Hiya to all
After several arguments with Thomson's so called customer service, I wonder if anybody out there has had a problem such as mine, and if possible provide some advice and guidance from where I can go from here.
I booked a holiday to KOS from latedeals back in August 2006, which was a 4T half board allocation on arrival. Upon arrival in KOS I was promptly taken to one side by a Thomson representative saying there was a problem with the accommodation and that I would have to be downgraded to 3T bed and breakfast hotel as there was no suitable accommodation in KOS, at the same time I was handed a letter by the representative stating that they had been trying to contact the booking agent (LateDeals) 2 days prior to me flying out to KOS.
As there was nothing i could do and after having the holiday I contacted the booking agent (LateDeals) to establish why they did not contact me about the major change to my holiday, I explained that the resort centre manager in KOS had been trying to contact them, but with no success. The representative from LateDeals also stated that there were several methods of communication for when situations like this arise in that there is a email address/Fax number and more so a direct line. It also transpires from LateDeals there is no record of any communication from Thomson's in KOS. So how on earth can Thomsons not get in touch with LateDeals. Interestingly enough LateDeals are part of the Thomson's group of companies
I was offered compensation for the downgrading of accomodation, but as yet not cashed the cheque that was sent to me.
With all this information to hand I have also examined the terms and conditions as laid down in Thomson's brochure and under section 4 they have a duty of care to contact myself/booking agent when a major change to a holiday had occurred and give me some options on whether to accept a new accommodation, take a replacement holiday or to cancel the holiday and have a full refund.
Having been to KOS for the previous two years and now knowing what hotel they put us in I would have certainly cancelled the holiday. From my last correspondence (written and talking to their customer services supervisor) it is now argued that because I have had my holiday it could not be established that I would have cancelled the holiday. My argument with Thomson's is that with modern communication methods i find it totally amazing that it takes longer than 48 hours to contact my booking agent (LateDeals and a part of the Thomson's group of companies) about the major change in accommodation and therefore broken section 4 of their own terms and conditions.
It feels that I have come to a stalemate with Thomson's customer service, any thought on how I can progress here would be of some help"¦
Many thanks in advance
What a clear post swedishchef - thanks.
I suppose the first thing to ask is.....the amount of compensation is, presumably, far less than you require ?
I'll assume that to be the case until you post again.
Next question, how long was the holiday duration ?
I ask this as there's always the possibility that you could have demanded an immediate (or soon as practicable) return flight even when you had arrived at the resort and under those circumstances you would have a very strong case for a full refund.
Did you lodge a written complaint whilst in resort ?
These are the kind of issues that Thomson will use to "wriggle" out of paying a larger compensation.
I do believe 48 hours attempting to contact is ludicrous. They could easily have "contacted" you in the last instance when you checked-in at the UK departure airport. Likely as not they had your details on file and if needs be could have contacted you directly if they REALLY did fail to speak with Latedeals.
Just out of interest - were Latedeals acting as YOUR agents or Thomson's agents ?
Another ?. Was it a Package that you booked ?
I'd contact Ros Fernihough on 01922 621114 a.s.a.p. and present the facts to her. She's a specialist travel lawyer and offers initial advice to members of this site. She's acted (successfully) for me in the past.
Do let us know the progress though.
Mike
I suppose the first thing to ask is.....the amount of compensation is, presumably, far less than you require ?
I'll assume that to be the case until you post again.
Next question, how long was the holiday duration ?
I ask this as there's always the possibility that you could have demanded an immediate (or soon as practicable) return flight even when you had arrived at the resort and under those circumstances you would have a very strong case for a full refund.
Did you lodge a written complaint whilst in resort ?
These are the kind of issues that Thomson will use to "wriggle" out of paying a larger compensation.
I do believe 48 hours attempting to contact is ludicrous. They could easily have "contacted" you in the last instance when you checked-in at the UK departure airport. Likely as not they had your details on file and if needs be could have contacted you directly if they REALLY did fail to speak with Latedeals.
Just out of interest - were Latedeals acting as YOUR agents or Thomson's agents ?
Another ?. Was it a Package that you booked ?
