General Terms and Conditions of Travel of Donau Touristik GmbH and DSGL
MS PRIMADONNA
Cruises and cycle cruises with our MS Primadonna are organised by Donauschifffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH Linz - DSGL for short (= 100% subsidiary of Donau Touristik GMBH, Linz).
BIKE TRIPS ON SHORE & WITH OTHER SHIPS
All bike trips and all other cruises and bike cruises are organised or arranged by Donau Touristik GMBH, Linz. Donau Touristik GMBH, Linz acts as an agent for tours organised by other tour operators not belonging to the group of companies and/or itself acts as an organiser for package tours. The General Terms and Conditions of Travel apply equally to DSGL Donauschifffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH, Linz and Donau Touristik GMBH, Linz.
Adapted to the Austrian Package Travel Act (PRG), Federal Gazette 1 No. 50/2017 and to the Austrian Warranty Law Amendment Act, Federal Gazette 1 No. 48/2001, the General Conditions of Travel of Donau Touristik GMBH (DT) and Donauschifffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH Linz (DSGL), A-4010 Linz/Donau shall apply regular. These form the basis of the travel contract and can be found in detail on our website at www.arb.donaureisen.at; www.arb.radferien.com and www.msprimadonna.at/arb. On request(info(a)donautouristik.com or by telephone +43 732 2080) we will also be happy to send them to you free of charge.
The basis of these General Conditions of Travel was jointly discussed by the Consumer Policy Advisory Board of the Federal Ministry of Health, Sport and Consumer Protection in accordance with Section 73 (1) of the Austrian Industrial Code of 1994 and Section 8 of the Order of the Minister for Economic Affairs, in the version of 1994, on the Performance Regulations for the Travel Agency Industry. The full wording is enclosed with your booking confirmation.
Donau Touristik GMBH is a travel agency, tour operator and Donauschifffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH (DSGL) is a shipping company. A travel agency can act as an agent and/or as an organiser. The agent assumes the obligation to endeavour to procure a claim to the services of others. The organiser is the company that either offers several tourist services at a package price (package tour/travel event) or promises to provide individual tourist services as its own services and generally provides its own brochures, advertisements, etc. for this purpose. A company acting as a tour operator may also act as an agent if third-party services are arranged (e.g. optional excursion at the holiday destination), provided that it makes reference to this agency function. The following terms and conditions represent the contract text for which travel agencies usually conclude contracts with their customers/travellers as intermediaries or organisers. The special terms and conditions of the arranged tour operators, the arranged transport companies (e.g. rail, ship) and the other arranged service providers take precedence.
THE TRAVEL AGENCY AS ORGANISER:
The following terms and conditions form the basis of the contract that the person making the booking concludes with an organiser either directly or via an agent. In the case of a direct contract, the organiser shall be subject to the obligations of the agent mutatis mutandis. The customer generally recognises the present GENERAL TRAVEL CONDITIONS; any deviations are shown below in the advertising documents in accordance with Section 8 of the Performance Regulations.
1. Booking/conclusion of contract:
The booking must be made in writing by post, online form or e-mail and becomes binding after the booking confirmation or invoice has been issued. If the booking is made by the traveller by telephone, we will confirm by e-mail or post within 2 weeks. A deposit of 10% of the package price must be paid at the time of booking. The balance must be paid at the earliest 20 days before the start of the holiday without further request. If the content of the booking confirmation/invoice differs from the content of the booking, this is to be regarded as a new offer by the organiser, which the customer can accept within 3 days. The booking confirmation/invoice must therefore be checked immediately. In the event of non-payment despite the due date, the organiser may withdraw from the contract. If the full travel price has not been paid by 3 days before arrival at the latest, a fee of € 5 will be charged for additional expenses. As some of the travel documents are sent by post, it cannot be guaranteed that they will reach the customer on time in the event of late payment. The tour price is in Euro/EUR and per person in a double room or twin cabin. The arrival date determines the seasonal price of the basic package. Additional nights do not change the seasonal price. Some municipalities levy overnight stay taxes, which are listed in the respective travel advert. Depending on the current municipal regulations, a flat rate for energy/expenses may be charged on site. Only one discount granted by the organiser can be redeemed at a time. A combination of several discounts is not possible unless this is labelled accordingly on the website or in the invitation to tender. The deduction of all discounts or bonuses granted may amount to a maximum of 12% of the invoice total (max. 6% for cruises and cycle cruises). For cruises and cycle cruises, cabin numbers are allocated exclusively by the organiser. In individual cases, the cabin may be changed on board. This is at the discretion of the organiser or shipping company. The categorisation of the ships does not correspond to any official rating system.
