The Polish competition authority, known as UOKiK, has fined the travel agency Exim Tours over 20 million PLN due to unlawful practices that violated consumer rights. The agency was found to have made unilateral changes to the terms of travel packages without any contractual basis, which included altering hotel accommodations and removing amenities like air conditioning and swimming pools.

UOKiK's investigation revealed that Exim Tours failed to inform consumers about their right to cancel contracts without incurring costs when significant changes were made. The authority emphasized that consumers expect the terms they agreed upon to be honored by the travel organizer, and any modifications should be made with the customer's consent unless explicitly stated in the contract.

Moreover, Exim Tours misled consumers regarding the conditions for justifying cancellation fees. The company incorrectly claimed that consumers had to request justification for cancellation fees within seven days after the trip, a requirement that had no legal basis and could complicate consumers' ability to claim refunds.

UOKiK's president, Tomasz Chróstny, stated that consumers must be assured that the terms of their contracts will be respected and that unilateral changes without contractual grounds are unacceptable. Exim Tours has since ceased the questioned practices, but the decision is not yet final as the company has appealed to the Court of Competition and Consumer Protection.

Once the decision is finalized, Exim will inform consumers about the ruling and refund any unjustly charged cancellation fees. Consumers who did not use vouchers or alternative offers will also be entitled to request refunds.