Cook's 'holiday giveaway' price challenge
Thomas Cook has pledged to keep its summer 2007 prices lower than rivals - and will give away holidays to customers who find them cheaper elsewhere.
The ploy - the company's latest 'Price Watch' message for the peak booking period - comes as part of an aggressive promotional push including destination-specific TV advertising.
Thomas Cook is offering three million holidays across its range of seven package brands and claims to be guaranteeing the best price.
The deal also applies to scheduled flights booked through travel agencies, excluding British Airways and low cost airlines.
The company's new marketing director Simon Carter said: "Our message to our customers is simple. We just won't be beaten on price by anyone.
"For 2007 we have made price our priority - we understand the importance of this to our customers, and we want them to feel confident thye are getting the very best deal from Thomas Cook from start to finish."
The Price Watch scheme was instigated in 2005 as a guarantee that the operator could offer the best price on the high street by monitering rivals' rates.
The new initiative comes as part of a strong industry push for the peak booking period following an eight per cent slump in package holiday sales in summer 2006.
With permission from Travelmole
Is anyone else experiencing problems on the Thomas Cook site? It must be the worst site ever 
Yes. I always have problems with it. I can't beleive they don't sort it out. They must lose loads of bookings to Portland, Eclipse etc because of it.
The other day all it would bring up were other operators holidays
but not Thomas Cook ones which was what I was interested in. You would think they would want to sell there own product 
, and you still couldnt get through to a final price. 
The other day all it would bring up were other operators holidays
but not Thomas Cook ones which was what I was interested in. You would think they would want to sell there own product , and you still couldnt get through to a final price.
whenever I try to price a holiday on the TC website. the "please wait" thingy just twirls and twirls forever until I give up. Ive even left it thinking it was me being too impatient for the price to display . went back to the pc after cooking dinner and eating it and it was still twirling away and still no price. obsolutely bloody useless
lyn
lyn
Hi Chris & Lyn. Errrr, yes I've noticed this as well - do you think we spend too much time looking for hols 
When I've been looking for flights on Travelsupermarket, TC often come up as the cheapest and directs you to their website - but of course it only goes as far as the twirly bit
If you phone, the price is about a week old
they really need to get their system running a lot more efficiently as they must loose millions . I for one dont even bother with them now unless im reminded as the few times ive tried to price anything for myself I cant , find their web site confusing or as chris says you get a price for every other T/O except TC so to be honest because I dont try any longer they actually skip my mind which is not good for TC as we all book loads. 
Is anyone out there from TC reading this . I hope so.
lyn
. I for one dont even bother with them now unless im reminded as the few times ive tried to price anything for myself I cant , find their web site confusing or as chris says you get a price for every other T/O except TC so to be honest because I dont try any longer they actually skip my mind which is not good for TC as we all book loads. Is anyone out there from TC reading this . I hope so.
lyn
Hiya both 
The thing that annoys me is that they do quite a lot of nice hotels, especially in Turkey, and also from what I read on here their planes are good. Some people who have travelled on them say they are the best of all the charters. So I would like to go with them once just to see how they compare.
However as I book most of my holidays on-line i'll never get to travel with them unless they sort out their web-site.
The thing that annoys me is that they do quite a lot of nice hotels, especially in Turkey, and also from what I read on here their planes are good. Some people who have travelled on them say they are the best of all the charters. So I would like to go with them once just to see how they compare.
However as I book most of my holidays on-line i'll never get to travel with them unless they sort out their web-site.
Chris - Ive booked and travelled with thomas cook /jmc 2 years running and were very inpressed with them. I think one of those holidays was our first ever trip to Turkey but that was before the days of the Internet when we all used to spend lovely evenings surrounded by piles of Holiday brochures, glass of wine and a box of chocolates. Obsolute heaven 
. Actually I really miss those days . I still have a cupboard full of glossy brochures going back to 1999 ,just cant bear to part with them
lyn
. Actually I really miss those days . I still have a cupboard full of glossy brochures going back to 1999 ,just cant bear to part with them lyn
Well you just have to keep a select few in case you might need them for future reference. 