2. Change/rebooking:
A change of tour participant is possible if the replacement person fulfils all the conditions for participation and this takes place at least 5 working days before the start of the tour. The transferor and transferee shall also be jointly and severally liable for any additional costs incurred as a result of the transfer. In the event of changes to participants, boarding, accommodation, transport, itinerary or offer, a rebooking fee of € 35.00 will be charged per booking, € 70.00 from 10 days before arrival. Excluded from this are changes to arrival dates, in which case the cancellation conditions apply (see 7.1.). If a rail arrival/departure package is included in your trip, a change to the booked date is only possible on request.
Hotels: Our categorisation of the sun ☼ is based on our experience and the stars of the national hotel classification. If named hotels are fully booked for distance tours, we will make a reservation of equal value if possible and refund € 5 per person per night. If only one category below or the neighbouring village (max. 10 km) is possible, we offer a discount of € 10,- per person and night. You will receive your hotel list approx. 21 days before arrival.
3. Content of the contract, information and other ancillary services:
The customer is responsible for complying with all applicable passport, visa, customs, foreign exchange, airport and health regulations (including required vaccinations, tests in accordance with the official regulations of the respective country at the time of arrival) and for the completeness of his/her travel documents. Participation in the trip is at the participant's own risk. Each participant is responsible for complying with road traffic regulations. In particular, it is the traveller's responsibility to clarify the suitability of any equipment brought along for the trips offered (e.g. own bikes, lights, etc.). Travellers are responsible for ensuring that they are able to cope with the health and physical demands of the trip. Minors may only take part in the tour if accompanied by a parent or guardian. Minors may only book a cabin on cruises and cycle cruises together with an adult. The organiser reserves the right to approve the booking of a minor separately or to limit the total number of minors on the cruise. The ships do not have any special facilities for children.
In addition to the information obligations that also apply to the agent, the organiser must provide sufficient information about the services offered. The service descriptions in the catalogue or brochure valid at the time of booking and the other information contained therein are the subject of the travel contract, unless otherwise agreed at the time of booking. The specified stage destinations are the main destinations travelled to.
4 Travel with special risks:
In the case of trips with special risks, the organiser shall not be liable for the consequences arising from the occurrence of the risks if this occurs outside the organiser's sphere of responsibility.
5. Legal basis in the event of service disruptions:
5.1 Warranty:
The customer has a warranty claim in the event of non-performance or defective performance. The customer agrees that the organiser shall provide a defect-free service or improve the defective service within a reasonable period of time in place of the customer's claim for cancellation or price reduction. Remedy can be provided in such a way that the defect is remedied or a replacement service of equal or higher value is provided, which is also expressly approved by the customer.
5.2 Compensation for damages:
If the tour operator or its agents culpably breach the obligations incumbent on the tour operator under the contractual relationship, the tour operator is obliged to compensate the customer for the resulting damage. If the tour operator is liable for persons other than its employees, it shall only be liable - except in cases of personal injury - if it cannot prove that they acted neither with intent nor with gross negligence. The organiser is not liable for luggage transport for items that are not normally carried in luggage (e.g. laptops or similar electronic devices, means of payment of all kinds, bottles of wine, etc.).
5.3 Notification of defects:
The customer must immediately notify a representative of the organiser or the organiser directly of any defect in the performance of the contract that he/she discovers during the trip. However, this presupposes that he has been notified of such a defect and that this representative can be reached on the spot without significant effort. Failure to do so shall not affect the customer's warranty claims described under 5.1. However, it may be counted as contributory negligence and thus reduce any claims for damages. However, the organiser must have informed the customer of this notification obligation in writing, either directly or via the agent. At the same time, the customer must have been informed that failure to notify the organiser does not affect their warranty claims, but may be counted as contributory negligence. If necessary, in the absence of a local representative, it is advisable to inform the organiser directly about defects and to demand remedy (7-day hotline: 0043 664 326 1577).
