First Choice quoted wrong price for amendments.

[ajjars]

Hi,

This question is a bit long winded, so please bear with me! We booked a holiday for next month - 22 of us and due to circumstances 2 people dropped out, but we managed to fill their places. I was quoted £20 per person per name change by first choice - who the booking was made through to amend the booking to include the 2 "new" people. The girl who quoted me £20 did not stipulate a time by when the changes had to be made, she merely said the tickets will be with us between 7 - 14 days before we go. I assumed she meant we had to do the name changes before this time. Not having the correct information (full names, D.O.B's etc) on me at the time she told me this, I left the shop. A couple of weeks later, 4 1/2 weeks before departure I drove back down to the shop to make the amendments. The young girl who served me told me the amendments she "thinks" will cost £20. I told her thats what I had been quoted. She proceeded to ring Thomsons to make the amendments, but as it was busy she told me I could go home and she would ring me when it was done to confirm. She asked me what to do if it was not £20, and I told her to go ahead as we needed the changes to be done. (If i'm quoted £20, it can't be much more can it?) WRONG!! The girl never actually rang me back, because I forgot to tell her I do not receive calls from withheld numbers (in fact, this never even crossed my mind at the time). A couple of days later, I went back to the shop to add another person to the booking and to pay the £40 for the name changes, but when I went to pay I was told it will be £100 - £50 each! The girl had just gone ahead and made the amendments on what I had said to her earlier. She never thought to check first as the price was 2 1/2 times my original quote. Basically first choice told me to take this up with Thomsons. When I rang Thomsons they said their charges have never been £20 and I was quoted wrongly in the first place. Thomsons don't want anything to do with this saying it is down to first choice. I rang first choice back and spoke to the young girl, who started to back track on what was said during our conversation. She then passed me to a manager, who stated that the girl had in fact quoted me £50 at the time of making the amendement, before I left the shop. When I pointed out that I had just spoken to the girl 5 mins previously and she agreed that she said she thought the charge was £20 per person, the manager then said "No! I meant she told you that when she rang to confirm with you before she made the amendments". Well thats funny because there is no way they can ring me. My phone does not accept withheld numbers, and they cannot get through on their phones.
By this time the manager was all flustered and told me to ring back tomorrow (today) and she will speak to someone more senior (thought she was the manager?). Apparently, the tickets have been printed and therefore it will cost £50 in admin charges to reprint them (are they in collusion with the banks and their charges?) I haven't actually managed to sort this out today as when I got home my phone was up the creek!
So, basically, who is in the right? I am prepared to meet them half way over this issue, but I am not prepared to pay £50 when I was (rightly or wrongly) quoted £20. I'm a bit peeved with them as the service overall I have received from them regarding this booking has been less than great, and this is just 1 incident in a catalogue of misinformation we have received. (Another thing they did was quote wrong flight times, 3 hours later than the actual flight, and we have had to cancel our travelling arrangements to the airport, incurring cancellation fees).

Can anyone help on this? Any thoughts welcome!

Cheers Ajjars.

[heidi1]

Hi there,

Basically, in a nutshell, if you made any changes within 8 weeks of departure, the charges do go up ALOT!! Anything right up to cancelling the original person and losing that money and rebooking the new person and paying again.

You need to look in the back of the Thomson brochure to find out exactly what their charges are, and were you charged in line with those advertised??

I understand what you are saying about being misinformed in the first place. In the agents defence you did say to go ahead regardelss, not her fault, and also not her fault that she couldn't get through to you on the phone. What I dont understand is why the mis quoted you in the first place, its in black and white in the back of all the Thomson brochures what their charges are, all they had to do was take one off their shelves and read it.... not exactly difficult.

Your complaint isn't with Thomson, its with your booking agent (First Choice) I would begin by telling them that you expect them to pay the £60.00 difference (not much to them on a booking for 22 people) as a gesture of good will. If they refuse point blank then ask them to meet you half way.

I would also ask to see back over the notes on your account with them, as they should have record of your previous conversations regarding this matter, the girl should write in what you asked and what she said in reply eg: "....came into office to ask how much the amndt chgs are for name chng, advsd £20.00 per person" or words to that effect!

The trick is (and its hard I know) not to get angry with them in the first instance, as if you do they will be unwilling to help you! Try and keep your cool and see how you go.

Good luck

Heidi

[ajjars]

Thanks for your reply heidi,

Managed to get it sorted, thanks for the advice! In the end we agreed to meet halfway. Much better than the whole £100 - more beer money! lol

Will know for next time when it comes to matters like this, make sure there is written proof somewhere!!!

Once again thank you,

Ajjars.