All went well until the night before we were due to fly back. A call from the resort representative in effect put a damper on our holiday and certainly ruined our last night's stay of the holiday as we were advised that we would be downgraded due to an operational change resulting in a different aircraft being sent.
I am considering writing the following letter of complaint to First Choice holidays:
In line with your complains procedure and following the in resort completed Customer Service Report reference xxxxxx, herewith detailed information on our complaint.
In our bindng contract mutually entered into on the 26th November 2008 we were meant to be provided with Premium Star Class seats and associated services on both our outbound and return flights to Aruba. These seats and associated services were purchased at a cost to us of £ 330.00 per person. In addition we purchased your select your seat option at a cost to us of £ 10.00 per person (plus a debit card fee of £0.80) as per your reference number BRNxxxxxxxxx.
You failed to provide us with the Premium Upgrade on the return journey (flight TOM083 dd 10th June 2009). We were notified of this at 17:45 hrs local time on Tuesday 9th June 2009 by your resort representative who was advised of this only a few hours prior to this verbal notification. Despite us requesting that we wished to travel on the contracted Premium Service, this request could not be accommodated and understandable put a damper on the holiday and effectively ruined our last night in the resort.
I am therefore seeking a refund of monies as follows:
- 4 x Premium Upgrade @ £ 165 = £ 660
- 4 x Select Your seat option refund @ £ 5 = £ 20
- 1 x Debit card fee refund @ £ 0.80 = £ 0.80
- 4 x Distress Compensation @ £ 85 = £ 340 (based on 1/14th of cost of holiday)
In addition to this total refund of £ 1020.80, I am seeking re-assurances from yourselves that we will be excluded from any future downgrades (a premimum cabin was available on the plane but was overbooked with the choice made by yourselves to downgrade us). We are looking at booking another holiday with yourselves to Cuba in due course.
There is some more background information to this which, if necessary, I will use depending on the response of my request for compensation and exclusion of any future downgrades.
Your thoughts are welcome.
Mark