hi all,
booked a holiday through OTB to depart 21st june for a weeks holiday to majorca- 4 people & baby all inclusive.
6am flight from john lennon airport (liverpool) necessitated leaving house at 3am in order to get there (baby wasnt so happy)
queued for 60 mins and was told that we were not actually booked onto that flight that was leaving that morning, we were actually booked on 2 days later, even though we had written confirmation.
being 5am there was nobody we could phone from OTB and had to return home to wait until there offices opened.
spoke to customer services manager and explained that it was their mistake and what were they going to do to rectify it.
they booked us on the flights to depart that evening- getting us into majorca at 11.20pm (bearing in mind we had been up since 3am)
the csm said the mistake had now been rectified and anything else would need to be put in writing and legally they have 28 days to respond under abta guidelines (seemed pretty well rehearsed at that)
so i wrote a letter explaining the situation and included receipts from the friday day and also wanted a refund of the difference in flights between the morning and the evening, seeing that we actually paid more to have a full day at the hotel, furthermore we paid a days rate all inclusive which we were unable to take advantage of.
flights in morning 748, flights in evening £504, i was expecting £240 refunded .
I also highlighted that the four of us need not have taken a days annual leave, as due to their mistake and us not flying until 9pm mean that we in essence wasted a days holiday from work, when we should have been sat around the pool.
i have received an email telling me to log into my OTB account, and there is the paltry amount of £74 that has been refunded from the receipts that were sent in.
i have since spoken to OTB again for an explanation of the what the money was pertaining to, and was informed purely for the receipts and nothing else
do i have any further recourse considering :
1) it was their fault- written communication as proof
2) evening flights were less expensive
3) loss of a days holiday
4)general compensation/goodwill gesture
any help greatly appreciated
Is the £74 going to find it's way back to your card or is it credit for future use? Clearly you want the money not credit.
Holiday companies tend to view duration by nights at the hotel not days in the resort so they won't view this as a shorter holiday. But if you have specifically paid extra for the first day's AI then that should have been refunded in full - it's no different to buying an excursion from them which you missed due to their error.
How have you calculated the difference in fares? If it is based on the two prices at the time of booking that seems reasonable.
Thse bits are "easy" because you have clear values to claim. It all gets a bit murky when you get into the business of putting a value on an afternoon in the sun or a long tiring day.
Stay firm and get every penny of the invoiced losses in cash not credit. And from now on no more email or phone calls - everything in recorded delivery letters.
Holiday companies tend to view duration by nights at the hotel not days in the resort so they won't view this as a shorter holiday. But if you have specifically paid extra for the first day's AI then that should have been refunded in full - it's no different to buying an excursion from them which you missed due to their error.
How have you calculated the difference in fares? If it is based on the two prices at the time of booking that seems reasonable.
Thse bits are "easy" because you have clear values to claim. It all gets a bit murky when you get into the business of putting a value on an afternoon in the sun or a long tiring day.
Stay firm and get every penny of the invoiced losses in cash not credit. And from now on no more email or phone calls - everything in recorded delivery letters.
thanks steve
for me, the post was seeing if there was some particular recourse/redress for OTB.
it seems from your response that you are in agreement that I should pursue further recompense.
the thing that miffs me the most about it all, well a couple of things........
1) complete lack of empathy shown by OTB for their mistake, and how they thought they'd somehow saved the day- booking us on a flight 15 hrs later! the words rectified their mistake still ring in my ear.
2) the fact if it wasnt for easyjet staff applying lateral thinking- we wouldnt have been able to travel in the evening either. OTB failed to pass on API, and if some jobsworth was on, we wouldnt have stood a chance.
I dont know if i am banging my head against a brick wall with these people, and was wondering if there are any higher channels to approach regarding my claims etc (seems abta are chocolate tea-pot-esque)
for me, the post was seeing if there was some particular recourse/redress for OTB.
it seems from your response that you are in agreement that I should pursue further recompense.
the thing that miffs me the most about it all, well a couple of things........
1) complete lack of empathy shown by OTB for their mistake, and how they thought they'd somehow saved the day- booking us on a flight 15 hrs later! the words rectified their mistake still ring in my ear.
2) the fact if it wasnt for easyjet staff applying lateral thinking- we wouldnt have been able to travel in the evening either. OTB failed to pass on API, and if some jobsworth was on, we wouldnt have stood a chance.
I dont know if i am banging my head against a brick wall with these people, and was wondering if there are any higher channels to approach regarding my claims etc (seems abta are chocolate tea-pot-esque)
Basically the only higher level is the County Court system but they like you to make 3 bona fide attempts to resolve things before you go to them. Your first complaint is one, asking ABTA (however useless) to intervene is the second, so a final letter to OTB would be three. It wouldn't harm if you could get your local trading standards office to look at it but they vary between local council areas and the best you could hope for is a threatening letter, there's nothing here they could prosecute for.
