hi everyone,
we have just got a letter from direct holidays stating that they are now part of Thomas Cook and as a result they have changed our flight times.
The flight going out has stayed the same but the return one is at 07.10 which is very early, the original one was for 16.00. we have a 2 year old daughter and booked this holiday because of the flight times, the new one is no good at all, we'll have to get her up at 3am.
Does anyone know what options are open to us? we booked the holiday back in july for the free child places and early discount and have been saving all year. if we cancel we cannot find another holiday as good as this one for the times we have booked off work. Do you think they will offer us some sort of upgrade or money off or will they just tell us to accept it.
We have tried ringing them all day but cannot get through to the 'correct department', i hope we arent been messed around as our balance is due in april and we hope to have it sorted by then.
has anyone else had any problems and what is the best thing to do? - thanks for reading.
mike
Hi Mike
There are several topics on flight changes due to the Thomas Cook/My Travel merger throughout the site. There is one in our Tour Operators forum HERE and I think there is one in the Flight forum.
If you use the search facility at the top of the page you will find many instances of Direct Holidays or DH being mentioned.
luci
There are several topics on flight changes due to the Thomas Cook/My Travel merger throughout the site. There is one in our Tour Operators forum HERE and I think there is one in the Flight forum.
If you use the search facility at the top of the page you will find many instances of Direct Holidays or DH being mentioned.
luci
Hi Mike
Sorry to hear of your problems with DH. I had a similar issue for my forthcoming holiday in August but the flights have now changed to times that I consider better. Unfortunately for you, because your flight hasn't changed by 12 hours or more it is not considered a 'major' change so they do not have to offer you anything and I'm afraid that I think you'll find that their attitude is like it or lump it. If you cancel you'll lose your deposit. They may let you transfer to another holiday but you'll probably have to pay amendment fees, plus pay the difference in cost and I'm sure you'd find that prices are higher now than when you booked. I know it doesn't seem great at the moment but you may find it ok travelling at that time with your little one as she'll probably sleep for most of the journey I would have thought.
Kind Regards, Nic.
Sorry to hear of your problems with DH. I had a similar issue for my forthcoming holiday in August but the flights have now changed to times that I consider better. Unfortunately for you, because your flight hasn't changed by 12 hours or more it is not considered a 'major' change so they do not have to offer you anything and I'm afraid that I think you'll find that their attitude is like it or lump it. If you cancel you'll lose your deposit. They may let you transfer to another holiday but you'll probably have to pay amendment fees, plus pay the difference in cost and I'm sure you'd find that prices are higher now than when you booked. I know it doesn't seem great at the moment but you may find it ok travelling at that time with your little one as she'll probably sleep for most of the journey I would have thought.
Kind Regards, Nic.
You have run into two problems here.
The merger/takeover, which at the time you booked was not known about. When this happens the whole operation is liable to change. Surplus holidays/capacity is cut and existing bookings are merged.
The other is the regular complaint here on HT for holidays booked so far in front. Flight times change. In some cases for the better but reading postings in the past most seem to be for the worse.
I doubt there is much you can do but that should not stop you asking the question.
Perhaps an email to customer services might be worthwhile.
Personally I prefer to write the old fashioned way - recorded delivery - emails can and do get lost.
fwh
The merger/takeover, which at the time you booked was not known about. When this happens the whole operation is liable to change. Surplus holidays/capacity is cut and existing bookings are merged.
The other is the regular complaint here on HT for holidays booked so far in front. Flight times change. In some cases for the better but reading postings in the past most seem to be for the worse.
I doubt there is much you can do but that should not stop you asking the question.
Perhaps an email to customer services might be worthwhile.
Personally I prefer to write the old fashioned way - recorded delivery - emails can and do get lost.
fwh
Thank you everyone for you replies, they have said they will change our holiday for us at no extra cost but we need to pay the difference if more. we have been dealing with 'customer relations' so at lease we have someone to speak to.
we are still in the middles of trying to sort it out, will let you know the outcome.
we are still in the middles of trying to sort it out, will let you know the outcome.
