Thomson takes stand on fuel supplements
Thomson has decided to stop adding a fuel supplement on to its prices.
It says it is taking the lead in the hope that the whole industry will be forced to follow.
In September it wrote to the Office of Fair Trading requesting that all UK tour operators should be required to absorb the cost of fuel supplements before the launch of final edition brochures in December 2006.
Although it has received an email acknowledging receipt of the letter, the company says the OFT has not yet acted on its request.
Managing director Peter Rothwell said: "Travel companies now have no justification whatsoever for charging a fuel supplement - let alone one that is as high as when the price of fuel was at its peak. Despite this, companies are continuing to hit their customers with this additional charge.
"They are simply baiting customers with artificially low prices, then stinging them with unavoidable supplements.
"Just this week, we've seen Thomas Cook reducing their baggage allowance by five kilos to just 15 kilos, and then automatically adding £10 to the holiday cost for customers to 'buy' the five kilos back. This is outrageous. We refuse to be dragged any further down this route.
"I'm dismayed that the OFT are still sitting on this issue. As the market leader we had to take a stand on fuel supplements. The OFT should see the benefit to consumers for this to be enforced industry-wide."
With permission from Travelmole
Extra luggage charge.
We are currently looking to book our summer 07 holiday - Today I noticed that Thompsons are also charging for the luggage.
Giving with one hand taking with the other.
We are currently looking to book our summer 07 holiday - Today I noticed that Thompsons are also charging for the luggage.
Giving with one hand taking with the other.
Forgive me for being cynical but I think Thomson have got a cheek.
My wife & I booked a package through Thomson Travel for 26th Sept to 10th Oct 2007 to Rhodes, the total cost being £1562 after allowing for £30 discount. This was booked on 14th of June 2006 i.e 15 months before travel, paying £100 deposit with a further£160 paid on 6th Sept.
The price of the EXACT same package in now £1464, some £98 less.
When we asked if customers who had booked early would have the fuel surcharge removed we were told "definitely not as the price of holidays always increases in the new brochures issued early January so you still gain". When we asked if Thomson were absorbing the extra passenger tax we were told " as this is a government tax we have to collect it"
We calculate that by booking early we are £98 worse off & Thomson have had some of our money for between 3 & 6 months helping their cash flow & earning interest.
So much for fairness and Thomson shouting the odds about considering customers.
Bill & Rachel
My wife & I booked a package through Thomson Travel for 26th Sept to 10th Oct 2007 to Rhodes, the total cost being £1562 after allowing for £30 discount. This was booked on 14th of June 2006 i.e 15 months before travel, paying £100 deposit with a further£160 paid on 6th Sept.
The price of the EXACT same package in now £1464, some £98 less.
When we asked if customers who had booked early would have the fuel surcharge removed we were told "definitely not as the price of holidays always increases in the new brochures issued early January so you still gain". When we asked if Thomson were absorbing the extra passenger tax we were told " as this is a government tax we have to collect it"
We calculate that by booking early we are £98 worse off & Thomson have had some of our money for between 3 & 6 months helping their cash flow & earning interest.
So much for fairness and Thomson shouting the odds about considering customers.
Bill & Rachel
how are they charging for luggage then?
Are you sure its not Thomas Cook that you have heard of charging for luggage?? We still include in our standard prices 20kgs of baggage allowance - Thomas Cook have lowered to 15kgs and now charge for the extra 5kg, so it must be thomas cook you heard.
As for the fuel supplements and whether its being removed for existing bookings thingy, unfortunately, as with any sort of thing like that such as sales, it only apllies to new bookings but look at it this way - if you bought a sofa at DFS for a certain price, 2 weeks later they announce 20% off all new sofas, they wont get back to you and say oh were refunding your money, it only applies. It applies with this aswell, it is unfortunate, but a lot of the time, the total price will be more anyways than before as prices go up all the time, it will just be less than what it would be if it had the fuel supps. for example, if it was £1500 in july and then £1550 in jan, without the supps it may be £1520, so its still more than july, but less than what it would be if they hadnt removed it. Basically aswell, when you book your holiday, you agree to the price at that time, as part of the contract, you must accept taht the prices change, but like if you bought something from a sale but it was cheaper a week later then you wouldnt get your money back. So it is unfortunate, but it would be the way the other TOs work and is the way companies work.