5.4 Special liability laws:
The organiser is liable for air travel under the Warsaw Convention and its supplementary agreement, for rail and coach travel under the Austrian Railway and Car Liability Act.. In the case of boat trips, Donau Touristik GMBH and Donauschifffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH are liable in accordance with the Austrian Inland Waterways Act and this general conditions of travel.
5.5 Luggage transport:
Luggage is naturally subjected to greater stress during transport. It is recommended to use the most robust pieces of luggage possible. Only 1 piece of luggage can be transported per person. No liability can be accepted for visual damage or damage to carrying handles, handles, pull straps, pull rods or wheels that may occur as a result of normal use. We are liable for damage or loss of luggage for 1 piece of luggage per person up to a maximum of € 700. During luggage transport, we are only liable if this was culpably caused by our legal representatives, deputies or vicarious agents and is reported to us immediately after it occurs. We strongly recommend that you take out your own insurance against damage to luggage. Cash, documents and valuables must be kept personally by the customer and must not be left in the luggage (see also 5.2.). If luggage is transferred within a country, it may be locked.
5.6 Exclusion of liability for customers' own bicycles:
The transport of customers' bicycles is only possible at the customer's risk, as the existing transport trailers have fixed settings for organiser bicycles and the attachment of third-party bicycles is only possible to a limited extent. If Donau Touristik GmbH undertakes the transport of the customer's own bikes, any resulting claims for compensation due to damage (e.g. damage to paintwork), loss or theft are excluded, unless Donau Touristik GmbH is responsible for intent or gross negligence and the customer has complained to the driver when receiving/returning the bike. In your own interest, we therefore recommend that you take out insurance for your own bike when transferring it back to your destination. Customer-owned e-bikes: Any costs incurred for charging the e-bikes are not included and are payable on site. So-called "fat bikes" (= bikes with extra-wide tyres of more than 5 cm) are excluded from return transfer services and can only be transported on request.
5.7 Disclaimer private car park - operator Donau Touristik GMBH:
For unguarded car parks operated by Donau Touristik GMBH itself (e.g. Passau), use is at your own risk, no liability is accepted for damage caused by third parties. The German StVO applies.
5.8 Exclusion of liability for cycle paths:
The condition of the cycle paths is constantly changing and it is not possible for the organiser to constantly check the cycle paths. The organiser cannot provide up-to-date information on the exact condition of the cycle paths. The organiser is therefore not liable for incidents caused by the poor condition of the cycle paths or alternative routes (diversions).
5.9 Special situation for cruises and cycle cruises:
A river boat is a "holiday hotel" on the one hand, but also a piece of equipment that moves by motor power and has to be operated constantly, even at night. Lock and bridge crossings are associated with disruptions. This is unavoidable on all river cruises. Please bear in mind that river ships are limited in size and therefore cannot be compared with ocean-going vessels. The cabins offer less space, but are also comfortably equipped. Changes in the water level (low water or high water) on cruises and cycle cruises may make it necessary to change the journey times, switch to another ship or transfer between different points on the route by bus or train or shorten the journey. Under certain circumstances, such measures can only be decided at short notice during the journey. These are not grounds for cancellation of the trip. In this respect, they also do not justify any claims (e.g. compensation) by the customer against the organiser. The same applies to lock and bridge repairs ordered by the authorities and not announced in advance or in the event of engine or propulsion damage to the ship through no fault of the customer.
Missed departure: If a passenger misses the departure of the ship through his own fault, the costs for transport to the next port and possibly also for an additional overnight stay and/or additional mooring fee must be borne in full by the passenger. Depending on the volume of traffic or for other operational reasons, the captain may depart before the scheduled departure time as soon as no more passengers are reported ashore according to the reception or no guest is missing on the day of arrival until the scheduled departure time.
The ships' waste water system is highly sensitive. For this reason, signs are displayed in the sanitary facilities indicating which items or materials must not be disposed of via the drainage pipes under any circumstances. Infringements may be prosecuted per cabin. The organiser is entitled to remove the passenger(s) from the ship within 24 hours.
The MS Primadonna has 4 wheelchair-accessible cabins that meet the general European standard. Customers who are dependent on assistance or have other special needs should enquire about the possibilities with the tour operator or the travel agency making the booking. Overall, the crew on board can only provide limited assistance. Any assistance required must be notified 48 hours in advance. If absolutely necessary, the organiser may request that a person with reduced mobility be accompanied by another person who is able to provide the required assistance.