Your basic position in the claim is that OTB failed to exercise reasonable care and skill which is a requirement of the Supply of Goods and Services Act. There is also a small breach of contract in that they failed to supply the first day's additional AI (if this was a specific add on).
Your basic position in the claim is that OTB failed to exercise reasonable care and skill which is a requirement of the Supply of Goods and Services Act. There is also a small breach of contract in that they failed to supply the first day's additional AI (if this was a specific add on).
have now had communication from OTB:
they admit liability in saying the flights were booked incorrectly- refunded the money spent during the day that we were unable to fly.
however:
"unfortunately we are unable to offer you a refund of the outgoing flight; whilst the the flight was booked incorrectly this was amended and you did fly into majorca on new booking. Please be advised that we changed the flight that had been booked rather than making a new booking with the airline"
this still does not address the fact we paid for something we did not receive ie a morning flight, that we paid extra money for in the first place!
they admit liability in saying the flights were booked incorrectly- refunded the money spent during the day that we were unable to fly.
however:
"unfortunately we are unable to offer you a refund of the outgoing flight; whilst the the flight was booked incorrectly this was amended and you did fly into majorca on new booking. Please be advised that we changed the flight that had been booked rather than making a new booking with the airline"
this still does not address the fact we paid for something we did not receive ie a morning flight, that we paid extra money for in the first place!
thinking i should have slated them without any explanation, then i would have got a reply from them to my thread!
Try emailing them at forums@onthebeach.co.uk quoting your MYB. They have a member of staff that posts on here. Just put in your email that you were given the address on the Holiday Truths site.
To make an ABTA complaint you have to give the company 2 attempts of 30 days before you can raise a complaint. I would suggest that you start the process and use recorded delivery for the letters of complaint.
well strike me down- i have actually received an email response!
by someone again who clearly should not be working in customer services and blesses with the inability to read
OTB think they have done me a massive favour by refunding what was spent during the day that we were unable to get on the flight DUE TO THEIR MISTAKE-ie NOT BOOKING IT CORRECTLY.
If I were being pedantic, i should also ask for minutiae of interest that the money i spent would have earnt if it had been in my bank account for the month it took them to refund me.
however, i will let that one go, but what infuriates me is the apparent lack of understanding in what i am asking for!
i paid extra for an early morning flight that I did not get on due to their mistake- therefore i did not get what I paid for?
OTB response to my request for a refund of the difference between the morning and evening flights:
"unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund of the return flight as you did use these flights to travel back on"
but did i get on the one i originally booked and paid for - an emphatic no!!
by someone again who clearly should not be working in customer services and blesses with the inability to read
OTB think they have done me a massive favour by refunding what was spent during the day that we were unable to get on the flight DUE TO THEIR MISTAKE-ie NOT BOOKING IT CORRECTLY.
If I were being pedantic, i should also ask for minutiae of interest that the money i spent would have earnt if it had been in my bank account for the month it took them to refund me.
however, i will let that one go, but what infuriates me is the apparent lack of understanding in what i am asking for!
i paid extra for an early morning flight that I did not get on due to their mistake- therefore i did not get what I paid for?
OTB response to my request for a refund of the difference between the morning and evening flights:
"unfortunately, we cannot offer a refund of the return flight as you did use these flights to travel back on"
but did i get on the one i originally booked and paid for - an emphatic no!!
Just to be clear- are they now refunding the difference between the original and actual outbound flight costs?
no not at all
they are not refunding anything other than the £74.55 that they have already given back (for expenses incurred the day we did not board the flight)
they are not refunding anything other than the £74.55 that they have already given back (for expenses incurred the day we did not board the flight)
furthermore, i dont see what bearing us travelling back on our return flight has, as anyone who has ever booked with OTB would know that flights are booked separately anyway- outbound and inbound.
In your orginal post you mention having written confirmation that you were booked onto the 6am flight to Majorca on 21 June. I assume you had tickets also? If so, what was the date/time of the flight printed on the tickets?
was purely done via written confirmation- we just turned up at airport with booking number
when girl typed number in she said the booking had not been made, well it had but for 2 days later
OTB are not disputing a mistake was made on their part- rather they wont do anything financially to sort it
when girl typed number in she said the booking had not been made, well it had but for 2 days later
OTB are not disputing a mistake was made on their part- rather they wont do anything financially to sort it
I'd feel the same as you Julie - I'd expect the difference in flight cost refunded. Easyjet say you were booked on the morning flight 23rd June, 2 days later than you were told. Easyjet & OTB then scrambled to get you on a night flight that day so the 23rd flight would have been cancelled & tickets 'bought' for the evening of the 21st. So, did you pay for 21st or 23rd flight originally? If the flight prices for both days were roughly the same, and the evening flight a lot cheaper then I'd expect the difference to be refunded.