Regards
As for the fuel supplements and whether its being removed for existing bookings thingy, unfortunately, as with any sort of thing like that such as sales, it only apllies to new bookings but look at it this way - if you bought a sofa at DFS for a certain price, 2 weeks later they announce 20% off all new sofas, they wont get back to you and say oh were refunding your money, it only applies. It applies with this aswell, it is unfortunate, but a lot of the time, the total price will be more anyways than before as prices go up all the time, it will just be less than what it would be if it had the fuel supps. for example, if it was £1500 in july and then £1550 in jan, without the supps it may be £1520, so its still more than july, but less than what it would be if they hadnt removed it. Basically aswell, when you book your holiday, you agree to the price at that time, as part of the contract, you must accept taht the prices change, but like if you bought something from a sale but it was cheaper a week later then you wouldnt get your money back. So it is unfortunate, but it would be the way the other TOs work and is the way companies work.
Regards
Basically we have just booked and fully paid for a holiday to Florida through Thomson for 2 weeks. Car Hire is included in the price, but as neither me or my partner can drive yet, so.... is there anychance we can "swap" the car hire for a holiday supplement or something? eg: theme park tickets or free buffet breakfast at our hotel etc etc??
Tried to ring Thomson a few times but lines are always "busy" and havent got the time lately to be kept on hold constantly.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks everyone.
Tried to ring Thomson a few times but lines are always "busy" and havent got the time lately to be kept on hold constantly.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks everyone.
Has anybody booked accommodation only via Thomsons web-site?
Did it go well? I am interested in specific apartments in the Algarve, and am prepared to pay their slightly inflated prices, to be sure that I get this particular complex.
Has anybody who used them in this way been changed at the last moment?
Is there any advantage to using a 'big name' to book accomm only?
Thanks to anyone who replies. Doe
Did it go well? I am interested in specific apartments in the Algarve, and am prepared to pay their slightly inflated prices, to be sure that I get this particular complex.
Has anybody who used them in this way been changed at the last moment?
Is there any advantage to using a 'big name' to book accomm only?
Thanks to anyone who replies. Doe
Doe, I've booked accommodation only through Thomson's website twice in the last two years for different apartments in Menorca and had absolutely no problem at all. They email you the accommodation voucher and you just take this with you and present it when you arrive at the hotel/apartment. You can still use the Thomson holiday reps the same as anyone who books a package deal can so that is one of the advantages of using this particular 'big name' company and may help give you reassurance. Our accommodation was booked shortly before we flew out both times, so I can't really comment about last minute changes. However, I would think that package holidays are more likely to be changed than accommodation only holidays due to the flight changes/cancellations that can sometimes occur.
Rob
Rob
Thanks for the reply Robbo.
I know the apartments as I stayed in them 6 or 7 years ago, and I like the idea of booking with them. The downside at present is that they require full payment up front, whereas with someone like wintersunshineholidays, they take a small deposit and only want the balance 4 weeks before travel. Also it does say that if you cancel you lose all your money, so there isn't a graded system of cancellation charges.
Decisons, decisions.
I know the apartments as I stayed in them 6 or 7 years ago, and I like the idea of booking with them. The downside at present is that they require full payment up front, whereas with someone like wintersunshineholidays, they take a small deposit and only want the balance 4 weeks before travel. Also it does say that if you cancel you lose all your money, so there isn't a graded system of cancellation charges.
Decisons, decisions.
I just received a telephone call from the Thomson rep in the ski resort I fly out to next Saturday. he asked if I had any questions about my forth coming holiday or any requests he could help me with. On enquiring about these calles, he told me it was a new service Thomson introduced last year. I though that was a great idea.