Sorry that will be the end of me going off topic. back to T/C now
lyn
Sorry that will be the end of me going off topic. back to T/C now
lyn
Yes, getting back to the problems with Thomas Cook web-site. I have sent off a few emails to them to say that I am having trouble booking on-line......................... The replys have always given me telephone numbers to contact which I could then book through (probably their call centre).
I then email back, that I don't want to ring the call centre etc but want to know how to get to a final price on the net. Lets face if if I wanted to do it via the call centre I would in the first place 
Never got anywhere with it though. Probably emailed them 3 or 4 times in last 12 months on this.
Makes me wonder if they make more money out of phone booking.
I then email back, that I don't want to ring the call centre etc but want to know how to get to a final price on the net. Lets face if if I wanted to do it via the call centre I would in the first place
Never got anywhere with it though. Probably emailed them 3 or 4 times in last 12 months on this.
Makes me wonder if they make more money out of phone booking.
they will do Chris if its an 0870 or 0845 number. You can try and get one over on them by checking http://www.saynoto0870.com and see if they have a regional number listed.
lyn
lyn
Have to say I booked on line with Thomas Cook and it took me minutes maybe I caught it at a good time!!
Well Done! Its good to know it does work sometimes.
Hi Doepsmc
I tried booking my holiday last year (sept) throught the Thomas Cook website, i actually did manage to get a total price for my holiday but then it would not let me go ahead with the booking, so i rang the call center explained and i still got it at the price quoted on the internet!
I tried booking my holiday last year (sept) throught the Thomas Cook website, i actually did manage to get a total price for my holiday but then it would not let me go ahead with the booking, so i rang the call center explained and i still got it at the price quoted on the internet!
Hi Carter, thanks for that. 
I think my problem is I like to compare 2 or 3 holiday accommodations, and also check them on different flights say Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, plus different room configerations say a family room for 4, against 2 twin rooms. In effect that's like checking 10 holidays to call center staff, and they just dont want to do it.
Mind you neither would I if I was only earning a fiver an hour, with no guarantee of a booking at the end of it. Thats why I prefer the net.
I think my problem is I like to compare 2 or 3 holiday accommodations, and also check them on different flights say Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, plus different room configerations say a family room for 4, against 2 twin rooms. In effect that's like checking 10 holidays to call center staff, and they just dont want to do it.
Mind you neither would I if I was only earning a fiver an hour, with no guarantee of a booking at the end of it.
Thats why I prefer the net.
I recently made a booking online with Thomas Cook but it will be the last time. We have travelled with them 9 times as a couple or family group in the past 2-3 years and spent a fortune! We got married on a recent Thomas Cook holiday to Mexico, which wasn't without a series of problems.
My latest (last!) booking was to Cuba this October. I chose the flights and hotel and was given a total holiday price on screen. I selected the 'book online' option and entered all my details and booked. Imagine my surprise when the confirmation page came up and the price had increased by £50. I had to phone twice to speak to an operator who gave me the option to cancel but this wasn't what I wanted - I wanted the holiday at the price the screen showed. I believe this is unfair - Thomas Cook told me the discounts must have changed whilst I was making the booking - there should be a warning that the price shown is not necessarily the price you will pay.
I will be looking for another tour operator for my next holiday.
My latest (last!) booking was to Cuba this October. I chose the flights and hotel and was given a total holiday price on screen. I selected the 'book online' option and entered all my details and booked. Imagine my surprise when the confirmation page came up and the price had increased by £50. I had to phone twice to speak to an operator who gave me the option to cancel but this wasn't what I wanted - I wanted the holiday at the price the screen showed. I believe this is unfair - Thomas Cook told me the discounts must have changed whilst I was making the booking - there should be a warning that the price shown is not necessarily the price you will pay.
I will be looking for another tour operator for my next holiday.
Big mistake they made there Cazz over £50 . It will cost them a lot more. trouble is it all seems to be down to who you talk to and i dont necessarily mean TC but you could phone one day and get a complete brain-dead airhead that couldnt care less, then the next time you could get through to somebody with a brain that goes out of the way to help you, goes over the price you have received on the web and hey presto pushes a couple of bottons on her keypad to give you another £50 and holiday booked . wouldnt it be simple . I know what i would be doing if it was me you were phoning. Maybe i need a job
lyn
. I know what i would be doing if it was me you were phoning. Maybe i need a job lyn
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