Source: https://e-justice.europa.eu/caseDetails.do?idTaxonomy=5960&idCountry=19&plang=mt
Timestamp: 2019-10-15 14:55:51+00:00
Document Index: 1807678

Matched Legal Cases: ['Qorti ', 'QORTI ', 'Qorti ', 'Qorti ', 'Qorti ', 'Qorti ', 'Qorti ', 'Qorti ']

Charles Attard et vs. ATV Travel Limited (C14783)
Prim Awla tal-Qorti Civili
Package Travel Directive, Article 5, 2.
Liability for damages of the consumer
Plaintiffs bought from the defendant company a package holiday which included flights from Malta to Vancouver/London/Malta, four nights accommodation in Vancouver and an Alaska Cruise with Carnival Spirit which had to start on the 10th May 2006. This holiday was confirmed by defendant company and payment duly made. When on the 10th May 2006 plaintiffs came to take their Alaska cruise from Vancouver, they were told that they could not take this cruise as they required a visa to board the cruise liner to go to Alaska. Plaintiffs contended that at no stage did defendant company inform them that they needs a visa to take the Alaska cruise, Maltese nationals needing a visa to enter any part of the United States of America. Plaintiffs contended that because of defendant company’s negligence they suffered monetary damages amounting to 5,432 Maltese Liri. Defendant company replied that the need for a visa resulted in various sections of the documentation provided to plaintiffs whereby travellers are advised that it is their responsibility to check with the travel agent to determine what necessary documents are required when travelling. Defendant company further contended that it did what it could to assist plaintiffs also offering them a free cruise in the Mediterranean which was however refused.
The Court noted that of the three brochures presented as evidence only one was actually published by defendant company with the other brochures being American publications and in relation to which Maltese law did not apply. Court noted that there was no contestation as to the fact that plaintiffs suffered damages. The issue was who was responsible for the damages suffered by plaintiffs. The Court observed that once plaintiffs bought the tickets from defendant company and not directly from Carnival Cruises, the Maltese travel agent was required to inform plaintiffs that they needed a visa to take the cruise. Court noted that from the correspondence and brochures submitted as evidence it did not result that plaintiffs were informed about the visa requirements. The information given in the brochure published by defendant company though clear was not precise. The Court observed that in such circumstances the travel agent should have informed his clients that they required a visa for that specific cruise. The Court therefore held that defendant company was principally responsible for the damages suffered by plaintiffs. The Court however held that there was a degree of contributory negligence by plaintiffs in that it appears that they failed to read the information provided on one of the brochures given to them and that they should have realised that Alaska was part of the United States of America. The Court therefore determined that defendant company was responsible for two-thirds of the damages incurred whereas plaintiffs were responsible for one third of the said damages. Court costs were also determined in a similar proportion.
QORTI CIVILI
PRIM' AWLA
GEOFFREY VALENZIA
Seduta tas-7 ta' Jannar, 2008
Citazzjoni Numru. 821/2006
Charles Attard I.D. Card No. 687255(M) u martu Rita
Attard I.D.
Card No. 777956(M), Sarah Maria Attard I.D. Card No.