I'd contact Ros Fernihough on 01922 621114 a.s.a.p. and present the facts to her. She's a specialist travel lawyer and offers initial advice to members of this site. She's acted (successfully) for me in the past.
Do let us know the progress though.
Mike
Hmm seems a bit of a mess by Thomsons to be honest. Another option you could have done is to have refused the downgraded accommodation and booked yourself into a hotel (if you had enough money or a credit card) then keeping receipts and claimed this back from Thomsons on your return.
The problem with you not being informed before take off is that Thomson may now say that you've had the flights
As Mike says give Ros a ring - she'll offer you free advice.
The problem with you not being informed before take off is that Thomson may now say that you've had the flights
As Mike says give Ros a ring - she'll offer you free advice.
Hiya to all.... and many thanks for the quick reply....
From the additional questions that was asked by Mike & Glynis
From a holiday costing £1700 for two people, the compensation offered was £260 per person. After talking to Thomsons customer service 60% of the cost of the holiday is on the flight and 40% for the accomodation/meals. In this case the compensation was broken down as £5 per person per day for the loss of facility i.e. from half board to B&B, £40 as per compensation guide as stated in thier brochure and £20 for a brochure price difference from a 4T hotel to a 3T hotel. Note: the £5 per person is meant to cover meals in the evening which was impossible to achieve in KOS, over the two week period we must have spent about 400-500 euros on eating out at night (I would like to see how £5 per day could get you a decent meal in KOS). Due to the location of the hotel in KOS which was in the centre of KOS Town Centre with very few facilities i.e no outside area, pool measured 2mX3m which meant we could not sit outside (unless you wanted a suntan with the local traffic), when bokoing a 4T Half book accomodation i would have expected a large pool, nice area to sunbathe/sit and get a tan. Because we were placed in the centre of KOS with no facilities we decided to book a large number of excursion with Thomsons (10 at a cost of 700 Euros, which we had done on previous visits to KOS and was quite boring), this is just to get out of the hotel otherwise we wold have sat in the hotel for 14 days. A far as a compenation claim i wanted the cost of the holiday back, the excursions i took and the cost of eating out, which came to approx £2500 as i would have cancelled the holiday in the first place, I did budget for some contingencies but to not to this extent, my credit card got a hammering
As far as demanding a flight home. I was not aware of this option and the Thomsons representatives did not offer this information. This option was only discovered after i got home and examined Thomsons own web site for the moneyback guarentee. As i explained to Thomson customer service supervisor, I am meant to be on holiday and not carrying term & conditions with me.
A written complaint was made on the 7th Day of our holiday to the resort centre manager. Again after talking to Thomsons customer service supervisor she explained that the issues raised on the complaint are used for internal purposes and i would never get a reply to the formal complaint i made out in KOS, in other words it is a waste of time complaining out there and from the day of complaint 12/8/06 to today is still had no direct reply to the issues made.
Although there was a problem with the booking, and in this instance i picked my tickets for my holiday at Gatwick airport from Thomsons own customer service desk, on questioning why the customer service desk could not pass on the problem with my holiday, I was informed that the customer service desk would never pass on information such as this.
Yes I booked this package holiday deal through LateDeals, as mentioned it is amazing that the resort centre manager in KOS could not communicate with LateDeals (a member of the Thomson TUI Group).
Last but not least i have a letter from LateDeals stating that there is no record of any communication from Thomson's. So i am now convinced that the resort centre manager in KOS never made any attempt to contact LateDeals about the major problem to my holiday.
