Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Africa Tickets (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website africatickets.co.uk and our travel booking services.

We are the data controller for the personal data we process. Our registered office is at 665 Romford Road, London E12 5AD. For data protection queries, contact us at info@africatickets.co.uk.

2. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data under the following legal bases as defined by UK GDPR:

• Contract Performance: To provide travel booking services you’ve requested
• Legitimate Interest: To improve our services and communicate with you about relevant offers
• Legal Obligation: To comply with travel industry regulations and legal requirements
• Consent: For marketing communications (where required) and non-essential cookies
• Vital Interest: In emergency situations affecting your safety while traveling

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

• Personal Details: Name, date of birth, gender, nationality
• Contact Information: Email address, phone number, postal address
• Travel Documents: Passport details, visa information (when required)
• Payment Information: Credit/debit card details (processed securely by our payment providers)
• Travel Preferences: Dietary requirements, accessibility needs, seating preferences
• Emergency Contacts: Contact details for emergency situations
• Health Information: Medical conditions or requirements affecting travel (when voluntarily provided)
• Communication Records: Emails, chat logs, and phone call records

3.2 Information We Collect Automatically

• Website Usage: Pages visited, time spent on site, click patterns
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Location Data: General location based on IP address
• Cookies and Tracking: Session data, preferences, and analytics information
• Search History: Travel searches and booking attempts on our platform

3.3 Information from Third Parties

• Travel Suppliers: Booking confirmations, service updates, special requests
• Payment Processors: Transaction verification and fraud prevention data
• Social Media: Profile information if you connect social media accounts
• Marketing Partners: Referral information and campaign performance data

4. How We Use Your Information

4.1 Service Provision

• Processing and managing your travel bookings
• Communicating booking confirmations and updates
• Providing customer support and assistance
• Facilitating payments and refunds
• Coordinating with travel suppliers on your behalf

4.2 Legal and Safety Requirements

• Complying with travel industry regulations
• Meeting immigration and customs requirements
• Providing assistance during travel emergencies
• Preventing fraud and ensuring security
• Responding to legal requests from authorities

4.3 Service Improvement

• Analyzing website usage to improve user experience
• Developing new features and services
• Conducting customer satisfaction surveys
• Training our customer service team
• Personalizing your experience on our platform

4.4 Marketing and Communications

• Sending service-related notifications
• Providing travel tips and destination information
• Sharing special offers and promotions (with consent)
• Newsletter subscriptions (with consent)
• Remarketing based on your interests

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

5.1 Travel Service Providers

We share necessary personal information with:

• Airlines: For flight bookings and passenger manifests
• Hotels: For accommodation reservations and special requests
• Tour Operators: For package holidays and excursions
• Insurance Providers: For travel insurance coverage
• Transfer Companies: For airport transfers and ground transportation
• Visa Services: For visa application assistance

5.2 Service Partners

• Payment Processors: Secure handling of financial transactions
• Technology Providers: Website hosting, email services, analytics
• Customer Support: Third-party support platforms and chat services
• Marketing Partners: Advertising networks and social media platforms

5.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

• Comply with legal processes or government requests
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Investigate fraud or security issues
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions
• Assist in emergency situations

5.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or business sale, your personal data may be transferred as part of the transaction, subject to equivalent privacy protections.

6. International Data Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK and EEA, including:

• African Destinations: For travel services in your chosen destinations
• Service Providers: Some of our technology and support partners operate globally
• Government Authorities: For immigration and customs purposes

We ensure adequate protection through:

• Adequacy decisions from the UK Government
• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
• Binding Corporate Rules where applicable
• Necessary transfers for contract performance or legal compliance

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for different periods based on the purpose:

• Booking Records: 7 years for financial and legal compliance
• Marketing Data: Until you withdraw consent or 3 years of inactivity
• Website Analytics: 26 months (Google Analytics default)
• Customer Support: 3 years for service improvement
• Payment Data: As required by payment card industry standards
• Emergency Contacts: Duration of travel plus 30 days

We regularly review and delete data that is no longer necessary for the purposes it was collected.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

8.1 Right of Access

Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you, including how we use it and who we share it with.

8.2 Right to Rectification

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

8.3 Right to Erasure

Request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances, such as when it’s no longer necessary for the original purpose.

8.4 Right to Restrict Processing

Request that we limit how we use your personal data in specific situations.

8.5 Right to Data Portability

Request your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format to transfer to another service provider.

8.6 Right to Object

Object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing.

8.7 Rights Related to Automated Decision Making

Request human intervention in automated decision-making processes that significantly affect you.

8.8 Right to Withdraw Consent

Withdraw consent for processing that relies on your consent, without affecting previous processing.

Exercising Your Rights: Contact us at info@africatickets.co.uk to exercise any of these rights. We’ll respond within 30 days and may request verification of your identity.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

9.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality and security
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Marketing Cookies: Used for advertising and personalized content
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

9.2 Third-Party Cookies

We use cookies from trusted partners including:

• Google Analytics for website analytics
• Social media platforms for sharing and advertising
• Payment processors for secure transactions
• Marketing platforms for targeted advertising

9.3 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through:

• Our cookie consent banner on first visit
• Your browser settings
• Third-party opt-out tools
• Contacting us directly

10. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data:

10.1 Technical Safeguards

• SSL encryption for data transmission
• Secure data centers with physical access controls
• Regular security updates and patches
• Firewall and intrusion detection systems
• Secure backup and disaster recovery procedures

10.2 Organizational Measures

• Staff training on data protection principles
• Access controls and need-to-know basis
• Regular security audits and assessments
• Incident response and breach notification procedures
• Data processing agreements with third parties

10.3 Payment Security

Payment data is processed by PCI DSS compliant payment processors. We do not store complete credit card details on our systems.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16 without parental consent. If you believe we have collected data from a child under 16, please contact us immediately.

For family bookings including children, we rely on the adult making the booking to have appropriate authority to provide the child’s information.

12. Marketing Communications

12.1 Email Marketing

We may send you marketing emails about:

• Special offers and promotions
• New destinations and travel packages
• Travel tips and inspiration
• Company news and updates

12.2 Opting Out

You can unsubscribe from marketing communications by:

• Clicking the unsubscribe link in emails
• Contacting us at info@africatickets.co.uk
• Updating your preferences in your account
• Calling us on 0207 870 8082

12.3 Service Communications

We will continue to send essential service communications (booking confirmations, travel updates) even if you opt out of marketing.

13. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including:

• Hotel and airline websites
• Destination guides and travel resources
• Partner services and affiliates
• Social media platforms

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before providing personal information.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will:

• Post the updated policy on our website
• Update the “Last updated” date
• Notify you of significant changes via email or website notice
• Obtain new consent where required by law

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

15. Complaints and Supervisory Authority

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact us first:

If you’re not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority:

16. Contact Information

For any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

17. Definitions

• Personal Data: Information relating to an identified or identifiable individual
• Processing: Any operation performed on personal data
• Data Controller: The entity that determines purposes and means of processing
• Data Processor: The entity that processes data on behalf of the controller
• Consent: Freely given, specific, informed agreement to processing
• UK GDPR: UK General Data Protection Regulation