Those were club Europe seats. You don't get club world on domestic flights. What you do get is lounge access and of course free drink and food on board.

I'm a bit confused - I'm assuming that you weren't booked on one of their direct flights to Vancouver but had to change onto a domestic flight at either Montreal or Toronto? In which case the Air Transat website makes it clear that on the domestic leg there is no separate Club Class cabin and that it simply entitles you to free seat selection at the front of the Economy cabin as you describe. I assume that this accounts for why the direct flughts are coming up more expensive on their website compared to those based on an internal connecting flight.

So I don't think you'll get very far with Air Transat because none of theor domestic flughts appear to offer a separate Club Class cabin. But the TA or the TO should have explained this to you - do you still have the details of what was actually stated on your tickets or any booking confirmation? I think you would need to prove that they didn't tell you that there wasn't a Club Class cabin on the connecting flight and/or that the booking confirmation and/or tickets said that you were definitiely through booked in a Club Class cabin for the entire journey to get very far.

Out of interest, given that it was a flight only booking, can I ask why you booked in such a convoluted way instead of booking the flights direct with Air Transat? I could have understood it if it was a TO package booked via a TA but wouldn't it have been easier to either book direct yourself or at least ask the TA to book direct with the airline on your behalf? Either way, letting people here know the names of both the TO and the TA might attract the attention of others who had a similar experience and could offer help based on their experience of making a complaint?

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

I was trying to be brief so missed out important info. At the time of booking there were no direct flights available, so we had to book on the one that changed in Toronto. We have flown with Air Transat previously and enjoyed the wonderful club class but it was a direct flight to Vancouver.

Yes, my argument is neither the travel agent - Garstang Travel, or the tour operator - Jetset - told us there wasn't a proper club class on the domestic legs. And apart from the fact we paid just over £2000 EXTRA for the flights to include it, we had the most uncomfortable flights ever. I was at the front and had to sit sideways to avoid the bottoms of people waiting for the toilet, most of whom were holding onto my seat. The seats were small and the armrests went all the way down and didn't lift up, so no benefit from having the middle seat empty. No welcome drink was provided but that was the least of our problems.

We have tickets and booking confirmation that say club class on them and at no point did either Garstang Travel or Jetset tell us that it wasn't proper club class. Had we known we wouldn't have booked them.

I normally book my own flights and obviously wished I had this time. We went into our local travel agent initially because we were planning a different trip that I was having difficulty booking online (going to one airport and back from another with a domestic flight part way through) and ended up changing our minds and taking up a lot of their time because they were researching flights for us. So I felt obliged to book with them due to this. Morally it didn't feel right to get them to do all the work and then go home and book it online. That will teach me.

The problem is nobody is taking responsibility for it. Air Transat are saying that's how it is. Garstang Travel are saying they didn't know and they are only the agent anyway and Jetset are saying nothing.

I have done lots of research and can't find out who is culpable. I was hoping someone on here might have had similar issues.

I am wondering if I will need to go to the small claims court.

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Yes, we know that now. But we asked for club class flights when we booked, paid just over £2000 extra for the privilege and then only got club class on the two transatlantic flights. With the comfy big seats, exclusive cabin and extra service.

So we feel we have been ripped off. Who would pay that extra for just two out of the four flights?

Our argument is that nobody told us it was a reduced service and had we known we wouldn't have booked.

Now I know it was on Air Transat's website. But I didn't look on the website, I went into a travel agent and booked it in good faith.

And nobody is taking responsibility for it.

I asked for club class and it was on my booking confirmation and on my e tickets, so how was I supposed to have any idea this would happen.

I just need to know who is legally responsible for this so we can take legal action from them if necessary.

Thanks

I'd be inclined to think it's the travel agents fault. I might, however, be out of my depth here as I don't do long haul holidays/flights.

My thoughts are, you use a travel agent in order for them to put together your specific requirements. For example club class from A to B. It's therefore their responsibility to provide this or, to inform you that only part of the journey will be club class & do you still want to proceed with the booking?

Garstang arranged your flights, the other 2 companies involved have only taken a booking as instructed by Garstang. The only way the others could be at fault would be if they advertised club class, took a booking for club class & then didn't provide it.

Ask Garstang for a breakdown of the individual flight prices to see where the extra £2k was spent. It maybe that the extra £2k was for the club class that you received but you really need a breakdown.

I have just done several dummy bookings with air transat and it clearly stated in the information that on the domestic section it is an economy seat at the front of the cabin. I think you are not going to get anywhere with a complaint.
However, I do think you have been badly let down with the price. I chose bookings at different times of the year and didn't get a difference of £1000 a seat. However there are several options per day and it would be possible if you were booked in the most expensive option for that day.
There are times when a TA will get a flight cheaper than if you had booked directly with the airline but I haven't found this very often.
I think all of us at sometime have made a mistake with a booking. I know I certainly did in my earlier travelling days. But you learn from it.
Go directly to the airline and find out their options
and prices. Also who else flies to your destination? Check them out too. Also check connection times- some of cheapest prices may have horrific airport waits.
As well as transat I tried BA , where the domestic part was to Heathrow and then direct to Vancouver. With various dates apart from July , the whole journey was under £1000 in club.

If you are planning another holiday feel free to post info here and we can help find your best options.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.
The extra £2000 is the difference between club class and economy at the time of booking.

Well, it's either the travel agent or the tour operator. So we'll see what happens.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Yes, I know NOW that it is in the information when you book online, but I didn't book online so it's not relevant to me. It is just that the tour operator and/or the travel agent didn't know or forgot/omitted to tell us.

The price difference at the time was the difference between economy and club class and the time of year I guess.

If I had made the mistake I would learn from it.

My mistake was going to a travel agent apparently. Initially we went in to book something else, something too complicated for online booking (in and out of different airports with a domestic flight in between). Once in the travel agents after much discussion we changed our mind but felt obliged to book with them as they had gone to a lot of trouble re the other idea.

We have used them twice before to book complicated holidays and had no problems, including a holiday where we had club class both ways.

The issue is there are three companies involved here and they are all blaming each other for the mistake/omission, so I was hoping to be advised who was responsible under my particular circumstances.

Thanks!

In my opinion still the travel agent. It was their responsibility to book what you requested & also to inform you of what seat class you were getting for your money. They should have gone through each flight with you.

Go back to them, ask for a breakdown of each flight cost, from the airline.