As far as refusing the accomodation was concerned, we did check the internet for anything on KOS while we were there, due the Greek/Italian National holidays there was not a spare bed in KOS, except the hotel we were staying at. So there was no option of moving to another accomodation
Hope you all enjoy this post
Regards to all
Paul
From the additional questions that was asked by Mike & Glynis
From a holiday costing £1700 for two people, the compensation offered was £260 per person. After talking to Thomsons customer service 60% of the cost of the holiday is on the flight and 40% for the accomodation/meals. In this case the compensation was broken down as £5 per person per day for the loss of facility i.e. from half board to B&B, £40 as per compensation guide as stated in thier brochure and £20 for a brochure price difference from a 4T hotel to a 3T hotel. Note: the £5 per person is meant to cover meals in the evening which was impossible to achieve in KOS, over the two week period we must have spent about 400-500 euros on eating out at night (I would like to see how £5 per day could get you a decent meal in KOS). Due to the location of the hotel in KOS which was in the centre of KOS Town Centre with very few facilities i.e no outside area, pool measured 2mX3m which meant we could not sit outside (unless you wanted a suntan with the local traffic), when bokoing a 4T Half book accomodation i would have expected a large pool, nice area to sunbathe/sit and get a tan. Because we were placed in the centre of KOS with no facilities we decided to book a large number of excursion with Thomsons (10 at a cost of 700 Euros, which we had done on previous visits to KOS and was quite boring), this is just to get out of the hotel otherwise we wold have sat in the hotel for 14 days. A far as a compenation claim i wanted the cost of the holiday back, the excursions i took and the cost of eating out, which came to approx £2500 as i would have cancelled the holiday in the first place, I did budget for some contingencies but to not to this extent, my credit card got a hammering
As far as demanding a flight home. I was not aware of this option and the Thomsons representatives did not offer this information. This option was only discovered after i got home and examined Thomsons own web site for the moneyback guarentee. As i explained to Thomson customer service supervisor, I am meant to be on holiday and not carrying term & conditions with me.
A written complaint was made on the 7th Day of our holiday to the resort centre manager. Again after talking to Thomsons customer service supervisor she explained that the issues raised on the complaint are used for internal purposes and i would never get a reply to the formal complaint i made out in KOS, in other words it is a waste of time complaining out there and from the day of complaint 12/8/06 to today is still had no direct reply to the issues made.
Although there was a problem with the booking, and in this instance i picked my tickets for my holiday at Gatwick airport from Thomsons own customer service desk, on questioning why the customer service desk could not pass on the problem with my holiday, I was informed that the customer service desk would never pass on information such as this.
Yes I booked this package holiday deal through LateDeals, as mentioned it is amazing that the resort centre manager in KOS could not communicate with LateDeals (a member of the Thomson TUI Group).
Last but not least i have a letter from LateDeals stating that there is no record of any communication from Thomson's. So i am now convinced that the resort centre manager in KOS never made any attempt to contact LateDeals about the major problem to my holiday.
As far as refusing the accomodation was concerned, we did check the internet for anything on KOS while we were there, due the Greek/Italian National holidays there was not a spare bed in KOS, except the hotel we were staying at. So there was no option of moving to another accomodation
Hope you all enjoy this post
Regards to all
Paul
Paul,
hindsight's wonderful - it's 20/20 vision.
There are a number of points in your past post that might hinder your hopes of receiving a large compensation payout.
When you arrived in Kos and were informed that your booked accomm. was to be changed you should have written an immediate letter of complaint within 24 hours.
You should have asked, in that complaint, for a list of all the options that could be made available to you.
For example, whilst the original hotel was full the restaurant could surely have fitted you in for evening meals. A taxi from new hotel to original (and back) to be paid for by Thomson. They might well have refused wherein you would opt to pay yourself and recover the cost upon return to the UK. This would have stood a good chance of being fully refunded in a court had you obtained taxi fare receipts (in my opinion).
By waiting 7 days before writing the complaint letter you are almost implying that the change is not wholly unacceptable, and certainly not of pressing importance.
Having been so poorly treated by Thomson you then booked many trips with them. This indicates that a reasonable relationship existed between your party and Thomson. Could you not have booked with another operator in Kos (Airtours, Thomas Cook or even a local trip provider)? I appears that you hoped to receover the costs of these on the basis that you had no facilities to occupy you at the new hotel. Again, you could have requested Thompson provide you with transport to/from the original hotel or indeed, any other Thompson 4* in the vacinity in order that you may use that hotel's facilities during the day. Not ideal, but better than the reality to suffered.
Presumably you took a mobile phone on holiday (most people do these days). Could you not have texted family/friends and asked for information as to your legal options?
In your favour I think Thompson's explanation for failing to inform you of the major change when collecting the tickets from their OWN customer services desk is, frankly, a joke. However, the person best able to appreciate that joke and hold it against Thomson is a county court registrar and this case is unlikely to get there unless you seek legal advice (phone Ros on 01922 621114).
