I think the best you could hope for is that they would allow you to cancel without charge. ie It is a change but would it be considered a major change and it happens all the time?

Sue

Thanks for replying Sue,but this is the 2nd time we've had a major change.We had previously booked to go to Ibiza,they informed us that we had not been charged properly and holiday would cost another £700,making it £800 more than we had paid for same hotel,same dates as this year so we swapped onto this holiday,now this has been changed too.I think we are jinxed.

Hi

I've just spoken to Thomson,they have told me that they will not help towards costs at all.I may cancel holiday or fly from a different airport but cancelling is not an option as we holiday with our friends who fly from Manchester,their flight is okay.I think I will book hotel and parking together,I think it works out cheaper.

Sorry to hear of your airport change. Unfortunately most tour ops consider that any airport change between the london airports is considered as a minor change and therefore no help despite incurring extra costs.

They weren't orignally booked from a London airport.

Hi Leisurelad

We were booked from Norwich Airport,not a London one.I shall write a letter of complaint but I don't think it will be much use.What will happen if I book a n hotel with parking then they change us again,if I leave it too late I may not get the hotel I want but if there is another change would Thomson have to pay my bill?

whoops, sorry, misread the first point.

In that case then yes it should be classed as a major change.From what i think was posted earlier in the thread thomsons have offered to either cancel and get a refund or accept it and be done with it. Also i don't believe any compensation would be due as they have advised so early in advance.

Thanks

If there is another change then most tour operators won't hold themselves responsible for any incurred costs im afraid. unfortunately if it is something not connected with something they have booked then normally they are not interested at all.

Thanks for your reply,I was hoping they would be responsible for the bill,yet guessing they would not.Do you think it is worth waiting to book,I think they pulled out of Norwich because there was not enough demand.I can only hope that there is enough interest to continue flights from Stansted to Cyprus.Would I be safer to opt to fly from Manchester with our friends? Thanks for any advice.

The decision has to be yours. At least if you were flying out of Manchester you would all be in the same position, if heaven forbid, there was another change.

I to always book in advance and did so for next summer, it has been 6 months since I made my first booking to fly from norwich airport, I am now on my 3 booking and am now having to fly from gatwick which I am not very happy with as this will be a good 4 hour drive from my home!.
I to have lost both of my flights from norwich, the first to tenerife, the second to gran canaria. I have since discovered that after all the problems with airlines and the high cost of fuel all the big tour operators are only choosing to use their own airlines. (And as these are few and far between from norwich, we will all be losing out.) As they are more reliable, are they having a laugh!!! .
Also when I went into both my local thomas cook and thomsons they said that another reason that the big operators dont want to use norwich airport is because they have raised the passenger taxes again which they don't agree that the passengers should pay when they have already paid enough, but the likes of us don't win as it would be cheaper to pay the tax at norwich airport than pay to drive and park at a london airport .

I thought I was unlucky but at least I have only had one change,I'm thinking I will book Holiday Inn for a stay and park,it doesn't work out much dearer than the long stay car park but staying overnight means we'll be fresh for the flight,also hopefully not get stuck in traffic too.Hope things go well for you now, vicjayhay.T.

I always find it very unfair that a company can just change something and offer a fefund if you don't like it!
When booking a holiday there are many other things to take into account like transfers, taxis, pet sitting, days off work.
Now here we are booking early to take advantage of their "great" offers but when they change it the great offers have now gone and you are stuck with either cancelling your holiday, which you're looking so forward to, or taking their new offer (which more than likely puts you a lot out of pocket).

Wheres all this 'the customer had faith in us so we should do our hardest to help them out when it goes t*ts up!' Or at least the could meet you half way with the extra costs to keep your custom!

I know they're all the same but it still doesn't make it right!!!

If it was the other way round it'd never happen! 'Sorry, but we cant go on our holiday anymore so could you give us our refund and resell the tickets to someone else, even if you do make a loss'

It might be worth calling their bluff and saying unless they knock some more off you're going to go book with someone else! I think other companies would match their price anyway!

Hi Chivas

I would love to call their bluff but we had originally booked Ibiza for 5th time with our friends from Manchester,that holiday was cancelled by tui,we all rebooked with Portland through their travel agent friend but as flights were available fom Norwich on the same day as Manchester we decided to fly from different airports,we usually drive to Manchester then fly together.If we change again we would be letting them down.Today I booked a room in Travelodge for £9 so will probably park in the long stay car park on airport.If we're feeling rich closer to our holiday I may book a hotel with parking,but this coming just before Christmas was a bit of a blow.The holiday is now about £180-£200 dearer,travel costs, carpark,extra night in kennels for our 2 dogs,not to mention the inconvenience.I will compose a letter and send it to their "customer service" and also tell them that people on holidaytruths are waiting for the outcome,perhaps that will help them decide to offer some recompense.T.

I didn't mean lose the holiday just see if you can get a quote from another company for the same dates to the same place? Or is it just a Tui hotel?

Hi
When I first got the letter I looked on different sites but the prices were higher as our friend's friend gave us extra discounts.We would be worse off if Portland called our bluff because we booked early. T.

i totally agree with what chivas is saying its happened to us a few times and is extremely annoying when they can change airports grr, and you are expected to accept it without any compensation for extra things like petrol ,higher car parking charges that london charge compared to other areas, etc etc , we have had our hotel changed before now, our flights changed to different days and airports they shouldnt be allowed to get away with this, like already said we couldnt change our dates , hotels etc without any charges

It is infuriating that travel companies can just make these changes. It just doesnt works both ways, does it? If anyone wants to make a change to their booking (even a name change) then they have to pay a charge yet the travel companies can do what they want.

I have had a few not so good experiences of last minute changes which has caused us to feel angry, inconvenienced and out of pocket! Doesnt seem fair to me.

Whilst it is very annoying when an operator changes their flight schedules, it should be remembered that it is done for purely economic reasons. If a particular route is not selling then why fly it if it is going to lose you money. It makes sense to combine flights from their point of view. They offered the route in good faith, if the passengers havent supported it, thats not their fault, but as a business they have to look after thier interests. Its not a case of bad customer service, its a case of good business practice. They are in it to make a profit, and I know that is a swearword on here, but that is the way it is, if they dont make a decent profit though flying uneconomic outes or charging too little they go bankrupt...SOUND FAMILLIAR! Ask someone who was booked with XL or any of the other numerous operators and agents forced to close with the loss of livlihoods, Jobs and peoples holidays.