Hi Everyone,
I'm looking for a wee bit of advice from those of you in the know about holiday complaints.
My aunt and uncle booked a holiday in August 2007 with one of the main large tour operators. This is their first time going abroad and have made cutbacks everywhere to be able to afford this. They booked to go full board from Glasgow to the Tossa de Mar on 11th September 2008 for 14 nights. I believe at the time part of the deal was that they had a free upgrade from half board to full board.
In December 2007, they were advised by the TO that they had pulled the Glasgow to Gerona flight and they could either cancel their holiday with full refund or fly from Manchester at the same price. Stupidly they accepted this (I knew nothing about it at the time! Grrrr), their date was also changed to 13th September. So they booked themselves coach tickets from Glasgow to Manchester Airport at a further cost to themselves with no compensation from the TO for the change.
Last week they were informed that their hotel has stopped offering a full board option and they have been downgraded back to half board again. They have been offered a measly £40 per person compensation, which again I knew nothing about and they have accepted. They have yet to pick up the cheque mind you.
I spoke to the travel agent this morning and discussed my dismay with her at how they have been treated. She was very helpful and totally sympathetic and said she felt sick for them when she saw the last letter about the board change coming in. Apparently the TO had offered no compensation at all for this and she fought with head office to get them the additional £40 each compensation. She also agrees that in no way does £40 cover a fortnight's lunches in Spain. However, they have accepted the change and she doesn't think TC will allow them to cancel now (even though they haven't picked the cheque up).
I discussed with her putting in a letter from my aunt and uncle saying that they are unhappy with how they have been treated and although are accepting the holiday they are doing so "under duress?" and that they still wish to pursue the matter further as to how they have been treated. She agreed that this would be acceptable and in the meantime she would call head office to see if there's anything they could do. I was kind of talking them into cancelling and rebooking something else next week, but they'd lose their money for their coach tickets now as well as its less than 72 hours until their coach departs.
I just feel so sorry for them at how they have been treated and would like to help them. It's pathetic that large TO's can walk over the top of people like this. Can any of you offer me advice as on the best way to word the letter/what to put?
Thanks
C xxx
P.S. Also just discovered an amended invoice from Dec 07 showing change of flight to MAN, on this invoice it also says in small print under information "hotel only accepts full board bookings from 01 june 2008 to 13th September 2008" so although aunt and uncle should probably have picked it up themselves, TO did know about it last year!
I don't think that there's much more you can do for them at this stage - they accepted the flight changes at the time. Yes, it's a pity they didn't discuss this with you before doing so but I think it's now too late to do anything about this aspect. And yes, I can see that the free upgrade was probably a great incentive to make this booking but I think you'll have a hard job arguing that they should be compensated for the loss of something that they weren't charged for in the first place. In the circumstances, I'm not sure that the withdrawal of the free upgrade would be regarded as a major change or not - you need specialist advice on that - and if it isn't then cancelling at this short notice will result in the loss of the full cost of the holiday. Even if they change their booking for another holiday with the same TO they would have to pay an admin fee - usually between £25 and £50 pounds - and they might just as well add that money instead to the £80 that the TA has been able to negotiate for them.
SM
SM
Thanks for your input SMA. I just feel heart sorry for them.
I think what annoyed me more is that it looks as if, if their date hadn't been changed to 13th September, they would still have had their full board as they'd have gone out on 11th September.
On the invoice it shows full board supplement of £168.00 then a discount of £168.00 to balance it off. I just felt they should have been offered a reduction of the £168.00.
C x
I think what annoyed me more is that it looks as if, if their date hadn't been changed to 13th September, they would still have had their full board as they'd have gone out on 11th September.
On the invoice it shows full board supplement of £168.00 then a discount of £168.00 to balance it off. I just felt they should have been offered a reduction of the £168.00.
C x
Still worth putting a letter in complaining at the treatment?
Very sorry this has happened but if they were offered a refund and cancellation. The change of date to Manchester may be that the Company has flights on that day and not on the 11th or the 11th flight was full!!
I doubt that they may not get much more but if you have the TA fighting your corner then this may help.
Also take advice from Ros and to write a letter of complaint can't do any harm. Be assertive and not aggressive. I would not give up without a fight and they will always offer the lowest and think that people will agree. As my eagle eyed legal Daughter says NEVER accept the first offer.
Let it know how it goes.
Sue
I doubt that they may not get much more but if you have the TA fighting your corner then this may help.
Also take advice from Ros and to write a letter of complaint can't do any harm. Be assertive and not aggressive. I would not give up without a fight and they will always offer the lowest and think that people will agree. As my eagle eyed legal Daughter says NEVER accept the first offer.
Let it know how it goes.
Sue
With regard to the errata message on the invoice stating the FB for HB offer was not available on the departure dates - this would have been on the reservation system when the dates were amended.
The Travel Agent should have read out this information to your parents when they changed their booking dates....
Once the agent confirms they have seen the errata (they have to press ENTER) usually to accept the errata, the details are printed onto the confirmation invoice.
The agent should pass this information to the client BEFORE confirming they accept the changes to the description.
Errata's are created after the 1st brochure print and before any subsequent brochure issues. They are often used for room description changes, withdrawal of certain facilities or misprints.
You should always ensure you are booking from the current printed brochure (check the brochure validity date paragraph - usually located in the T's & C's at the back of the brochure).
Once an updated brochure is in print - it overrides any previous errata loaded on the system (but details can still be accessed by the Tour Operator - not your Travel Agent).
It sounds like the reservation has been just one problem after another but also sounds like there has been more than one source involved in making the mistakes. So, best to try to get to the bottom of it all before starting the ball rolling with your complaints.
Good luck and please, keep us posted with any updates. They go to helping other travellers in the same position.
CwB
The Travel Agent should have read out this information to your parents when they changed their booking dates....
Once the agent confirms they have seen the errata (they have to press ENTER) usually to accept the errata, the details are printed onto the confirmation invoice.
The agent should pass this information to the client BEFORE confirming they accept the changes to the description.
Errata's are created after the 1st brochure print and before any subsequent brochure issues. They are often used for room description changes, withdrawal of certain facilities or misprints.
You should always ensure you are booking from the current printed brochure (check the brochure validity date paragraph - usually located in the T's & C's at the back of the brochure).
Once an updated brochure is in print - it overrides any previous errata loaded on the system (but details can still be accessed by the Tour Operator - not your Travel Agent).
It sounds like the reservation has been just one problem after another but also sounds like there has been more than one source involved in making the mistakes. So, best to try to get to the bottom of it all before starting the ball rolling with your complaints.
Good luck and please, keep us posted with any updates. They go to helping other travellers in the same position.
CwB
Thanks everyone for their replies. I wrote a letter for them to take into the TA this morning just basically saying they felt undervalued as customers and a list of everything that had gone wrong and said that the £40 each compo was not enough. They're not too bothered overall about it, hence not really going to escalate it to Ros, its me thats more bothered about it!
Its my aunt and uncle btw, not my parents, hence not really having been informed about anything. They'll know next time to come and see their niece who's never done going on holiday if they have any probs!
Thanks again all, I'll let you know any outcome.
Catherine
Its my aunt and uncle btw, not my parents, hence not really having been informed about anything. They'll know next time to come and see their niece who's never done going on holiday if they have any probs!
Thanks again all, I'll let you know any outcome.
Catherine
This happened this year with my auntie because TC bought airtours she was requested to pay another £300.00 because the holiday was more expensive than their tour operations.She cancelled and went elsewhere but what really bugged her was that TC paid half to her credit card and the rest was in a cheque.Problems are that if you accept the change you've accepted that.
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