204685(M)
u Jesmond Calleja I.D. Card No. 91580(M)
ATV Travel Limited (C14783)
Rat l-atti tar-rikors li permezz tieghu r-rikorrenti ssottomettew:
Illi atturi pprenotaw u sussegwentement xtraw u akkwistaw minghand is-socjeta’ intimata pakkett ta’ livvjaggar li kien jinkludi t-titjira Malta/Londra/Vancouver/Londra/Malta, erbat’iljieli akkomodazzjoni Vancouver, Alaska Cruise mal-Carnival Spirit li kellu jibda fl-10 ta’ Mejju 2006, ghal erba’ persuni, liema pakkett inxtara versu l-prezz ta’ erbat’elef, u disghin Liri Maltin (Lm4,090) ghall-erba’ persuni f’daqqa, hawnhekk lkoll l-atturi;
Illi dan il-vjagg kien ikkonfermat mis-socjeta’ intimata lillatturi fl-20 ta’ Frar 2006 permezz ta’ e-mail, liema konferma ndikat ukoll numru ta’ kundizzjonijiet ohra illi latturi kellhom jaderixxu ghalihom sabiex ma jitilfux ilvjagg, fosthom illi kellhom ihallsu sa certu data qabel ilvjagg;
Illi mkien u fl-ebda` hin jew waqt, la meta kienu qeghdin isiru l-prenotazzjonijiet, la meta sar il-hlas u lanqas meta gew ikkonsenjati lilhom il-biljetti kollha relattivi ghall- viaggi bl-ajru u kif ukoll ghall-cruise, ma intqal lill-istess atturi illi kellhom bzonn VISA sabiex jitilghu abbord il-vapur ghallcruise;
Illi meta fl-10 ta’ Mejju 2006, l-atturi marru sabiex jibdew ilcruise minnhom mixtri minghand u mhallas mas-socjeta’ intimata, huma gew avzati illi dan ma setghux jaghmluh peress illi ma kellhomx VISA ghal tali vjagg;
Illi l-atturi ghamlu l-vjagg kollu lejn Vancouver, il-Kanada, appuntu sabiex imorru fuq dan il-cruise flimkien, haga illi allura, konsegwenza tan-nuqqasijiet, negligenza u traskuragni tas-socjeta’ intimata proprju minhabba l-fatt illi f’ebda hin ma gew avzati illi kellhom bzonn VISA, ma setghetx issir;
Illi l-istess socjeta’ intimata ghamlet l-arrangamenti kollha necessarji sabiex ir-rikorrenti setghu jergghu jirritornaw lura lejn Malta minn Londra qabel iz-zmien u
sussegwentement kienet anke offriet ‘with compliments’ permezz tal-Kontrollur Finanzjarju taghha, cruise fil-Mediterran u biljetti ta’ l-ajru ghall-Kroazja, liema offerta ma kinitx accettabbli ghall-esponenti;
Illi dan l-agir negligenti, traskurat u n-nuqqas da parti tassocjeta’ intimata illi tgharraf, tavza u tipprepara lill-klijenti taghha (hawnhekk rikorrenti) illi ghandhom bzonn VISA sabiex ikunu jistghu jaghmlu il-cruise li hallsu, wassal sabiex l-istess rikorrenti sofrew danni consistenti principalment imma mhux esklussivament f’telf ta’ flus u spejjez inutli ammontanti ghal madwar hames t’elef, erba’ mija u tnejn u tletin Lira Maltin u ghoxrin centezmu Lm5,432.20), kollox kif ser jigi ahjar ppruvat fil-kors talkawza;
Illi ghal tali danni sofferti mir-rikorrenti hija responsabili biss is-socjeta’ intimata ghar-ragunijiet hawn fuq premessi, izda meta mitluba tersaq ghall-likwidazzjoni u
konsegwenti hlas ta’ danni sofferti mir-rikorrenti, anke permezz ta’ ittra ufficjali tal-20 ta’ Lulju 2006 (ittra 2459/06), hija baqghet inadempjenti u ghalhekk kellha
issir din il-kawza;
Ghaldaqstant l-esponenti qeghdin gentilment u bir-rispett jitolbu sabiex taht dawk il-pattijiet u kundizzjonijiet kollha xierqa, din l-Onorabbli Qorti:
1. Tiddikjara illi s-socjeta’ intimata hija responsabili minhabba traskuragni, negligenza u nuqqasijiet taghha, ghad-danni kollha sofferti mill-esponenti, meta hija pprenotat, bieghet u thallset tal-vjagg, inkluz il-cruise hawn fuq imsemmi, naqqset illi f’mument jew iehor talbejgh tavza lill-esponenti illi kellhom bzonn il-VISA sabiex ikunu jistghu jivvjaggaw, partikolarment fuq il-cruise.
