Chapter Two: Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Contracts and Legal Rights What You Need to Know... 9

Transcription

1 Table of Contents Chapter One: Where to Sue: Changing the Playing Field Contractually... 1 I. Forum Selection Clauses... 3 II. Cruise Passenger Contracts... 3 III. Federal Forum Selection Clauses... 4 IV. Hotels, Resort, Time Shares... 4 V. Tour Operators... 5 VI. Mandatory Arbitration Clauses... 6 Chapter Two: Travel Agents, Tour Operators, Contracts and Legal Rights What You Need to Know... 9 Liability for Unfavorable Travel Reviews I. Traditional Sources of Information II. The Online Revolution III. TripAdvisor.Com IV. The Dirtiest Hotels List V. The 2010 Dirtiest Hotel List VI. The 2011 Dirtiest Hotel List VII. The Lawsuit VIII. The Decision: Rhetorical Hyperbole IX. Conclusion Duty to Warn of Dangerous Environments I. Travel Information Specialist II. Duty to Convey Basic Travel Information III. Standard of Care: Who s Talking IV. Travel Agents ix

2 V. Tour Escorts VI. Student Tours VII. Informal Travel Promoters VIII. The Case of the Chinese Tick IX. Conclusion Chapter Three: Cruises and Cruise Litigation Big Business and Risky Shore Excursions I. Big Business and Risky Shore Excursions II. Shore Excursion Questions to Ask III. Recent Liability Theories IV. Duty to Warn of Danger V. Negligent Section of Excursion Operator VI. Third Party Beneficiary Theory Cruise Ship Passengers Rights I. A Very Bad Year for Mega-Ships II. Floating Hotels And Dangerous Shore Excursions III. Shore Excursion Questions to Ask IV. Somali Pirates and Kidnaping Tourists V. 21st Century Cruise Ships, 19th Century Rights VI. The Costa Concordia Disaster VII. Cruise Passengers Bill of Rights VIII. Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act IX. Americans With Disabilities Act X. Accidents Aboard the Cruise Ship XI. Risky Business: Shore Excursion XII. Cancellations, Delays, Port Skipping XIII. Misrepresentations and Discomfort Aboard the Cruise Ship XIV. Passenger Protection Rules XV. Insurance: Cancellation Waivers x

3 XVI. Passenger Litigation Roadblocks XVII. Limitation of Vessel Owner=s Liability Act XVIII. Passenger Ticket Print Size and Language XIX. Time Limitations: Filing Physical Injury Claims XX. Time Limitations: Filing Non-Physical Injury Claims XXI. Jurisdictional Issues XXII. Forum Selection and Mandatory Arbitration Clauses XXIII. Cancellation Fees XXIV. Choice of Law Clauses XXV. Disclaimers of Liability: Onboard Accidents XXVI. Disclaimers Malpractice by Ship s Doctor XXVII. Disclaimers of Liability: Shore Excursions XXVIII. Force Majeure/Act of God XXIX. Limitations on Recoverable Damages XXX. The Athens Convention 2002 Protocol XXXI. Death on High Seas Act XXXII. Conclusion Chapter Four: Airline Crash Litigation and Air Passenger Rights Airline Crash Litigation and Air Passenger Rights Ann Thornton Field, Esq. and James E. Robinson, Esquire I. Commercial Aviation: Yes, It Is Safe To Fly II. Federal Control of Aviation is Intensive and Exclusive III. Implied Preemption: The Federal Aviation Act of IV. Express Preemption: The Airline Deregulation Act V. Passenger Bill of Rights VI. Oversize Passengers VII. International Travel: The Montreal Convention Travel Law: Airlines I. Racial and Ethnic Profiling II. Accommodating Impaired Passengers xi

4 III. State Airline Passenger Rights Laws IV. DOT Enhanced Passenger Protection Rules V. Marketing of Air Transportation VI. Non-Refundable Airline Tickets VII. Frequent Flyer Program and Discount Coupons VIII. Internet Travel Sellers IX. Computer Reservation Systems X. Charters: Air Carriers, Tours Operators and Air Charter Brokers XI. Disclosure of Code Sharing Arrangements XII. Seat Designing and Positioning XIII. Children Flying Alone or with One Parent XIV. Additional Revenue Sources Appendices: Written by Flight Delays: Stop Making Passengers Pay Unruly Airline Passengers Chapter Five: Legal Issues for Internet Traveler Sellers Jurisdiction and the Internet I. Jurisdiction and the Internet II. Passive Websites III. Passive Websites Plus IV. Interactive Web sites V. Lowest Level of Interactivity VI. Highest Level of Interactivity VII. Middle Level of Interactivity VIII. Third Party Websites IX. Conclusion Where to Sue: Internet Transactions I. Lurking in the Hyper-Links xii