hya folks
i have just returned from a week in benidorm
we flew from cardiff last thursday
our flight should have taken off at 7am but due to extreme winds in cardiff we were delayed untill 10.30pm
but thomsons were fantastic we were taken to a 5 star hotel in cardiff for the day were given a room and also lunch and evening meal and full use of all the facilitys of the hotel spa jaccuzi and swimming pool
as there was a full plane of passengers it didnt take long to organise
the only thing i could complain about was the fact i felt that we were not given enough information about the delay
all we could do was check screen in airport and it just kept changing the time of our info
thanks again thomsons
does anyone know who i should contact to thank for what they did
people are quick enough to complain and not praise
i have just returned from a week in benidorm
we flew from cardiff last thursday
our flight should have taken off at 7am but due to extreme winds in cardiff we were delayed untill 10.30pm
but thomsons were fantastic we were taken to a 5 star hotel in cardiff for the day were given a room and also lunch and evening meal and full use of all the facilitys of the hotel spa jaccuzi and swimming pool
as there was a full plane of passengers it didnt take long to organise
the only thing i could complain about was the fact i felt that we were not given enough information about the delay
all we could do was check screen in airport and it just kept changing the time of our info
thanks again thomsons
does anyone know who i should contact to thank for what they did
people are quick enough to complain and not praise
You could write or ring Thomson direct
Thomsonfly.com
Customer Relations
London Luton Airport
Luton
LU2 9ND
0870 1900 737
Or It might be nice if you rang Cardiff Airport and asked to speak to a Thomson supervisior, I would think the staff involved are more likely to recieve your praise that way. 01446 711111
Thomsonfly.com
Customer Relations
London Luton Airport
Luton
LU2 9ND
0870 1900 737
Or It might be nice if you rang Cardiff Airport and asked to speak to a Thomson supervisior, I would think the staff involved are more likely to recieve your praise that way. 01446 711111
Thomson takes web route in major re-positioning
Thomson is gearing up for a multi-million pound re-positioning campaign in April.
The aim is to change the company's image from a package holiday provider to the leading web-based travel company.
The company has spent the past few months developing its technology to be able to offer every sort of leisure travel from its thomsonholidays.co.uk website.
Technology enabling consumers to search the entire travel database, as opposed to separate searches for packages, flight and hotel or flight-only, will be available in March with the campaign scheduled for the end of April across television, online and other media.
TUI UK new media director Graham Donoghue said: "We're moving to a model where we blend all our third party inventory with all the package stuff and there will be one simple search. We have to start thinking the way customers think."
He added that the technology was 'leading edge' and that no one else was doing it because it was so difficult.
Donoghue said the company wanted to become known as a retailer as well as a manufacturer so that consumers would begin to consider Thomson for all travel elements.
"We're not saying packages are dead but the market is growing overall and in a segment people are not considering us for. Thomson is not just about two weeks in Majorca it's also about chateaux in France and villas in Tuscany."
As part of the strategy, Thomson is also reviewing its accommodation contracting and is likely to contract 50% less inventory as it brings in content from third party sources.
Donoghue said: "We want to offer a limited choice of our own so that we don't have all the cost of owning the assets. We want to be a manufacturer but it's a challenge because we can't be seen to be force-feeding the consumer our product so we'll let them choose but make them aware of the value they get from Thomson."
With permission from Travelmole
Thomson is gearing up for a multi-million pound re-positioning campaign in April.
The aim is to change the company's image from a package holiday provider to the leading web-based travel company.
The company has spent the past few months developing its technology to be able to offer every sort of leisure travel from its thomsonholidays.co.uk website.
Technology enabling consumers to search the entire travel database, as opposed to separate searches for packages, flight and hotel or flight-only, will be available in March with the campaign scheduled for the end of April across television, online and other media.
TUI UK new media director Graham Donoghue said: "We're moving to a model where we blend all our third party inventory with all the package stuff and there will be one simple search. We have to start thinking the way customers think."
He added that the technology was 'leading edge' and that no one else was doing it because it was so difficult.
Donoghue said the company wanted to become known as a retailer as well as a manufacturer so that consumers would begin to consider Thomson for all travel elements.
"We're not saying packages are dead but the market is growing overall and in a segment people are not considering us for. Thomson is not just about two weeks in Majorca it's also about chateaux in France and villas in Tuscany."
As part of the strategy, Thomson is also reviewing its accommodation contracting and is likely to contract 50% less inventory as it brings in content from third party sources.
Donoghue said: "We want to offer a limited choice of our own so that we don't have all the cost of owning the assets. We want to be a manufacturer but it's a challenge because we can't be seen to be force-feeding the consumer our product so we'll let them choose but make them aware of the value they get from Thomson."
