Holiday Complaints

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XL.COM con
16 Posts
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This is not just the practice of excel, freejam, but of all charter companies. Once a ticket has been bought that's it!!!!! Whether you use it or not thee are no refunds.
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Has anyone ever tried getting money back through a small claims court - I'm very tempted?
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Did you not read the T and C's before you booked, freejam? What would you be basing your claim on?
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Only read T and C's when I cancelled - they were very hard to find on the website - my claim:- unfair trading, no loss to XL, T and C's not obvious, no provision of service, plentuy of time for XL to re-sell.
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I don't see how you can accuse XL of 'stealing' your £200 deposit. You entered into a contract with them to fly your son and his friends to Turkey and they are still prepared to do that. You cannot blame XL for the loss of accommodation.

Why not try to book more accommodation in Turkey?
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I agree with Glynis XL are being blamed for something that they have no control over.

Unless the accomodation was free then the position has not changed. Simply book something else.

If you post in the appropriate forum I am sure members of HT will be able to come up with alternative accomodation. Some of our members actually live there.

fwh
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I agree with Glynis, it would probably be easier just to try and get different accommodation.

I doubt if you could claim for "no provision of service". They are providing the service, you just don't want to use it.

I have had this dilemma on a few occasions, and come unstuck!!!!! Do I book the accommodation first, or the flights? Getting them to marry up is sometimes a problem, especially during the school holidays!! :D
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If the airline had been "crappy" you would not have been with them four times previously and stated your intention to use them again in the future.

As has already been stated, you have not been robbed but found yourself in the unfortunate position of having booked flights and lost your original accomodation. Surely the thing to do is book somewhere else. Don't waste your time and effort (and cost) of going through the small claims court - you do not have a valid claim.
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If you book holiday accommodation directly with a proprty owner, they will usually hold the boking provisionally while you find and book flights.
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where are you looking for accomodation, which resort.
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I have had this dilemma on a few occasions, and come unstuck!!!!! Do I book the accommodation first, or the flights? Getting them to marry up is sometimes a problem, especially during the school holidays!!


I find it best to book accommodation first then flight if only staying in the one hotel/apartment/villa. It's generally easier to cancel the accommodation within a day or two of booking - usually with no loss or max. of one night's charge for some hotels.

When booking several different places best to book some of the more awkward hotels first, then the flights then fill in the hotels at popular resorts as there's usually something available.

Agree with all comments re. main issue here. There's no case against Excel in this instance.

Mike
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Have to say I think you're unfair saying they've 'stolen' your £200!

If I'd been in your position and my accomodation had fallen thru' I would have gone on the hunt to find other accomodation - hotel, apartment, private lets etc - and only if I'd drawn a total and utter blank would I have cancelled my flights.

At the end of the day it's YOUR responsibility to read the T &C's BEFORE you proceed with the booking - I recently booked my own flights with XL and my booking confirmation page the T & C's were there on the page which I'm sure you MUST have read?

Here are the ones that would affect you:

7. What happens if I change my reservation?

If you wish to change your reservation in anyway, and we can accept the change, the following charges will apply. Time scales refer to the date of receipt of your instructions in writing, and cancellation charges are detailed below. More than 42 days before departure - £20.00 per change. Less than 42 days before departure - cancellation charges apply except for a name change, which is charged at £40.00 per name, except the day of departure when a charge of £50.00 per name will be levied. Name changes made within 14 days of departure, but not on the day of departure itself, will incur an additional ticket collection charge as set out in condition 12. The following exceptions apply: -

a. no changes are allowed from a full priced flight to a special offer flight

b. for any change to a booking, the basic price will either remain the same as the price quoted at the time of booking provided the booking price has not increased or, if there is such increase, you will be liable to pay the difference between the original booking price and the changed booking price (excluding supplements) .

8. What if I cancel my reservation?

If you wish to cancel your flight, this must be done in writing by the person in whose name the booking was made and to whom our invoice is addressed (or through the travel agent through whom the booking was made). The cancellation will take effect only when we receive your written notice of cancellation.

If you fail to make a payment when due in accordance with these terms, we will notify you in writing that the payment must be made within 7 days. If after that 7 day period we have not received the payment due we will treat this as a cancellation by you.

We make the following charges to compensate us for the expected loss and expense, which we will incur as a result of your cancellation, as we start to incur costs from the moment you make your booking. The following charges apply:

Period before departure date that written Instruction is received: Cancellation charge:
42 or more days
41 - 29 days
28 - 22 days
21- 0 days
Deposit only
50% of total flight cost
60% of total flight cost
100% of flight cost



If the reason for your cancellation falls within your insurance policy, normally the insurance company should refund any charges to you.


I think on this occasion you've got to accept responsibility for things going pear shaped - I can't see how you can blame XL and if you were to take it further I think you'd be wasting your time and money TBH.
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I always book flights first and then accomodation but in the unlikely event of being in the same position as you I would just spend as much time as poss on internet/phone trying to sort out alternative accomodation.

Have looked thru' it all again and honestly and have to say you lost the accomodation thru' no fault of your own so how can you now heap the blame on XL's door when they had absolutely no say in your accomodation booking?

Your mistake was that you cancelled the flights - if you could have secured alternative accomodation on a different date they'd have only charged you an admin fee to change your booking but you lost the lot as you cancelled the flights.

sorry but the T &C's are there clearly in black and white on my booking confirmation page - clear as day to me.
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I am sure that there must have been plenty of other accomodation you could have booked - either you couldn't be bothered to look or you foolishly assumed that XL would refund all your money.

As previously said before you obviously did not read the terms and conditions.

I think you will have to put this down as a learning experience and be a little more aware next time you book flights only.

Pippa
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British culture - Blame everybody and anybody else.
Can you not see the wood for the trees - your flight is there to be taken up - how can it be anybodies fault but your own - did you not anticipate what would happen if the accomm let you down - did you not have a plan 'b'?
Upto what date would you think would be reasonable to cancel with a full refund?
Let me give you some free advice - read before you sign otherwise don't sign.
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