Hope you get something sorted to your satisfaction, let us know the outcome. I wouldn't be too hasty about changing to something else, you obviously booked this holiday because it's what you wanted and whilst the change of flights is a pain, as I said before it may not be as bad as you think, especially if you can arrange a late check out room. I'd sleep on it for a few days...also you might have a shock at how much more expensive the holidays are now if you haven't already looked. 
They have done that to us too. We originally booked with Airtours in May 2007. We received a letter yesterday informing us of the change to Thomas Cook and that we would no longer be flying with ExcellAir but EuroCypria (never heard of them). Our flights have also changed............ 
by three minutes!!!!!
Hope you get sorted mikeandnat.
by three minutes!!!!!Hope you get sorted mikeandnat.
EuroCypria are the charter arm of Cyprus Airways.....had no problems with either 
Be thankful your not with XL.......they're diabolical for changing and more importantly cancelling flights at short notice
There are entire websites dedicated to slating XL. They've just cancelled all flights to Cyrpus from September onwards regardless of how many people are already booked
Be thankful your not with XL.......they're diabolical for changing and more importantly cancelling flights at short notice
There are entire websites dedicated to slating XL. They've just cancelled all flights to Cyrpus from September onwards regardless of how many people are already booked
-
Edited by
Miss_Chief1
2008-02-28 19:54:38
Sorted. Thomas cook offered us a holiday flying from manchester, which is 200 miles away, and said they would give us £60 towards our fuel & parking! we declined on that offer as it would be too much of a chew on. i asked if they would give us taxi transfers to and from our hotel and they accepted- result! that should give us an extra hour before we need to check out and will make things easier.
it was not easy though, i had to go into the thomas cook shop and phone them 4 times today but we got it sorted and we are still staying in the hotel we want and will be there for our first wedding anniversary, we got married in cyprus last june.
at least we can start looking forward to our hols again, what a relief. thanks everyone for the advice.
ps eurocypria are good, we used them last year.
mike, nat & ella x
it was not easy though, i had to go into the thomas cook shop and phone them 4 times today but we got it sorted and we are still staying in the hotel we want and will be there for our first wedding anniversary, we got married in cyprus last june.
at least we can start looking forward to our hols again, what a relief. thanks everyone for the advice.
ps eurocypria are good, we used them last year.
mike, nat & ella x
Miss_Chief1 wrote:EuroCypria are the charter arm of Cyprus Airways.....had no problems with either
Be thankful your not with XL.......they're diabolical for changing and more importantly cancelling flights at short notice
There are entire websites dedicated to slating XL. They've just cancelled all flights to Cyrpus from September onwards regardless of how many people are already booked :rage
Thanks for that MissChief.
my flight times have also changed was supposed to be an early morning fly out but now its 1515 
coming home was supposed to be early pm but not its 2330 flying home arriving back on home ground about 0300
coming home was supposed to be early pm but not its 2330 flying home arriving back on home ground about 0300
Gabba, our outbound only changed by 3 min utes but inbound has changed by 12 hours, We wern't supposed to fly home till 7.15,(forgot to read that bit when we first got the letter ) cutting our holiday short by half a day which I am raging about. Going up to TA tomorrow, see if they can get us a discount or something as we paid for a late checkout room!!! Funny they sent this letter out a day after we paid the final bill.
We also prebooked our seats and paid for in-flight meal, do you think this will still be homoured?
) cutting our holiday short by half a day which I am raging about. Going up to TA tomorrow, see if they can get us a discount or something as we paid for a late checkout room!!! Funny they sent this letter out a day after we paid the final bill.We also prebooked our seats and paid for in-flight meal, do you think this will still be homoured?
We checked with Thomas Cook who told us our original flight contract (meals, baggage etc) 'should' stay the same. But as i booked online with direct holidays and 'taken the risk of not using a travel agent' they cannot confirm this for me so back on the phone to direct holidays...see you in a few months! 
We got the money back for late checkout room and the pre-booked meals and seats will still stand with Thomas Cook. Phew.
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