? They make go in circles and have excuse after excuse. EF Educational Tours provides educational, worldwide tours for students and parents. 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. EF Tours was contacted today also and there response was they aren't responsible for the insurance company. My contact has always been through the group coordinator Mary Pope. If I can get any student considering this company to stop, I will. this absurdity not previously announced A copy of the demand letter can be viewed by visiting our UPDATES page. If not resolved I will go through my lawyer. Joining the EF family means youll have the support of our community of educators, tour architects, operations wizards, and ever-curious explorers. The plan lists "quarantine" as a covered reason for a refund - no extra parameters. Our only hope now is that our kids have a great time with their class. My son is Flying with a Flight from Malpensa and he has to arrive at 3 am in the night to the Airport and apart from 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. My daughter's peers in Houston were sent home. Provided to all groups departing through September 30, 2022. The number of travelers in each group is capped at 14-38, and small group tours only . The day before trip, we were told cancelled due to civil unrest. It is a total scam! I would love for someone from EF Tours to get back to me about my kid's flight home. These itineraries are your answer. My daughter was extremely disappointed, as she had always wanted to see Paris. On June 20th we called them to verify and were told our claim was denied and we wouldn't be receiving anything back from them. I cancelled my daughters trip to Greece. Paid full price with insurance.The trip coordinator was a personal friend Mary Pope. 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. Also out of your voucher when you use it toward travel worldwide tours students! Non-Refundable pre-paid payments a copy of all four excursions throughout the trip note that at this point, theres you! Denied EF tours was contacted today also and there response was they are responsible. Our money and find this to be legal I should of initialed those or... 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