I think your approach is very reasonable dizzyb. Claiming for the loss of facilities is good, trying to claim costs incurred could be a problem if you do not have receipts for such expenditure.

If the amount you have requested is paid to you then everyone is happy. However, if Airtours try to pay a lesser amount do NOT under any circumstances cash that cheque as doing so would kill your chance to claim more. Hold on to the cheque and contact a solicitor - I can recommend Ros Fernihough from personal experience.

A court will have a better idea of the true value you are entitled to and will often, in addition, award damages although these are usually about £50 per pax. In my complaint against a T.O. earlier this year I was initially erring on the low side - but their refusal to accept my reasonable claim resulted in Ros chasing the case with great success - ultimately costing the T.O. more money than my initial request.

Be prepared to place the matter in the hands of a solicitor - and let us know the outcome.

Cheers, Mike

Excuse my ignorenace what pax?

Pax = Passenger/Guest

So 1 pax = 1 passenger.

Sarah

Futurebride said:-

Glynis

I wish they had adivce on travel problems even before you went on holiday like the miss selling of holidays or wedding packages. Advice on what to do if a tour op or agent ignores all your letters and emails in your efforts to hurry the matter and they take over 52 days to reply etc.
Surely these companies have a moral obligation to their customers to reply at least within 28 days or sooner if the matter is seen as urgent.

It would be nice if these matters were given some attention in the holidays advice section. As many writers are experiencing long delays in the TA responding to them

The ABTA code of conduct covers most of your issues futurebride. I would suggest you print off a copy from HERE and check

3. CONDUCT BETWEEN MEMBERS AND CLIENTS AND BETWEEN MEMBERS AND THE ASSOCIATION.

3.1 Transactions and Correspondence

Regarding the long delays in replies for instance.

Ros Fernihough who provides most of our legal information covers most issues however, she cannot cover every eventuality within her booklet. If you feel there is a need for an addition to our Holiday Advice Centre that she may be able to help with if you send me a pm with more details then I will pass it to Ros for her perusal.

Thanks

This clause is (typically) vague. The need to acknowledge receipt of a written complaint within 14 days (5 for an email complaint) is clear enough, but the need to respond in detail to the complaint within 28 days isn't.

The ABTA member may, within 28 days, write and offer a detailed explanation as to why there is a delay beyond the 28 days. This could be as simple as "volume of work". There's also no further provision in the rules clearly stating the FINAL date by which a response must be forthcomming although I would consider a further 28 days to be the maximum.

A court might be hard-pressed to censure an ABTA member for continually writing, every 28 days, with a detailed explanation as to why there is a delay in dealing with the matter.

How about ABTA tightening-up this clause ?

Mike

Does it matter if DH are atol?

I feel if its a matter of urgency Ta's have a moral oligation to contact their customers a.s.a.p especially when it includes a party of people attedning a wedding including the bride and groom.. DH lost out on making more money from us as our guests in the uk would have most likely flown with them. I would be speachless if a court found this "52 days" a reasonable given the circumstances.

52 days in my case is unacceptable and the 5 days responce to emails -I never got a reply. DH after sales service is so poor, more interested in profits. Surely these bit companies realise that if a problem is sorted fairly they will get repeat business?

Thanks for the link Glynis.

Futurebride,

I've looked at the ATOL website. Direct Holidays have ATOL number 2105.

http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=27

the link above will take you to the ATOL web site.

I rang Direct Holidays on 0141 559 7067 to ask what their policy is with regard to timeframe for responding to customer's written complaints. After a short delay the customer relations lady asked me to email my request for that info. I naturally asked how long would they take to respond to my email asking how long they take to respond to written complaints.........she didn't know as Human Resources would need to be asked.

I asked to be transferred to human resources......they were not answering their extension. So, I've emailed the request, provided all my contact numbers and will wait, excitedly, for their response.

It's a crazy world we live in !

I'll post again when I get their answer.

