change in holiday prices

[minnieg]

Long story but I'll keep it short.

Rang up a firm yesterday with a price I'd found on their website for a holiday. Didn't actually ring back to book holiday until this morning when they maintained it was the same price. I've since looked on their website (albeit 1 hour after we'd paid) and it's £200 cheaper.

The guy on the phone first said there was a problem with the website and then said it was because First Choice had probably put their prices down this afternoon, however, on speaking to other tour operators I've been told that prices tend to go down at the beginning of the day.

Leg to stand on or forget about it?

[Meldrew2]

It's a sign of the times - flexible pricing means prices go up and down much more than in the pre-internet days.

Also, the website price might be based on a different flight (night instead of day).

I guess you haven't a leg to stand on - after all, if the price went up an hour later you wouldn't have paid the £200 extra, would you?

However- you can always ask. I had a price increase between two phone calls to the agent - I had to phone my wife to check the dates - and the price went up by almost £100. I explained to the agent that I felt cheated - and they got the tour operator to give us a couple of extras..... worth about $100.... so they met us halfway.

It was purely a goodwill gesture - but it's worth asking, politely, if they can do anything. If you don't ask, you won't get. Maybe you'll get free car parking - or an airport lounge - or even a bottle of wine. Whatever you get, it's better than nothing.......

You may have no rights at law, but you may well get a goodwill gesture if the company thinks you could be a valuable client.

Otherwise - if you only paid a small deposit - is it worth cancelling, losing your deposit, and re-booking at the lower price?