As you were on a 14 night holiday did you pressure Thomson to find more suitable accommodation after the first week, or indeed, at any time after your arrival as the constant change of holidaymakers will have made many rooms available. OK, y placing you in such a room Thomson would have to move a group about to depart or just arrived.
Have you considered the strong possibility that YOU were bumped out of YOUR accommodation at the very last minute (ie, when you arrived) as a result of some other, more forceful passengers refusing to accept a change of accommodation (due to overbooking perhaps) and DEMANDED that Thomson move some other party..........yours.......instead.
Have you or your agent (Latedeals) any proof that Thomson really DID try to contact Latedeals 48 hours prior to your departure ? Have you any chance of obtaining such when Latedeals if part of the Thomson group ?
Methinks you're on a tough one here wwedishchef. Ring Ros.
hindsight's wonderful - it's 20/20 vision.
There are a number of points in your past post that might hinder your hopes of receiving a large compensation payout.
When you arrived in Kos and were informed that your booked accomm. was to be changed you should have written an immediate letter of complaint within 24 hours.
You should have asked, in that complaint, for a list of all the options that could be made available to you.
For example, whilst the original hotel was full the restaurant could surely have fitted you in for evening meals. A taxi from new hotel to original (and back) to be paid for by Thomson. They might well have refused wherein you would opt to pay yourself and recover the cost upon return to the UK. This would have stood a good chance of being fully refunded in a court had you obtained taxi fare receipts (in my opinion).
By waiting 7 days before writing the complaint letter you are almost implying that the change is not wholly unacceptable, and certainly not of pressing importance.
Having been so poorly treated by Thomson you then booked many trips with them. This indicates that a reasonable relationship existed between your party and Thomson. Could you not have booked with another operator in Kos (Airtours, Thomas Cook or even a local trip provider)? I appears that you hoped to receover the costs of these on the basis that you had no facilities to occupy you at the new hotel. Again, you could have requested Thompson provide you with transport to/from the original hotel or indeed, any other Thompson 4* in the vacinity in order that you may use that hotel's facilities during the day. Not ideal, but better than the reality to suffered.
Presumably you took a mobile phone on holiday (most people do these days). Could you not have texted family/friends and asked for information as to your legal options?
In your favour I think Thompson's explanation for failing to inform you of the major change when collecting the tickets from their OWN customer services desk is, frankly, a joke. However, the person best able to appreciate that joke and hold it against Thomson is a county court registrar and this case is unlikely to get there unless you seek legal advice (phone Ros on 01922 621114).
As you were on a 14 night holiday did you pressure Thomson to find more suitable accommodation after the first week, or indeed, at any time after your arrival as the constant change of holidaymakers will have made many rooms available. OK, y placing you in such a room Thomson would have to move a group about to depart or just arrived.
Have you considered the strong possibility that YOU were bumped out of YOUR accommodation at the very last minute (ie, when you arrived) as a result of some other, more forceful passengers refusing to accept a change of accommodation (due to overbooking perhaps) and DEMANDED that Thomson move some other party..........yours.......instead.
Have you or your agent (Latedeals) any proof that Thomson really DID try to contact Latedeals 48 hours prior to your departure ? Have you any chance of obtaining such when Latedeals if part of the Thomson group ?
Methinks you're on a tough one here wwedishchef. Ring Ros.
Mikes right I don't think you stand a chance of getting the excursion money refunded - it wasn't a part of your contract with Thomsons and let's face it anyone could say the same on their return from holiday. "I didn't like the hotel so I booked X amount of excursions now I want that money refunding"
In your circumstances I would have written my complaint via the rep on the day of my arrival as this gives the company a 'chance to put things right' (which you have to do by travel law.) By leaving it 7 days you may have been seen to have accepted the change.
Ring Ros as has been suggested - she knows travel law and will be able to explain all your options. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
In your circumstances I would have written my complaint via the rep on the day of my arrival as this gives the company a 'chance to put things right' (which you have to do by travel law.) By leaving it 7 days you may have been seen to have accepted the change.
Ring Ros as has been suggested - she knows travel law and will be able to explain all your options. Good luck and let us know how you get on.
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