On the 21st August we purchased a package holiday via the MyTravel / Direct Holidays website and paid using a Visa Debit card over the internet. I noted after I had paid that we could have upgraded to Premiair Gold Seats for a cost of £133 per person.
When we picked our tickets up from your desk at Manchester Airport I showed the print out that showed the £133 extra per person to upgrade to the lady behind the desk and asked if there were any of these Premiair Gold Seats remaining - after checking on the computer she informed me that there was and that the price had come down and was now £120 per person, she gave me a slip of paper stating £240 to be paid and told me to take it to the customer services desk situated by the check in desks. We then parted with a further £240 for the upgrade.
We then proceeded to the Premiair check in desk and on the outbound flight we were given seats in row 5 in the Premiair cabin (which were fantastic)
On the return flight we proceeded to the Premiair check in desk and received our boarding cards for row 10, it was not until after we boarding the aircraft that I discovered that row 10 was not situated within the Premiair cabin area of the aircraft. I explained the situation to a steward and he told me that Premiar seats were still available but I must pay an additional £110 per person if I wished to be seated there - which I find totally outrageous as we had already paid for these seats at Manchester. The steward was of no further help and refused to allow us to be seated in the Premiair cabin and simply gave me a customer survey form to fill in. The return seating was more important as it was flying through the night with an early morning arrival back at Manchester Airport where I then had to drive for a further 3 hours to get back home.
As I took my seat at row 10 the further 2 passenger arrived at their seats, these must have been 2 of the largest people on the aircraft in excess of 30 stone each and where that large they had to raise all the armrests just so they could get into their seats, which also meant that they over spilled onto half of my seat, so not only did I not get the Premiair seat that I already paid for in advance I didn't even get a full seat that I was told I must be seated at.
I wrote to MyTravel on the 15th September with the above and enclosed the following text...
As I no longer have the original print out of the additional costing of the upgrade for the flight in question I have included a printout of a holiday leaving on the 18th September to the same destination on your airline - this shows that the Premiair Gold Seating as an additional cost of £119 per person, which is actually less than the £133 per person when we flew out on the 28th August
I require an explanation as to why the seats that I paid for were refused to us and some form of compensation for the inconvenience, ideally the full cost of the upgrade. If I do not receive a satisfactory response from you I will be taking further action and will be forwarding all correspondence onto Ros Fernihough Travel Law Solicitor who will then deal with this matter.
It is now 1st October and I have still not received any communication from MyTravel
Has anyone else had cause for complaint with MyTravel and how long does it take for them to reply -- also any other advise on what to do next.
As I no longer have the original print out of the additional costing of the upgrade for the flight in question
Do you mean you no longer have your documentation regarding your purchase of the return upgrade?
When you paid at Manchester was it in the confirmation that the price was for a return journey? If it wasn't and I was mytravel I'd be arguing it was a single price.
If you had the option of paying £110 for a return seat I would have paid it under protest (with this stated on any paperwork) and claimed it back via small claims.
The price you were quoted is usually a one way price, not return. That's probably why you didn't get the seats on your return leg.
When you book a flight you pay for a RETURN not just ONE-WAY -- so the upgrade should also be RETURN
You can see the cost of the upgrade on this picture I have uploaded.
When we picked tickets up we were given a single piece of paper that stated £240 to be paid which when we went to CS desk at side of the check-in desk the person that took our payment kept this slip of paper (as it only said £240 to be paid)
I've had a look on their site and it certainly appears to be return - doesn't say otherwise. Am wondering though whether this was actually one way with booking at the airport? But surely they would have asked if you wanted return?
and simply gave me a customer survey form to fill in
These forms are simply a means of gathering data. What did you like or dislike. What extras you would be prepared to pay for.
They also become a means of raising revenue as the information is shared with similar organisations. Read the small print. You need to opt out in writing in most cases otherwise you will find the junk mail dropping on your mat
They are collated onto a massive database where they are able to highlight what the majority of people would like.
In your particular case the idea of being able to book seats or upgrade will have originally been comments that people have made.
The trend for budget airlines to charge extra for luggage also came from that.
They should never be considered a means of lodging a complaint.
From experience of these I doubt if they are even seen by the TO. Companies are paid to gather and analyse these forms and produce reports.
Note is taken of complaints but they are not a priority unless they reach a level where it may be a concern and effect business.
You have taken the correct action in writing them and threatening to forward to Ros if you do not get a satisfactory settlement.
They do have 28 days from the acknowledgement and that usually arrives around day 27.
As for the physical size of passengers I have every sympathy but I doubt that will change.
fwh
But if you choose to upgrade on the flight, it would be for one way only (as they wouldn't be able to upgrade you there and then for your return trip).
But i've no idea about if you do it at the airport? I would suspect one way only. It's very bad though if this wasn't made apparent at time of booking.
FWH --- No the form I was given was a CUSTOMER COMPLAINT FORM that I gave the same kind of information that I wrote in the letter I sent them, the purser also had to fill in the back section of the form and hand to customer services back in the UK
Back to the question about how long for a reply, in my latest round of timewasting with them Cheshire Trading Standards wrote to them on 20th July giving them 10 days to pay up and waited over 2 weeks just to get an acknowledgment. The response took another 4 weeks (and then they tried to change the subject).
And within 2 hours I got a reply saying they have printed the email and will personally take it to the customer services department and I will receive a reply within the 14 day time period.
When we booked the seats for our flight we were offered the premair gold seats for £175 but it was explained to us that was one way. We'd have to pay £350 return per seat for premair gold. So I do believe here that you only paid for one way as on the flights if they have any left they are usually offered on the actual plane for around £100. That is only for the flight you are on. I think you have misunderstood that it was for the outbound flight only that you paid.
We were informed when we booked that they were RETURN (BOTH WAYS)
On Friday, over eight and a half months after booking we received a letter to say that due to overbooking myself and my husband no longer had Premiair seats and the times of the flight was changed flying back at 7.00 in the morning. My travel agent contacted mytravel stating that as we had booked so early how could we possibly be now told that their is an overbooking situation.
At this late stage I trawled the internet and we couldn't even find alternative flights let alone Premium seats. We have had to move on to a Monarch flight travelling the day after to make sure we are all together traveling back at an additional charge of £364 - Having traveled Monarch before I am not looking forward to it. We have to go via Bahrain. My travel rep managed to get us Premium seats - don't know how she but we are very grateful.
I am so furious - I will write to Airtours but has anyone any knowledge of how we sit legally?
Have answered you in your own topic Dorothy
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