Should the basic fuel prices increase by more than 10 % from the current (catalogue printing date) € 950,- per tonne, we reserve the right to charge a fuel surcharge of up to € 45,- per person per week.
6. Assertion of any claims:
In order to facilitate the assertion of claims, the customer is advised to obtain written confirmation of the non-provision or defective provision of services and to secure evidence. Warranty claims can be asserted within 3 years. In the interests of the traveller, it is advisable to assert claims directly with the organiser after returning from the trip (preferably up to 6 months after the contractually agreed end date). Customer reactions and claims for compensation can only be answered in the event of a specific breach of the travel contract. Due to the peak season, any examination of claims for damages can only take place from the end of the season (= October of the respective travel year), i.e. approx. 3-4 months after receipt of the letter. The customer shall not suffer any disadvantage as a result of the aforementioned limitation period.
7. Withdrawal from the contract:
If essential elements of the contract are changed by the organiser, the customer can withdraw from the contract free of charge. The organiser is obliged to notify the customer of the change to the contract directly or via the agent without delay and to inform the customer of the existing option of either withdrawing from the contract or accepting the change; the customer must exercise their right to choose without delay. When cancelling a booked trip for other reasons, it is advisable to do so in writing and by registered letter.
The following general cancellation conditions apply to cycle tours for which Donau Touristik acts as tour operator: up to 30 days before departure 15%, 29 to 20 days before arrival 20%, 19 to 10 days before arrival 25%, 9 to 4 days before departure 40%, from 3 days before arrival or later 50% of the tour price. For star bike tours from Dresden, Fügen, Bad Wörishofen, Kaprun & Uhldingen the following cancellation conditions apply: up to 30 days before arrival 15 %, 29 to 20 days before arrival 20 %, 19 to 10 days before arrival 40 % and from 9 days before departure or later 70 % of the tour price. A no-show is when the customer fails to arrive. In this case, an 80% cancellation fee must be paid. Services not used (e.g. if a trip is cancelled) will not be refunded. For cycle tours where Donau Touristik acts as an agent (marked as partner tours), the cancellation fees apply as stated on our website for the respective tour.
For all cruises and cycle cruises with the MS Primadonna and Islandhopping Croatia, a cancellation fee of 15% applies up to 84 days before arrival, 50% from 83 to 42 days before arrival, 70% from 41 to 28 days before arrival, 80% from 27 to 15 days before arrival and 90% from 14 days before arrival or later. Non-arrival without prior cancellation is considered a cancellation (= no-show) with a 100% cancellation fee. Services not used (e.g. if a trip is interrupted) will not be refunded.
Deviating cancellation conditions may be stated separately on our website or travel advertisement: The cancellation conditions listed at the time of your booking apply.
7.2 Cancellation by the organiser before the start of the trip:
The organiser reserves the right to cancel a trip if the minimum number of participants (for cycle tours: 10 people, for cruises and cycle cruises: 100 people) is not reached (generally up to 21 days before the start of the trip, for short cruises up to 7 days before the start of the trip) or due to force majeure (strikes, war or warlike conditions, pandemics, natural disasters, damage to the ship or accidents, etc.), i.e. due to unusual and unforeseeable events over which the party claiming force majeure has no influence and the consequences of which could not have been avoided despite exercising due care. In the case of cruises and cycle cruises, the organiser has the right to cancel the trip up to 4 weeks before the start of the trip if, after exhausting all possibilities, it is not reasonable for the organiser to carry out the trip because the costs incurred exceed the economic capacity of the trip, in particular in the event of significant fuel cost explosions (from a fuel price increase of 20%). This does not apply if the organiser is responsible for the reasons. Payments made will be refunded immediately by the organiser. There are no further claims.