With permission from Travelmole
We had to change the name of one of our passengers on a holiday booked to travel 6th June 07, this was from a child to an adult price. However we also had to change the date to 15th June causing the price to rise even more. Thomson then charges us 35 for name change plus 35 each (x4) for date change!
Is this charge justifiable?
We are paying extra 500 pounds
Is this charge justifiable?
We are paying extra 500 pounds
Hi Mackem
Totally agree about the admin charges with Thomson. I also wanted to change holidays but the hotel I had originally booked was AI in the summer but only half board in the winter and as it was a little bit further away from the resort centre I wanted to change hotels. The original holiday was £930 for 3 and the new holiday cost was going to be approx £1600 but they still wanted to charge me £35 each for date amendment and then another £35 each for the change of hotel.
I asked the travel agent if she could ring and check to see if Thomsons would be prepared to charge just 1 admin fee per person but she wouldn't budge and refused to ring just kept repeating that these would be the charges.
Puts me off ever booking with them again. I don't know about unfair bank charges but how they can justify charging £35 each per detail changed is beyond me.
Michelle
Totally agree about the admin charges with Thomson. I also wanted to change holidays but the hotel I had originally booked was AI in the summer but only half board in the winter and as it was a little bit further away from the resort centre I wanted to change hotels. The original holiday was £930 for 3 and the new holiday cost was going to be approx £1600 but they still wanted to charge me £35 each for date amendment and then another £35 each for the change of hotel.
I asked the travel agent if she could ring and check to see if Thomsons would be prepared to charge just 1 admin fee per person but she wouldn't budge and refused to ring just kept repeating that these would be the charges.
Puts me off ever booking with them again. I don't know about unfair bank charges but how they can justify charging £35 each per detail changed is beyond me.
Michelle
Looking to book a holiday for 8 people (7a+1c) and was pricing it on the web site prior to going into the shop and getting them to match it. Just a couple of quetions before I go ahead.
1. The web price for the party is dearer than 3 individual bookings? is this normal? Think its to do with the way they dont offer a child price.
2. The website offers a discout of £200 per couple this weekend but yet going through the booking process the discount never comes off? Unless of course they are claiming it is already taken off! Load of rubish as Ive been watching the prices for a while.
3. If I'm going to be spending between 6-7K can I hagle for some freebees thrown in, ie, extra bagage or airport lounges etc?
4. Any news on the upgraded planes being in service by the 1st of May.
Thanks All
gc
1. The web price for the party is dearer than 3 individual bookings? is this normal? Think its to do with the way they dont offer a child price.
2. The website offers a discout of £200 per couple this weekend but yet going through the booking process the discount never comes off? Unless of course they are claiming it is already taken off! Load of rubish as Ive been watching the prices for a while.
3. If I'm going to be spending between 6-7K can I hagle for some freebees thrown in, ie, extra bagage or airport lounges etc?
4. Any news on the upgraded planes being in service by the 1st of May.
Thanks All
gc
Just cant belive what has just happened
Looking at holidays for next year, Lido jeleslo
Price for 14 nights £692, yesterday, and today found new discount, should take me to £592, while I was checking other hotels, all the prices have jumped up by £100
Looking at holidays for next year, Lido jeleslo
Price for 14 nights £692, yesterday, and today found new discount, should take me to £592, while I was checking other hotels, all the prices have jumped up by £100
I've noticed Thomson have updated the look of their website and also the prices of their holidays 
Can anyone tell me how the same dates, same airport, same destination, same EVERYTHING with a free child place differs by £100 in the space of a few days????
What a rip off!
Can anyone tell me how the same dates, same airport, same destination, same EVERYTHING with a free child place differs by £100 in the space of a few days????
What a rip off!
Hi! - I have noticed the same thing - the holiday we had priced up was 1,019, the following day 1,275. Where are they getting their prices from? I usually always book with thomsons, as I have found them to be cheaper than other tour operators, - but this year I'm finding first choice much cheaper, anyone else think their prices have increased considerably this year?Also, when pricing up their holidays, it was cheaper to book my lad as an adult, as it was coming out more expensive for 2 adults, and one child!!, than for three adults!
Just hoping their prices come down!
Regards, BBB
Im with you on the BBB. Thomsons are charging double what FC are at this time for us to for a week to Greece at the end of June. In fact FC are cheaper than DIY with better flight times and good accommodation!! 
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