2. Tiddikjara illi l-esponeti sofrew danni fil-valur ta’ hames t’elef erba’ mija u tnejn u tletin Liri Maltin u ghoxrin centezmu (Lm5,432.20) jew somma ohra verjuri illi tigi
hekk likwidata minn din l-Onorabbli Qorti.
3. Tikkundanna, prevja kull dikjarazzjoni necessarja, lis-socjeta’ intimata sabiex thallas lir-rikorrenti s-somma ta’ hames t’elef erba’ mija u tnejn u tletin Liri Maltin u ghoxrin centezmu (Lm5,432.20) jew somma ohra verjuri illi tigi hekk likwidata minn din l-Onorabbli Qorti in linea mat-tieni talba.
Bl-ispejjez kollha, inkluz dawk ta’ l-ittra ufficjali tal-20 ta’ Lulju 2006, u bl-imghax legali sad-data tal-hlas effettiv, kontra s-socjeta’ intimata li hija minn issa ngunta ghassubizzjoni.
Rat ir-risposta guramentata tas-socjeta’ intimata ATV
Travel Limited a fol. 12 tal-process fejn eccepiet:
1. Illi t-talbiet tar-rikorrenti huma nfondati fil-fatt u fiddritt, kif ser jigi ppruvat ahjar fil-mori ta’ dina l-kawza, u ghandhom jigu respinti bl-ispejjez;
2. Illi minghajr pregudizzju ghas-suespost, is-socjeta’ esponenti agixxiet bhala agent tal-ivvjaggar u qdiet iddmirijiet taghha bl-akbar diligenza u hi ma kkawzat ebda danni lir-rikorrenti. Il-htiega tal-VISA ghall-vjagg kien jirrizulta bil-miktub f’diversi partijiet tad-dokumentazzjoni tal-vjagg moghti mill-esponenti lir-rikorrenti. Hemm referenza specifika dwar il-bzonn ta’ VISA f’zewg brochures u cioe’ ‘2005/2006 lets go holiday’ u Carnival 3 to 16 Day Cruise Vacations 2006-2007, liema brochures inghataw lir-rikorrenti cirka erba’ xhur qabel il-vjagg in kwistjoni. F’pagna 68 tal-brochure ‘2005/2006 lets go holiday’ hemm paragrafu li jismu ‘Your Responsibilities’ fejn hemm miktub illi ‘It is your responsibilitiy to ensure
that you and those for whom you are booking are in possession of a valid passport and any appropriate entry visas.’ Fil-brochure Carnival 3 to 16 Day Cruise Vacations 2006-2007 fis-sezzjoni mmarkata ‘Things to Know Before
You Go’ gewwa pagna 61 hemm miktub
‘Proper travel documentation is required at embarkation and throughout the cruise. It is the guest’s sole responsibility to bring and have available at all times all required travel documents. Guests are advised to check with their travel agent or the appropriate authority to determine the necessary documents. Any guests traveling without proper documentation will not be allowed to board the vessel and no refund of the cruise fare will be issued.
… For sailings calling on Canadian ports of call, certain foreign nationals must obtain a Canadian visa in addition to the multiple-entry visa. Non-U.S. citizens must contact the appropriate consulate, U.S. embassy and U.S. Immigration office to inquire about necessary travel documentation. Carnival assumes no responsibility for advising guests of Immigration requirements.’ In oltre,
meta hallsu ghal dan il-vjagg f’April 2006 ir-rikorrenti nghataw minghand is-socjeta’ intimata package li fih kien hemm, flimkien mal-biljetti tal-ajru u l-vouchers, pamphlet li jgib l-isem Carnival: Things to Know Before You Cruise
fejn fit-tielet paragrafu ta’ pagna erbgha hemm miktub ‘International guests need a valid unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-entry Visa, if applicable.’