7.3 Cancellation by the Organiser after the start of the trip:
The Organiser shall be released from the fulfilment of the contract if, in the course of a trip, the customer persistently disrupts the execution of the trip through grossly improper behaviour, regardless of a warning. This is the case if the organiser can prove that 10% of the tour participants have complained about such disruption. The organiser's claim to the tour price remains unaffected. In this case, the customer is obliged to compensate the organiser for the damage if he is at fault. Due to force majeure (strikes, war or warlike conditions, pandemics, natural disasters, damage to the ship or accidents, etc.), both the organiser and the customer have the right to terminate the contract. The organiser will then take the steps necessary for the cancellation of the contract and for the return transfer of the customer, provided this has been stipulated in the contract or is not prevented by force majeure. The organiser has the right to demand compensation for the costs of the services provided. Any additional costs for return transport or other measures shall be borne by the customer.
8. Changes to the contract for cruises and cycle cruises:
In the event of changes for which the Organiser is responsible, the provisions set out in Section 5 shall apply with the following additions. The customer can only refuse changes to services or changes to the programme and replacement services for important, objectively recognisable reasons. Changes to the contract or travel programme may also become necessary at short notice - e.g. only after the start of the trip - due to external circumstances. In the event that the captain declares that the ship cannot continue its journey, the service provider may organise alternative transport by bus, train or another means of transport in order to transport the passengers to the embarkation or disembarkation point of the trip - if the latter differs from the embarkation point. The customer is not entitled to alternative transport or to a choice of the geographical end point of the journey and/or the chosen means of transport. In the event of necessary changes to the itinerary, changes to or cancellation of planned ports of call or destinations and shortening of the booked cruise due to low or high water or other reasons that are in the area of force majeure and beyond the control of the organiser or service provider, the customer shall only be entitled to a reduction in the travel price and/or compensation in an amount that does not exceed the pro rata price of the day(s) not consumed on board. Calculation example: if one day or 1 night of a 7-day or 7-night cruise is missed, the maximum claim would be 1/7 (one seventh) of the price of the cruise. There is no entitlement to compensation for any additional services booked before and/or after the cruise.
In the case of cycle cruises in particular, no alternative transport by other means of transport can be provided if the route is changed or the journey shortened. The same exclusions and limitations of liability apply for unvisited destinations of the cruise and/or shortening of the cruise as mentioned above. However, the service provider shall endeavour - even in the event of force majeure - to provide the customer with accommodation on board for the booked duration of the stay, insofar as this is possible in terms of safety and nautical considerations, and to organise transport at the end of the trip to the originally planned destination of the trip if possible. As the main purpose of a cycle cruise is to cycle and not to visit certain destinations, the service provider will endeavour to offer guests very good cycling opportunities even if the itinerary is changed. The customer undertakes all journeys by bike on planned and unplanned or modified routes at his own risk; the organiser or service provider shall not be liable for any damage, regardless of whether it is personal injury or financial loss.
Furthermore, in the event of non-fulfilment or inadequate fulfilment of the contract, the organiser is obliged to provide the customer with all possible assistance to overcome any difficulties. If a customer cancels the trip early, they are not entitled to a full or partial refund of the travel price paid. The organiser is not liable for any other costs incurred, such as accommodation, meals and return travel. For cruises and cycle cruises, a minimum number of 25 participants or the minimum number of participants stated separately in the tour description applies to land programmes.
The tour operator reserves the right to adjust the prices in the event of hyperinflation of more than 10% between the publication of the travel advertisement and the travel date. In this case, customers will be informed of the increase at least 3 weeks before departure and may have the right to withdraw from the travel contract without cancellation costs.
9. Organiser/insurance of customer funds:
Donau Touristik GMBH, Lederergasse 10, A-4010 Linz, commercial register HG Linz, FN 146860x, Data Processing Register No.: 0876194 is listed in the GISA travel insolvency insurance directory with the GISA number 14994814.
In accordance with the Travel Agency Insurance Ordinance (RSV) BGBl. II No. 316/1999, the required protection of customer monies for package tours of the organiser Donau Touristik GMBH is given under the following conditions: The deposit is paid at the earliest 11 months before the agreed end of the tour and amounts to 10% of the tour price. The balance is to be paid at the earliest 20 days before the start of the holiday. Deposits or final payments made in excess of this or prematurely may not be claimed and are not covered. The guarantor and insurer is Allgemeine Sparkasse Oberösterreich (Donau Touristik GMBH: Bank guarantee/insurance contract no. 8.434.006).
