We booked a flight to Tenerife via Goldfish Travel Services with Freedom Flights last year for travel on Friday 27th May 2005. Upon booking our flight the price was to include an inflight meal for all passengers. This has subsequently changed and now all meals are at an extra cost.

Not only did the flight change from an Excel Airways flight to an Air Malta flight but the time was brought forward by 2 1/2 hrs. As we were not made aware of this change until receipt of our tickets (7 days before travel) all passengers concerned had to arrange extra time off. I know this seems petty but we had booked the later flight due to 2 of the children and the teacher,who was travelling with us, attending examinations on the Friday. We would have appreciated it if we had been notified some time earlier to allow alternative arrangements to be made. We also had to change our airport taxi as the original one could not accomodate the new time. This caused us extra expense as the new taxi was more costly. We found on further investigation from passengers on board that this new flight and time had been known for some months.

During our flight we were advised by the cabin staff there would be no enterntainment even though there were facilities for films and music. We were also advised that there would no inflight meals served as Air Malta had been told by Freedom Flights/Excel Airways, who had chartered the plane, not to supply any.

We were quite bemused by all this and felt it was like being on a no frills flight although when booking we were told that the flights supplied by Excel Airways were very plush with leather seats, excellent entertainment and very good food.

Some of the passengers on board became very angry and we later found out that these passengers had paid extra for a non existant inflight meal.

We realise we will get nowhere complaining about the time changes and the rubbish service and facilities offered by Air Malta although we will make them aware of the situation.

However, we feel it only fair to alert other unsuspecting passengers to the situation that they may be faced with, to allow them to make alternative provisions for food and entertaiment for their children.

We would be grateful if anyone could give us advice on where we stand in regard to compensation in relation to the inflight meal that was not supplied.