5 II. Starkey v. Gap Adventurers, Inc III. Enforcing Forum Selection Clause IV. Time Barred in Canada V. Mandatory Arbitration Clauses VI. Liability Disclaimers Online VII. Conclusion Chapter Six: Immediate Post-Accident Medical Care I. From the Minimum to the Catastrophic II. Automated External Defibrillators III. AEDs and Airlines IV. AEDs and Hotels V. AEDs and Health Clubs VI. Ship Board Medical Staff VII. No Vicarious Liability for Malpractice VIII. Tour Operators and Camps Chapter Seven: Medical Tourism I. Stop Blaming the Passengers: Eradicate Norovirus Now II. Further Reading Chapter Eight: Tips on Required Immigration Documentation for International Travel Richard D. Steel, Esq. I. U.S. Citizen II. Immigrant III. Nonimmigrants IV. Summary V. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative VI. Requirements for Travel to Canada VII. Requirements for Travel to the Caribbean VIII. Global Entry Program xiii

6 IX. TSA Pre-check X. General Sources of Travel Information XI. Immunizations XII. Children Traveling without Parents Appendices: Submitted by Richard D. Steel, Esq. Visa Non-Immigrant Visa Processing Memorandum Visa Waiver Countries U.S. Customs and Border Protection (I-94) Departure Record I-797A, Notice of Action U.S. Customs and Border Protection-Kiosk Locations Chapter Nine: Travel Abroad Hot Issues in Civil Litigation A Lesson in Risk Management: Munn v. The Hotchkiss School Rodney E. Gould, Esq. I. The Facts II. Issues with the Release III. Issues with Causation IV. Notice Issues V. Theories of Liability VI. Oral Argument on Motion to Reconsider VII. Potential Prophylactic Measures A Lesson in Risk Management: Munn v. The Hotchkiss School PowerPoint Rodney E. Gould, Esq. Section Three: Travel Abroad I. Eco-Tourism: The Case of Old and Historic Charleston Against the Fantasy A. Eco-Tourism and Beyond B. Marketing Eco-Tourism C. Absence of Global Standards D. Environmental Lawsuits E. Historic Charleston v. the Fantasy xiv

7 F. No Standing II. Personal Jurisdiction Over Foreign Travel Suppliers After the Daimler Case A. Presence or General Jurisdiction B. Long Arm or Specific Jurisdiction C. Possible Impact of Daimler on Traveler Claims III. Limiting Damages for Intra-Country Aviation Accidents A. Airlines: Liability and Damages Limitations B. Montreal Conventions C. Preemption and Venue D. Article 17 Liability and Damages E. Intra-Country Air Transportation F. Travelers Beware IV. Travel Accidents Abroad: Where to Sue: The Selection of a Convenient Forum: U.S. and Canadian Perspectives A. Where to Sue B. Wrongful Death Claims C. Assaults, Rapes and Robberies D. Water Sports Accidents E. Slip, Trips and Falls F. Choosing a Friendly Forum G. Foreign Procedural Law H. Is the Forum Selected Convenient I. Plaintiff s Choice is Important J. Advertising in the Forum K. Availability of Alternative Forum L. Plaintiff s Emotional Burden M. Location of Witness and Evidence N. Conclusion Chapter 10: Hot Topics in Hotel and Resort Law Hotels, Resorts and Casinos: Selected Liability Issues I. Personal Injury Accidents on the Premise II. Slips, Trips, Falls and Minor Injuries III. Rapes, Robberies and Assaults IV. Drownings and Other Related Injuries V. Warning: Be Careful at Public Beaches Recommended by the Hotel VI. Food Poisoning, Water Contamination and Contraction of Disease VII. Transportation Accidents VIII. Sports Accidents xv

8 IX. Off Premise Accidents: Disclaimers and Assumption of the Risk X. Selected State Innkeeper s Statutes XI. Misrepresentations of Accommodations, Services and Facilities XII. Types of Misrepresentations XIII. Casinos: Common Consumer Complaints XIV. Casinos: Unique Problems Experienced by Patrons Hotel Liability I. Hotel Liability for Stolen Luggage A. Hotel Rules B. Contractual Disclaimers C. Statutory Limits D. Pets II. Hotel Restaurant Liability for Lost Items A. Location of the Item B. Warning Signs C. Bailments D. Negligence E. Liability Limiting Statutes F. Hotel Liability for Misrepresentations III. Hotel Liability for Misrepresentations A. Format of Misrepresentations B. Superlatives C. Ratings D. Location E. Facilities, Services and Activities F. Safe Accommodations G. Food H. Tipping I. Bedbugs and Other Vermin J. Hotel Overcharges, Add-on Fees and Taxes Section Three: Key Concepts in Pennsylvania Liquor Liability Law David L. Kwass, Esq. I. Statutory Basis for Liquor Liability II. No Common Law Cause of Action for Liquor Liability III. Social Host Rule: No Liability IV. Proof of Visible Intoxication V. Proof of Visible Intoxication: Expert Testimony VI. Punitive Damages xvi

9 VII. Comparative Negligence VIII. The Fair Share Act IX. Conclusion Appendices: Submitted by David L. Kwass, Esq. Appendix A: Sample Plaintiff s Complaint in Dram Shop Action Appendix B: Sample Discovery Requests in Dram Shop Action Appendix C: Request for Production Documents xvii