All claims must be filed with the liquidator (TVA - Tourismusversicherungsagentur GmbH, Ferstelgasse 6, 1090 Vienna; phone: 013619077, office@tourismusversicherung.at) within 8 weeks of the occurrence of insolvency, otherwise the claim will be forfeited. Further important details can be found in the General Terms and Conditions of Travel, published by the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. You will also receive the General Terms and Conditions of Travel with your booking. All information in this insurance certificate is correct as of December 2023. Editorial deadline for prices: 1 November 2023 - subsequent VAT or other tax changes are not taken into account.
10. Declaration of consent:
The contractual partner agrees that his personal data, specifically his name, address, e-mail address, gender and telephone number, will be stored by the respective company for the purpose of sending advertising material about the offers of the companies Donau Touristik GMBH and Donauschifffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH. Personal data (e.g. telephone number) will be passed on to partners and service providers for contact purposes in emergencies. The customer agrees to be informed about new offers from Donau Touristik GMBH und Donauschifffahrts-Gesellschaft mbH without obligation and to receive the newsletter. This consent can be revoked at any time at info(a)donautouristik.com.
11. Standard information according to § 4 Package Travel Act (PRG), BGBL. 1 No. 50/2017:
If you are offered travel services in combination, it is a package holiday within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2015/2302. Therefore, you can claim all EU rights that apply to package holidays. The company Donau Touristik GMBH bears full responsibility for the proper execution of the entire package holiday. In addition, the company has the legally required security for the reimbursement of your payments and, if transport is included in the package holiday, to ensure your return transport in the event of its insolvency.
Main rights under Directive (EU) 2015/2302:
- Travellers receive all essential information about the package before concluding the package travel contract.
- At least one trader is always liable for the proper provision of all travel services included in the contract.
- Travellers are given an emergency telephone number or details of a contact point through which they can get in touch with the tour operator or travel agent.
- Travellers may transfer the package holiday to another person within a reasonable period of time and possibly at additional cost.
- The price of the package holiday may only be increased if certain costs (e.g. fuel prices) increase and if this is expressly provided for in the contract, and in any case no later than 20 days before the start of the package holiday. If the price increase exceeds 8% of the package tour price, the traveller may withdraw from the contract. If a tour operator reserves the right to increase the price, the traveller has the right to a price reduction if the corresponding costs are reduced.
- Travellers may withdraw from the contract without paying a cancellation fee and receive a full refund of all payments if one of the essential elements of the package tour, with the exception of the price, is significantly changed.
- If the trader responsible for the package tour cancels the package tour before the start of the package tour, travellers are entitled to a refund and, under certain circumstances, compensation.
- Travellers may withdraw from the contract without paying a cancellation fee if exceptional circumstances arise before the start of the package tour, for example if there are serious security problems at the destination that are likely to affect the package tour. In addition, travellers may withdraw from the contract at any time before the start of the package tour against payment of a reasonable and justifiable cancellation fee.
- If, after the start of the package tour, essential elements of the package tour cannot be carried out as agreed, the traveller must be offered reasonable alternative arrangements at no extra cost. The traveller may withdraw from the contract without paying a cancellation fee if services are not provided in accordance with the contract and this has a significant impact on the provision of the contractual package tour services and the tour operator fails to remedy the situation.
- The traveller is entitled to a price reduction and/or compensation if the travel services are not provided or not provided properly.
- Information about the names of tour participants and the whereabouts of travellers will not be provided to third parties, even in urgent cases, unless the traveller expressly requests this.
- The tour operator will assist the traveller if he/she is in difficulty.
12. Rentalbikes:
The bikes will be collected after arrival at the starting point of your cycle tour. The customer chooses the frame size according to the available rental bikes based on their own height; if the customer is taller than 190 cm or shorter than 155 cm, a written order for special sizes is required at least 2 weeks in advance. The customer is responsible for adjusting the saddle height and must adhere to the maximum settings specified by the manufacturer. The rental bike will be ridden by the customer for at least 250 metres and tested for functionality, in particular for lights/bells/brakes/etc.. Any defects will be reported immediately to the 7-day service telephone number 0043-664 32 61 577. The height of the handlebars may only be changed by a specialised workshop! - In the case of rental e-bikes, the customer is responsible for charging the e-bikes at the designated stations (preferably overnight hotels). The customer is liable for improper handling of the hire bikes. The rental bikes must always be locked by the customer and connected to a fixed object.