3. Illi minghajr pregudizzju ghas-suespost, is-socjeta’ intimata ghamlet kull ma setghet biex tipprova tghin lirrikorrenti fis-sitwazzjoni li sabu ruhhom fiha u bhala sinjal ta’ buona volonta sahansitra hallset ghall-Lukanda tarrikorrenti f’Londra meta huma rritornaw Malta minn Vancouver, offrietilhom biljetti ta’ l-ajru b’xejn gewwa l-Kroazja u irrangat mal-kumpanija estera Carnival Spirit sabiex taghtihom cruise b’xejn gewwa l-Meditterran izda dawn l-ahhar zewg offerti gew irrifjutati;
4. Illi minghajr pregudizzju ghas-suespost, in oltre kien ghar-rikorrenti li jiehdu hsieb l-affarijiet taghhom biddiligenza konsweta tal-bonus paterfamilias;
5. Salv eccezzjonijiet ulterjuri.
Rat l-atti kollha tal-kawza u d-dokumenti ezibiti;
Semghet ix-xhieda bil-gurament;
Rat l-affidavits esebiti mir-rikorrenti;
Semghet lill Avukati difensuri jittrattaw:
Ir-rikorrenti kienu ibbukkjaw cruise l-Alaska minghand issocjeta` intimata, u kellhom imorru ghal erbat’ijiem f’Vancouver il-Kanada u mbaghad minn Vancouver jaqbdu cruise bil-vapur Carnival Spirit li kellu jehodhom l- Alaska. Gara izda li meta waslu biex jaqbdu l-vapur rrikorrenti ma thallewx jitilghu abbord billi ma kellhomx visa biex jidhlu gewwa l-Istati Uniti ta’ l-Amerika. Huma rritornaw lura Malta u s-socjeta’ intimata, minghajr ma ammettiet ebda responsabilita’, offriet lir-rikorrenti vaganza complimentary bhala alternativa ghal dik li kellhom izda dina l-offerta’ ma kinitx accettabili gharrikorrenti. Ghalhekk huma ghamlu dina l-kawza fejn qed jitolbu li jigu kumpensati ghall ispejjez li nkorrew inutilment
u li jqiesu bhala danni.
KONTESTAZZJONI
Ir-rikorrenti qed jibbazaw it-talba taghhom fuq Legal Notice 157/2007 li jinkorpora fih direttiva dwar Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours, u jsostnu li s-socjeta’ intimata ma ssodisfatx il-kondizzjonijiet imposti f’dana l-avviz legali. Huma jikkontendu li r-rapprezentanta tas-socjeta’ attrici li huma kellmu fl-ebda mument ma taghthom struzzjonijiet biex jaghmlu VISA. Mit-tlett brochures ezibiti, wiehed biss huwa ppubblikat millagenzija Maltija ATV1. L-ohrajn ATV2 u 3 huma pubblikazzjonijiet Amerikani u mhumiex marbutin bil-legal notice imsemmija. Ir-rikorrenti jissottomettu li s-socjeta’ intimata qed tistrieh fuq il-general conditions u l-kliem li hemm in small print li pero’ ma jissodisfax ir-rekwiziti tallegal notice riferita.
Minn naha l-ohra l-intimati jsostnu li fil-brochure li ezebew l-istess rikorrenti ATV 1 fol 68 General Conditions – Your responsibilities, hemm indikat l-affarijiet li huma kellhom bzonn ikunu jafu, u dan indipendentement jekk il-brochure giex pubblikat l-Amerika jew le. (ara fol 61). Infatti rrikorrenti nghataw tlett brochures li kienu cari u jissodisfaw dak li trid il-ligi. Izda jidher li r-rikorrent ma qrahomx u lanqas biss kien jaf li l-Alaska kienet fl-Amerika u ghalhekk jehtieg il-VISA.
