To my knowledge its always been this way. We have just paid or balance that was due for our Xmas holiday which is 12 weeks away. That was with Airtours, but I think you may find that most travel company's work that way madasharley.

Ellie

i agree with elliebee this is perfectly normal, ive got 5 hols booked at the moment and you think you have worries lol, luckily for me i paid some completely when i booked, so only the most expensive one to pay off now by march, but we have a holiday kitty where we pay into each month so that helps

I've always gone by 10 weeks with some companies bringing it down to 8 weeks. Out of interest when did you think the balance was payable?

I have a holiday account where I transfer money by standing order every month - have done for years. That's the holiday fund and means that I don't have a sudden panic that I've got to find £500 and I only have two paydays to find it in.

It used to be 6 weeks going back to the 80's I believe it has more to with ther earlier the money is banked the more interest they earn, getting all the cash in 6 weeks earlier off everybody adds up. There is no need for holiday companies to ask for payments 12 weeks in advance.

If they say its have time process and supply ticket is not the real reason, with computers and automatic printer to issue tickets. All the tickets used to be hand written upto the early 80's. The tickek on departure is another nice money earner for tour ops, they must take at least s £1000 per day on this, one time this charge never existed. These charges all started when the companies were floated on the stock exchange

A large part of it concerns airline ticketing deadlines (i'm not necessarily referring to T.O that own airlines) - with many tickets needing to be issued 30/45/60 days in advance due to airlines restrictions. You pay the airline when you issue the ticket, and Tour Ops' will not be out of pocket - thus they insist on having your money to cover their costs first.

Of course the additional interest is a perk, but only for the really big players.

Ive always thought it was 8 weeks before and just checked my thomson invoice for when we go on 21st march and payment is due by 25th January which does make it 8 weeks I dont believe I have ever had to pay before 8 weeks but I would point out that this is booking direct with the T/O but a travel agent may ask for money earlier so they can make a bit a profit out of you Our last couple of holidays have been with portland and before that we had a couple with Eclipse/first choice and previous to that we had a run with thomas cook.

lyn

I always check when the balance is due, and beit 8, 10 or 12 weeks, have always got it written down well in advance ready to pay on time, like a sixth sense. I don't see any huge complaint over it because if you booked, it should've told you when your dues were required

Interesting point - I am just pricing up a holiday for 11th May 2008 with both Archers and Cosmos

According to the information on screen deposit due now is £150.00

Balance due 30th March - so that is 6 weeks.

It used to be 6 weeks going back to the 80's I believe it has more to with ther earlier the money is banked the more interest they earn, getting all the cash in 6 weeks earlier off everybody adds up. There is no need for holiday companies to ask for payments 12 weeks in advance.

Each TO will have their own criteria. The TO I have used for the past 4 years works on a 10 week cycle.

There seems to be an assumption that because we have computers that it just happens. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Payments can be and are made by several methods so it is not so simple.

Very easy to be a critic of companies but they are a business. The purpose of a business is to make money.

Ask yourself the question - What would you do if it was your business?

Save you thinking about it - you would do the same.

fwh

Also I have noticed over the last few years that you are told how many weeks before departure your balance is due on paperwork when you book and frequently it now tells you that you will not get a reminder and that it is up to you to remember what is due and when.

I'm such a holiday fiend anyway that I read brochures back to back including all the T&Cs and I read all paperwork related to bookings back to back as well. I am the same with anything booked DIY such as flights - the website is thoroughly perused etc.

I would always advise everyone to be like me and read absolutely everything connected with your holiday and use sites like this to iron out any other queries you might have. Especially if you are the person who the booking is in the name of as you are then responsible from the TO and/or TAs ponit of view for all things related to the holiday on behalf of your guests.

Anyway, I hope you get the cash sorted for next month's date and then you can begin countdown for your departure.

With Lunn Poly (Thomsons) it always used to be 8 weeks. But thet now seems to have changed to 12 weeks.

yes i agree most of the holidays we have been on if not all?? have been balance to be paid 8 weeks before traveling...

looks like i will have to take some money out of my isa now so less interest for me and more for first choice

FHW its nothing to with if I was business. If the to ops asked for the balance six weeks before travel for many years whats changed today. The work invovled in issuing a tiicket is computerised and the airline don't issue the ticket tour op issues the tickets, I don't mean one of the smalls tour ops. The only thing that has changed the money they can make by holding the cash for longer. When you are talking about millions of pounds it adds up.

The tour ops usaully pay suppliers at the end of the season. Even a travel agent can issue a ticket as long some of the staff have 30 iata points between them. I have 30 iata points can issue a ticket if I worked for a travel agent/company or I could start a business selling airfares. Charter tickets are easy it when you have a scheduled ticket, you need to look through volumes rules for each type of ticket.

Some of you maybe wondering who IATA is, international air transport association. They control all the sheduled fares, when a scheduled ticket is the money goes to iata and iata pays the airline or shres it among the different airlines for a journey. IATA controls what can be charged for a scheduled airfare.

Thomas Cook have worked on 12 week before departure for some time.

As someone has already mentioned Tour Operators have different criteria.

However, with the majority of tour ops you wouldn't come into cancellation charges until 8 weeks (56 days) before departure.

Kath HT Admin

FHW its nothing to with if I was business. If the to ops asked for the balance six weeks before travel for many years what's changed today.

You obviously are only viewing this from your side of things.

If you are in business then your objective is to make money.

If you can get the money in earlier and so earn interest then that is what you do.

Most TOs trade at a theoretical loss for a substantial part of the year due to the fact that most of their income is restricted to deposits.

They still have to pay wages and for infrastructure.

I have no problem with them deciding to ask for payment earlier. I would be quite happy to pay in full when I booked if they were to offer me a discount for doing so.

It is an interesting point that they now seem to request payment earlier but of little consequence.

The earlier payment would only make a few pounds difference on any interest you would have got if it had not changed.

TOs are no different from many other businesses who ask for payment or substantial deposits in advance.

It does not matter really what anyone thinks about the practice. If you want the goods or service then you either accept it or go without

fwh

I recently booked a flight with Thomas Cook through Travel Republic and when I paid the deposit I was given the option for them to take the balance from my credit card 12 weeks before the flight. At least it will save me having to remember when the payment is due.

I know what you are saying FHW and realise they are in buisness to make money, if they didn't the share holders wouldn't be happy. I as a customer would like to keep the my in my account as long as possible, but what people who pay by credit card, while the tour make a bit extra they are paying bit in extra interest.

On paying the full amount on booking I think it was first choice who offered a 5% discount, I don't know if they still do.

sorry if im being thick here but the thing is ,is it the tour operator or the agent that are now asking for the money 12 weeks before. As in benidorms case it is lunn poly the agents who i know are part of thomson that are requesting her payment 12 weeks before yet mine is direct with thomson online and mine is still 8 weeks. so the agent then has 4 weeks to sit on the money

ive just checked my holiday receipt as i assumed it was 12 weeks and its 10 weeks booked through thomson over the phone but a portland holiday , it seems they all have different dates varying from 8-12 wks, when i booked all my flight onlys i had to pay for all of them in full which was a killer as i had 3 lots of different flight dates to pay for and varying from 3 to 5 of us going to turkey on each booking grrr !! but didnt want to lose out on the cheap flights at the time lol

On the 12 weeks that is 3 months, there is not another product that you would have to pay 3 months in advance or quater of a year. When its put that term of time it does deem excessive.