Not sure where you are telephoning. Found this from companies house. If you are ringing somewhere else then a call to the registred office asking for names of Chief Executive and Company Secretary and if you are lucky ask to speak to them. This tip applies to anyone trying to sort out a problem. Research the company on the net. Credit ref agencies will give basic info such as registred office which is often a long way away from the people you are chasing. Registered letter on the desk of the chairman with your complaint can often work wonders.

fwh

Name & Registered Office:
DIRECT HOLIDAYS PLC.
HOLIDAY HOUSE SANDBROOK PARK
SANDBROOK WAY
ROCHDALE
LANCASHIRE OL11 1SA
Company No. 00440452

Mike and futurbride
I'm sure the bit about 'Human Resources" needing to be asked about how long it would take to respond to an email is complete :swear.

I'm a Human Resources Officer, admittedly not for a travel company but I can't imagine any HR staff or HR section ever being involved in that kind of decision/query at customer service level. I think they were throwing this in to avoid having to commit to a timescale on the phone to you.

HR (Personnel in the old days) is about employment contracts, staff conditions of service, and employee relations. Unless of course direct holidays are run in a very different way from most other companys!

Apparently one of my letters was handed to the Director of DH for his attention- of course I hesitate to believe anything they say. I am sure if we wrote to this guy it would be passed down to lower management to deal withour complaint.

Mind you if we all got together and wrote then maybe just maybe we might stir things up a little bit.

Mike
perhaps if we phoned DH and explain we worte a letter of thanks and wondered how long it would take DH to reply to the letter. I am sure they would respond with a figure at least.

Its all fun and games.

fwh

The address you supplied is it cutomer service or management or something else?

Doepsmc,
HR - personnel dept in the old days - agree with you fully. To be honest I only rang Direct Holidays as a bit of a laugh. Their response proved more humorous than expected.

Futurebride, fwh has provided the registered company address. All legal documents (against D.H.) will be accepted at that address. Your idea of asking how long they take to respond to a complimentary letter is probably not a good idea as i guess they've little experience of receiving such letters based on what I'm reading about them.

Mike

well said Mike

Hello

Feeling a litle bit down in the dumps.It would have been 8 weeks till our wedding in Mexico.
Anyway as they say worst things happen at sea.

I was thinking when and if I get my deposit back I am going to give some to charity as I want to take form a bad cause (DH) and give to a good. If that makes sense.

Merry Christmas everyone.

FB
XX

Just read this thread. I am not surprised that Airtours operate in this manner.
At the end of the day the word is reasonable . A small Claims Action in the Small Claims Court is the only thing that makes these companies sit up and acknowledge your complaint.
By all means give them 14 days to acknowledge your complaint and a further 28 days to rectify the problem. After that go straight to the SC Court. It is not as difficult as you first think. You do not need a solicitor (more costs) to do this! However advice from one or your local Consumer Advice Centre, is advisable.

FB
Sorry about your wedding. You must be so upset and fed up at the moment. I can't imagine what you are going through. These companies just don't care about their customers anymore. I remember years ago when Airtours was a good, decent and reliable tour company. If anything did go wrong, they would be quick to solve it to the satisfaction of their customers, and not themselves. They didn't argue with you. They just dealt with the problem in a professional manner. We were loyal customers of Airtours but never again we will use them or MyTravel or DH. We received another letter off them this morning. They've upped the amount they are offering to us by another £50 but its too little too late. They've just totally dismissed my complaints with the standard replies and lies. They clearly don't care that they ruined my honeymoon and hubby's 40th birthday and that they knew they were sending us to a sub-standard hotel that gave me Salmonella and now i'm still suffering. None of that matters to them. We paid 5* prices when all we actually got was a basic, half open 3*(and i'm being generous here). They, auite literally in my case, make me sick!!!

I rang Direct Holidays on 0141 559 7067 to ask what their policy is with regard to timeframe for responding to customer's written complaints. After a short delay the customer relations lady asked me to email my request for that info. I naturally asked how long would they take to respond to my email asking how long they take to respond to written complaints.........she didn't know as Human Resources would need to be asked.

I reminded Direct Holidays by email at Lunchtime on Monday 18th Dec. Still awaiting ANY response from them.

Mike

Heard nothing from DH and in the new year will be taking the matter to court. I refuse to allow this to ruin my christmas!

Happy Holidays everyone.

FB
XX

Don't let any of the hassles with these companies get to you. It truly isn't worth it. We will get things sorted one day. And hopefully help others along the way too. Have a lovely Xmas and New Year FB.

And the same best wishes to all on HT.