British travellers are being forced to pay an additional “Brexit charge” on their holiday bookings (generic picture). Picture: Thinkstock

Ski giant Mark Warner is one of a number of tour companies ordering holiday-makers to pay up to $80 per person on top of their bookings because of currency fluctuations, reports The Sun.

British families are not impressed by an additional “Brexit charge” when they travel outside of the UK (generic picture). Picture: ThinkstockSource:ThinkStock

But customers have slammed the firms, saying they should not have to bear the brunt of the falling value of the pound against the euro following June’s vote to leave the EU.

Dad-of-two Justin Barrington, from London, said he was “disgusted” when he was told he must pay an extra $325 after booking a $10,500 Mark Warner holiday to Val-d’Isère in France.

He claimed the firm refused to hand over the flight and hotel details for the family of four until he paid the “unavoidable” charge.

Mr Barrington told SunOnline: “I was told I would have to pay an extra $325 for the holiday because of uncertainty following June’s EU referendum result.

“It was a slap in the face. I told Mark Warner I did not think I should have to pay the charge, but they refused to release our travel documents until I did.

“I felt we were being held to ransom two weeks before departure because of an error from their finance team.

“To make matters worse my five-year-old son Joey was violently sick during our stay at Chalet Hotel Le Val d’Isère.”

British holiday-makers spoke of feeling “betrayed” by the extra charges (generic picture). Picture: ThinkstockSource:Supplied

The loyal customer, who has stayed at Mark Warner resorts five years in a row, said he would never return to one of the company’s hotels.

He is just one of dozens of customers who have complained about the “Brexit surcharge” imposed by Mark Warner, which has resorts in the French, Austrian and Italian Alps.

Sarah Lawrence claimed her travel companion Melissa Cheshire had to pay an extra $380 on a fully paid holiday four weeks after booking.

She said: “I feel extremely let down.”

“Having used Mark Warner previously we had a great experience but the extra stealth charges they are forcing hard working families to pay is just not on.”

One frustrated customer, who stayed at Hôtel La Bérangère in Les Deux Alpes, took to Facebook to complain.

“Didn’t appreciate surcharge — while I understand the exchange rate problem we were already going at the most expensive time of year,” the guest wrote.

Another wrote: “The $81 extra charge per person did not go down well especially when this was our fourth year in a row back to the Chalet Loden.”

In a letter to customers, the firm said the extra charge, which has to be paid within 14 days of receiving notification, was “necessary” because of Brexit.

“As a result of economic uncertainty following June’s EU referendum result and the major impact on the euro exchange rate, it will be necessary and unavoidable for us, for the first time in many years, to invoke the surcharge clause contained within our contractual terms and conditions,” it read.

One traveller aired his grievances via Facebook. Picture: FacebookSource:Supplied

Holiday-makers who want to cancel their package face cancellation fees if the booking is cancelled less than ten weeks before departure.

Those cancelling less than 14 days before departure will lose the entire value of their holiday.

A spokesman for Mark Warner confirmed that its Summer Sun 2017 and Winter Ski 2017 to 2018 holidays will not be surcharged.

The travel giant is not the only British company to ask customers to pay extra because of currency fluctuations in the wake of the Brexit vote.

A host of smaller UK-based tour operators, including Travelink Group, Wasteland Ski, Team 4 Travel, Gower Tours and Hadler tours have also introduced a surcharge.

Wasteland Ski, which is popular with students, has received a number of complaints after asking customers to pay up to $56 extra per person.

Harry Bowerman said: “Wasteland ski charged our every member of our university trip a $56 pound Brexit surcharge on top of our base price over a month after I had paid for the trip in full.

“It left me feeling betrayed and set the tone for what to expect from Wasteland.”

Xander Bairstow wrote on the firm’s Facebook group, saying: I was subjected to a compulsory “Brexit charge” added on after I had paid in full for the trip.

“This was made possible due to a shadily written contract which was followed up by a number of very forceful emails.

Travellers have slammed the firms, saying they should not have to bear the brunt of the falling value of the pound against the euro following the vote to leave the EU (generic picture). Picture: ThinkstockSource:istock

“As a student I have limited finances, and had budgeted so that I could take part in the trip, and was not able to withdraw my payment without the loss of my deposit as well.”

Georgina Auton also complained about the extra$56 charge with Wasteland Ski.

“Prior to the trip, they added an extra 35 pounds [$56] to the price due to Brexit,” she said.

“Our trip which we booked onto was organised prior to Brexit but launched after, thus the price should have reflected the inflation immediately.”

A spokesman for Wasteland Ski said: “Unfortunately due to the effects of Brexit and therefore fluctuation of currency rates, Wasteland Ski Large Groups department has had to add a charge to holiday bookings to match the inflation of the holiday components and ensure the holidays continue to take place.

“Although this charge is something we have tried very hard to avoid, the consequences of Brexit are out of our control.”

Wasteland Ski insisted surcharges have only been applied to large group bookings, rather than small groups or individuals.

A spokesman for Travelink Group, which offers trips to Israel, said they introduced the charge because of “exceptional circumstances”.

“Surcharges are entirely legal,” the spokesman said.

“While we make every effort so as not to impose such charges upon our customers, there are some exceptional circumstances in which they have to be applied.”

Team 4 Travel, which specialises in school trips, said they have only “surcharged on a few occasions when customers have paid very late and caused a currency loss”.

A spokesman said: “We provide a full guarantee against surcharges subject only to the party paying their invoice on time and, even then, we don’t surcharge so long as the delay in payment is not too serious.

“For next winter we are giving all our parties a 100 per cent surcharge guarantee not subject to any conditions.”

The extra charges mean travel agents face “embarrassing and difficult” conversations with clients.

Gower Tours and Hadler tours have been approached by SunOnline for a comment.

Neil Basnett, Elite Travel Group chief executive, said most companies should “hedge their bets” on currency changes.

“The larger companies tend to pay upfront and hedge their bets on any currency fluctuations, so their customers aren’t affected.

“A surcharge will be seen as a last resort. I believe Mark Warner is the only major player that has introduced one.”

It is understood that Crystal Ski, Tui and Thomas Cook have no plans to surcharge.

The Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) lists the surging companies on its website.

Travellers are feeling “let down” by the extra charges. Picture: Hollie LewisSource:News Limited

What are your rights?

Travel operators are allowed to add a surcharge to booked package holidays — whether it’s to do with rising fuel costs, increased taxes, or currency fluctuations — so long as they have this clause in their terms and conditions.

Companies must ask for this additional money more than 30 days before departure.

If the operator is an Abta member, Abta must have agreed this charge before it’s put in place.

If the company isn’t a member of Abta, the company must provide a breakdown of how the costs have been calculated.

If a customer is unsatisfied with this breakdown, they can threaten to cancel in exchange for a full refund.

How much can the surcharge be?

The surcharge can be no more than 10 per cent, and tour operators must absorb the first two per cent of this.

If the surcharge is above 10 per cent customers have the right to cancel and receive a full refund.

However, if it is less than 10 per cent, customers are not entitled to a full refund if they cancel.

This story originally appeared in The Sun