Direct Holidays changing flight times.

mrmxg05

2007-04-19 13:03:18

Can any one offer any advice.

We have recieved our tickets this morning and noticed the flight has been changed from 8.30am to 5.30 am and we are required to be at the airport 3 hours prior to departure. This means leaving home at 1.30am with young children.

I rang direct holidays who said flight changes were part of the terms and conditions and if I wished to cancel I would lose 90% of the total.

What has really upset me is that this is a holiday I changed last year from another booking, due to the fact they had informed me that they had changed a day flight to one at night, but at least they informed me on that occasion so I was able to do something about it.

This time around they have given me no notice, I either except it or lose my money. How can this be fair, they must have known for some time about this and if they had told me I would have changed the booking or canceled it without loosing all my money.

Are thy under any obligation to inform me tell me of flight changes?

The gentleman I talked to offered me prebooked seats at a cost of £48 so we would only have to be at the airport for 3am!

They have already ruined the first day of a 7 day break.

Glynis HT Admin

2007-04-19 13:06:34

When do you go on holiday?

Has your return flight altered also?

I don't think there will be much you can do about a 3 hour flight alteration.

mrmxg05

2007-04-19 13:20:56

They have altered the return flight by 3 hours but that is during the day so that does not bother me, but the prospect of being up all night before we go on holiday especially with the kids, is going to be a dreadful experiance and not one I would have ever booked!

We are gong in two weeks.

fwh

2007-04-19 13:40:06

You do not say when this holiday was booked. One of the hazards of booking often a year in advance is that flight times can and do change.

I have booked two holidays for this year, both on last years brochure. I was told that it was hoped the flight times would be the same but they could alter.

fwh

MarkJ

2007-04-19 13:50:56

Do also check the brochure you booked the holiday from and specifically the terms- and conditions as these describe what does and what does not constitute a major change.

Minor changes usually do not allow you to change your holiday or cancel it with all monies paid back to you.

Mark

mrmxg05

2007-04-19 13:51:22

Yes I accept flight times change, with Direct Holidays it seems to happen frequently. However my point is' if they would of had the courtesy to let me know,I could have done something about this! I am sure this flight change must have happened some months ago!

samsung753

2007-04-19 15:10:33

How can you be sure it was changed some months ago.

mrmxg05

2007-04-19 16:21:29

Because seasonal airport departure and landing slots are contolled and planned in advance. I don't know exactly the date they were set but the summer season started in march, and the slots must have been agreed earlier than that.

ellie_meg

2007-04-19 16:40:02

i sympathise with you as a similar thing happened to me a few weeks ago, but fc cancelled my flight and changed me to an airport 2 1/2 hours away and obviously i then had different flight times and the return was the day earlier so i lost a day of my holiday i was fuming and managed to get my money back with a lot of problems, i found fc totally unhelpful and rude , i know how annoying it is when you have small children, my little daughter gets car sickness too so i didnt want a long journey to the airport

fwh

2007-04-19 16:41:17

A the end of the day it is a change that will be covered in the T&Cs. Whilst it may create problems for individual parties I cannot see how it would be possible to advise everyone when the change is a matter of only 2 or 3 hours.

If you post the question in the Flight section you may possible obtain more information.

As I said before the times that are published in the brochures can be subject to change due to the fact they are done so far in advance.

I appreciate that being there 3 hours before is a pain, yet on my last 3 holidays where we were told 2 hours, with the increased security checks it was a mad rush for everyone.

fwh

Sanji

2007-04-19 16:46:06

I thought the summer season started on the 1st May for both the brochures and flights schedules.

calabonagirl

2007-04-19 17:04:24

mrmxg05,
exactly the same happen to us with My Travel a few years ago.3 hrs according to tour operator is only MINOR change but at that time of day is very MAJOR , afraid it was just tough or lose so much money.They did have the decency to inform me of the change in January when schedules were finalised. Since then I have vowed not to give My Travel my hard earned cash prefer to do DIY and hope for the best. Hope you have a good holiday.

mrmxg05

2007-04-19 17:26:10

Thanks

I had come to the conclusion that DIY is better

Last October we booked everything direct on the internet, scheduled flights and Hotel, it worked out cheaper including carhire than the equivalent brochure price.

I will never book with Direct Holidays or Mytravel again.

I am just so annoyed about the couldn't give a monkeys attitude of the customer service rep I spoke to, after waiting on the line for 45 minutes.

Just hope this rant stops someone else making the same mistake!

mrnkar

2007-04-19 18:15:13

Have you checked their website to see if there is a flight still going at the original time or maybe they have one later in the day that you could ask to change to. Karen

mobeckwith

2007-04-19 19:05:00

the exact same thing happened to us in october last year,flights to ibiza with direct holidays/my travel.they didnt inform us of the change,i just noticed it on the tickets.we had to travel at 6am instead of 8.30.i came to the conclusion rightly or wrongly that the 08.30 didnt even really exsist,and it was always the companys intention to bump us onto the early flight,the 8.30 time was just a ruse to get people to book,and from the origional poster,its obvious that they are still up to there old tricks.mo

fwh

2007-04-19 19:28:52

t was always the companys intention to bump us onto the early flight,the 8.30 time was just a ruse to get people to book,and from the origional poster,its obvious that

Can you prove that or is it your own opinion?

fwh

mobeckwith

2007-04-19 20:55:43

if you read my post carefuly fwh,you will see that i state that( i came to the conclusion!!!!!)i didnt say that i had hard proof.it actually happened and is happening still,i think you will find that i am allowed an opinion as you are always willing to give yours. mo.