Both morning flights would have resulted in your accommodation being available from roughly 12 midday so you did in fact loose approx 12 hours of AI. You flew back on the original flight so didn't make up the difference on your last day.
I've always been led to believe that any flight change over 12 hours is classed as a 'major' change, what time did your evening flight depart?
I can imagine the stress you went through on that day, not even knowing if you were going on holiday never mind the later outcome.
Both morning flights would have resulted in your accommodation being available from roughly 12 midday so you did in fact loose approx 12 hours of AI. You flew back on the original flight so didn't make up the difference on your last day.
I've always been led to believe that any flight change over 12 hours is classed as a 'major' change, what time did your evening flight depart?
I can imagine the stress you went through on that day, not even knowing if you were going on holiday never mind the later outcome.
On The Beach aren't worried about looking bad on an internet holiday forum visited by possibly a million (???) or so visitors 
They could have had so much great free advertising by refunding you the premium for your morning flights. Instead they ensured the rest of us will think twice & more before parting with our hard earned cash with them
Have you sent them the link to this thread
They could have had so much great free advertising by refunding you the premium for your morning flights. Instead they ensured the rest of us will think twice & more before parting with our hard earned cash with them
Have you sent them the link to this thread
OTB are well aware of this board and the negative reports about them in the past. And they know three things:
1. it isn't viewed by millions, and many who visit don't read every thread anyway. (at present this thread has been viewed 648 times and that includes those who've been in more than once to keep up to date, possibly including OTB staff).
2. most people don't look for reviews before they spend, they wait until it goes wrong.
3. for every complaint about them there are even more about the likes of Thomas Cook etc. so even people do read before they book it might not scare them off.
We can't hope to undermine their business (even if it was justified), all we can do is help the occasional victim.
1. it isn't viewed by millions, and many who visit don't read every thread anyway. (at present this thread has been viewed 648 times and that includes those who've been in more than once to keep up to date, possibly including OTB staff).
2. most people don't look for reviews before they spend, they wait until it goes wrong.
3. for every complaint about them there are even more about the likes of Thomas Cook etc. so even people do read before they book it might not scare them off.
We can't hope to undermine their business (even if it was justified), all we can do is help the occasional victim.
i would certainly praise them if they came to the fore, i'd start a whole new post if they did actually interject as some point and see sense and show some form of empathy.
i think the evidence is irrefutable:
OTB documentation saying higher price
easyjet documentation saying lower price- must say the easyjet girl was fantastic, she printed off their info just in case OTB tried to deny any wrongdoing
so clear delineation in the prices
i think the evidence is irrefutable:
OTB documentation saying higher price
easyjet documentation saying lower price- must say the easyjet girl was fantastic, she printed off their info just in case OTB tried to deny any wrongdoing
so clear delineation in the prices
My experience with OTB with refunds that they do them bit by bit in an attempt to grind you down into dropping out of the process.
I would start by asking for a full breakdown of the costs.
I did this and received diversionary emails not disclosing the costs, but every time they provided me with a little more refund. In total I received, three refunds and eventually received a breakdown in costs after five exchanges of email (5 days to reply to each exchange).
One thing OTB try and do is keep the credit card surcharge they apply to bookings. If they provide a refund, then they need to also provide a refund of the credit card surcharge.
I would start by asking for a full breakdown of the costs.
I did this and received diversionary emails not disclosing the costs, but every time they provided me with a little more refund. In total I received, three refunds and eventually received a breakdown in costs after five exchanges of email (5 days to reply to each exchange).
One thing OTB try and do is keep the credit card surcharge they apply to bookings. If they provide a refund, then they need to also provide a refund of the credit card surcharge.
this is the response i have received by email
one question arises- if they are only contractually obliged to get me onto another flight- why did they refund the £74.55- surely they did not have to?
£50 still will not cut it-
Thank you for your recent email, the content of which has been noted
I understand you have recently received a reimbursement for your out of pocket expenses with respect to a recent complaint with On the Beach.
The refund equated to £74.55 which I understood covered this covered the cost of a taxi plus food and beverages.
We are unable to cover the cost of any fare difference, contractually we must provide you with an alternative flight at no extra cost to you. As we have provided you with a new travel arrangement we are therefore are not obliged to refund any difference in cost.
That said, I appreciate the service on this occasion has fallen below what is expected for which we are very sorry for the inconvenience caused
However, in light of the service failings evident in the booking, I am delighted to confirm a £50.00 gesture of goodwill.
In order to collect the reimbursement, please visit our website http://www.onthebeach.co.uk and logon to the manage my booking section
Should you have further questions, please do not hesitate in contacting me directly
one question arises- if they are only contractually obliged to get me onto another flight- why did they refund the £74.55- surely they did not have to?
£50 still will not cut it-
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