KONSIDERAZZJONIET
Din hija kawza ghal-hlas ta’ danni u jidher li m’hemmx kontestazzjoni bejn il-partijiet li fil fatt ir-rikorrenti sofrew danni. Il-partijiet mhux qed jaqblu dwar minn kien responsabbili ghad-danni subiti mir-rikorrenti.
Ir-rikorrent ibbaza t-talba tieghu fuq l-Avviz Legali 157 tassena 2000 li jinkorpora d-Direttiva tal-Unjoni Europea 90/314/EEC dwar bejgh ta’ pakketti ta’ l-ivvjaggar. L-Avviz Legali jipprovvdi :
L-ewwelnett l-artikolu 5.1 jistipula illi kemm-il darba lorganizzatur jew negozjant tal-pakkett tal-ivvjaggar jipprovdi lill-konsumatur bi brochure, allura f’dan il brochure ghandu fost ohrajn inizzel: taghrif generali dwar htigiet ta’ passaport u ta’ visa liema nformazzjoni ghandha tinghata b’mod li tinqara, tinftiehem u preciza.
It-tieni cirkustanza fejn tissemma l-visa f’dawn irregolamenti huwa f’Artikolu 6.1 li jistipula illi qabel ma jsir il-kuntratt, in-negozjant jew l-organizzatur tal-vjagg
ghandu jipprovvdi lill-konsumatur taghrif generali dwar htigiet ta’ passaport u ta’ visa inkluz taghrif dwar iddewmien biex tikseb il-passaport u l-visa mehtiega;
Il-ligi titlob illi din l-informazzjoni tinghata qabel ma jsir ilkuntratt (6:1) cjoe qabel ma jsir il-hlas finali u l-konsenja tal-biljetti u d-dokumenti relattivi.
Fil-kaz in ezami l-informazzjoni li s-socjeta` intimata ghaddiet qabel il-konkluzjoni tal-kuntratt lir-rikorrenti kienet tikkonsisti fiz-zewg brochures esebiti mar-risposta
guramentata u mmarkati bhala dokti ATV1 u ATV2. Ma jirrizultax mill-atti tal-kawza illi kien hemm informazzjoni ohra mghoddija mis-socjeta` intimata lir-rikorrenti ghajr lemails skambjati bejn il-partijiet li pero’ ma jsemmu xejn dwar visa. Id-dokument ATV3 nghata lir-rikorrenti wara lkonkluzjoni tal-kuntratt u ghalhekk m’ghandux jigi kunsidrat.
Il-brochure immarkat ATV1 a fol 68 General Conditions -Your responsibilities, stampat min-negozjant tal-vjagg ma nfurmax lir-rikorrenti illi huma ghandhom bzonn visa ghallvjagg partikolari li ghazlu huma. Infurmahom biss b’mod generali illi ir-responsabilita` biex jiksbu visa, jekk hemm bzonnha, huwa tal-vjaggatur.
It-tieni brochure ATV 2 a fol 61 Passport Data, li huwa stampat mill-organizzatur tal-cruise jinforma lill-vjaggatur sabiex jiccekja mal-awtoritajiet lokali jekk ghandux bzonn Visa. It-tieni brochure huwa brochure mahsub ghal vjaggaturi mill-pajjizi kollha tad-dinja u ghalhekk ma jistax jindika bi precizjoni min ghandu bzonn visa u min le.
Izda ladarba r-rikorrenti ghazlu li jixtru l-biljett taghhom minghand l-agent tal-ivvjaggar Malti u mhux direttament minghand il-Carnival Cruises, l-agent tal-ivvjaggar Malti u cioe s-socjeta` intimata kellha d-dmir illi tinforma lirrikorrenti
li kellhom bzonn visa biex jaghmlu l-cruise. Millkorrispondenza esebita u wkoll mill-brochures ma jidher imkien illi r-rikorrenti gew informati bil-miktub illi huma
ghandhom bzonn visa. Ir-rapprezentanta Veronica Farrugia illi kienet tikkomunika mar-rikorrenti, ma tiftakarx jekk infurmatx jew le lir-rikorrenti bil-bzonn ta’ visa
ghalkemm issostni li bhala procedura normali (pero’ ma ftakritx f’dan il-kaz) hi tghid lill kljenti biex jiccekkjaw ma’ l- Ambaxxata dwar il-Visa.
Rigward l-ewwel brochure din il-Qorti hija tal-fehma illi linformazzjoni ghalkemm kienet tinqara u tinftiehem, ma kinitx izda preciza. Wiehed kien jistenna li agent talivvjaggar Malti jkun f’pozizzjoni li jindika lill-klijenti tieghu li ghandhom bzonn visa ghal dak il-vjagg partikolari. Ghalhekk il-Qorti tikkonkludi illi s-socjeta’ rikorrenti hija principarjament responsabbli ghad-danni sofferti mirrikorrenti.
Izda l-Qorti hija tal-fehma li min-naha tar-rikorrenti kien hemm ukoll element ta’ negligenza kontributorja. Dawna kellhom diversi indikazzjonijiet li setghu jqanqlulhom dubbju li seta’ kellhom bzonn visa. Bizzejjed wiehed ihares lejn l-avvizi moghija fil-brochure immarkat ATV2 fejn il-vjaggatur huwa avzat biex jiccekkja mal-awtoritajiet lokali dwar il-bzonn tal-visa.
Mill-provi ma jirrizultax li sar dan il-kontroll min-naha tarrikorrenti. Lanqas jirrizulta li min-naha taghhom staqsew lill-agent ta’ l-ivvjaggar jekk kellhomx bzonn ta’ visa.
Jidher illi r-rikorrenti ma qrawx l-informazzjoni fuq il brochure ATV 2 u ghalhekk kien hemm element ta’ negligenza min-naha taghhom. Izjed negligenza tirrizulta
min-naha tar-rikorrenti billi huma ma kinux jafu li l-Alaska taghmel parti mill-Istati Uniti tal-Amerika,1 u li kellhom bzonn Visa. Certament li kienet responsabilita’ taghhom illi jkunu jafu il-pajjiz fejn sejrin u x’hemm bzonn.
Il-Qorti ghalhekk tistabilixxi r-responsabbilta` ghad-danni sofferti mir-rikorrenti bhala ta’ zewg terzi (2/3) ghassocjeta` intimata u terz (1/3) ghall-istess rikorrenti.
Rigward il-kwantum tad-danni mitluba mir-rikorrenti u cioe s-somma ta’ hamest’elef erba’ mija u tnejn u tletin Liri Maltin u ghoxrin centezmu (Lm5,432.20), ma jidhirx li din hi kontestata mis-socjeta` intimata. Inoltre, dan l-ammont ma jidhirx li huwa esagerat u gie effettivament ippruvat flandament
tal-kawza bl-ircevuti relattivi.
DECIZJONI
Ghal dawn il-motivi
il-Qorti tiddeciedi billi:
tiddikjara li s-socjeta` intimata hija responsabbli ghal zewg terzi (2/3) tad-danni subiti mir-rikorrenti;
tiddikjara illi r-rikorrenti sofrew danni fil-valur ta’ tnax il-elf sitt mija u tlieta u hamsin euro u tnejn u sittin centezmi (€12,653.62) - (Lm5,432.20), li minnhom is-socjeta` intimata hija responsabbli li thallas zewg terzi minnhom cjoe tmient elef erbgha mija u hamsa u tletin euro u lieta u sebghin centezmi (€8,435.73) - (Lm3,621.46) u tikkundanna lis-socjeta` intimata thallas lir-rikorrenti ssomma
hekk likwidata;
Bl-ispejjez jithallsu kwantu ghall terz mir-rikorrenti u zewg terzi mis-socjeta` intimata.
Bl-imghax legali mid-data tas-sentenza sad-data talpagament effettiv.