Thomsons Holiday Complaint

[gibbon666]

Hello

 

I wonder if anyone can help me on my next steps

I recently went on holiday to greece for 10days with my parnter and my son (8). After a 16hr delayed flight (which my travel insurance will not compensate us for because it was not due to a technical fault with OUR aircraft or adverse weather conditions). It was due to a technical fault with an aircraft the day before and there were not enough thomsons staff to work to cover our flight so got put of til the next day. Anyway we arrived at our hotel to find 3 single beds in one room, now when i booked our holiday i asked the thomsons rep if we would have seperate rooms us and my son. I was told that we would, so i naturaly went down to reception and informed them that they had put us in the wrong room, only to find out that the hotel does not have any rooms with 2 rooms. We complained to the rep at the hotel who couldnt move us to another hotel as was fully booked and he filled out a complaint form for us to claim compensation when we got back. Further still the room we stayed in the air con leaked all over the floor, i told reception as rep only worked 2 days a week at our hotel, only to find they only tampered with unit and made it worse. We then got lefted in the room all night with no air con and 3 single beds in one room. We obviously got no sleep alnight. Oh and not to add to the fact i was 5 months pregnant!. So we obviously complained to thomsons when we got home - 28 days later they call us and offer us 100 holiday voucher... i told them i didnt want it as our holiday cost us 2500.00 and it was an insult and further more i did not want to book another holiday with them so they offered me £50.00 cheque. I am absolutly disgusted with this offer and after talking to a rep and the reps manager at the holiday helpline they both still say only 100 voucher. I would like to push this further. One thing they did say is because there was no comments on there system to state i asked the question weather us and my son would have seperate rooms, apparently they dont beleive me! i mean come on!!!. What are my next steps in making them pay??

Thank you

[mustang67]

You could try the HolidayTravelWatch site. They deal with holiday complaints etc. contact No. 08450179229.

[Loubychew]

Hi gibbon666,

 

Where were you staying and what does is say for the room type on your paperwork? Can you type it exactly as it is stated?

 

I ask because it is very unusual to have hotel rooms with 2 seperate bedrooms. I have never seen one in 5 years of working in travel. What I have seen however are 2 bedroom apartments. Can you clarify?

 

Your rep only worked 2 days a week? All the reps I know work 6 days! I want her job!

 

Thanks.

[gibbon666]

On my paperwork it says triple with private bathm balcony, sea view (which we paid extra for) - i think in the broucher it actually says twin rooms!

 

I have never stayed in a hotel before always apartment as always have travelled in a group and many of us have children. Therefore when i called to enquirer about the booking i asked specifically if we would have seperate rooms etc and was told that we would, hence the reason i booked it without hesitation.

 

The rep we had only was at our hotel 2 days a week, he was working at other hotels for the other days.

 

Your help would be appreciated.

[Loubychew]

So you booked a triple. This is a standard twin room with 3 beds. In travel agent language: TW3 or something similar.

 

Most holiday companies sell twin rooms (2 beds) with room for a third bed - that being either a sofa bed or a real bed depending on space. Usually, families with a youngster choose this room type as it is cheaper than taking two rooms or a larger family room.

 

Sounds like you got what you booked but that your travel agent did not explain it properly. Nothing to do with your rep. I have seen this happen time and time again.

 

You won't get any recompense for receiving the wrong room type because you got what you paid for. You got what the agent booked for you. It is written on your invoice. I think the next best thing is to go back to the travel agent and complain to them that you were mis lead about what you were booking. If the booking was made over the phone, ask them to lift the call records.

Edited September 18, 2009 by Loubychew
grammar!

[gibbon666]

Well to be honest my complaint was that i was given false information - unfortunatly there argument is because it was not put on the system that i called and asked if we would have seperate sleeping quarters then apparently i have no case.

 

Its a case of there word against mine i assume!

But to be fair i would not have paid £2500.00 for a 10day holiday to spend it in a small room with me my partner and child! I have stayed in apartments were we have different rooms for alot less

 

The rep on holiday filled out a complaints form and said we could claim compo when we got back home as there was no where else for us to go....but after getting home unfortuantly thomsons dont want to really know or care.

[andie_303]

Aside from the 2 rooms/triple thing - i would be more concerned about an air conditioning unit that was quite possible poorly serviced (for it to be leaking in the first place) and then to have been "repaired" by obviously an amatuer for it then to gush water so it stops working altogether.

 

With the potential for air conditioners to cause serious illness this would be a concern for me and Thomson should be taking THAT a lot more seriously than they obviously are!

[gibbon666]

well they said apparently they had done there bit by moving us the next day - not the fact we stayed in there all day and night with it leaking and couldnt have it on because it sounded as thou it may blow up

 

Oh they did offer us 100.00 voucher thou or £50.00 cash - which i have refused - hence wanting to know how to take it further

[Loubychew]

But to get seperate rooms you would have had to book either a larger room with two bedrooms (which your hotel didn't have) or added another room onto your booking. Making your holiday more expensive. Did you check the holiday itinerary/invoice when you booked? Did you see that it said triple room?

 

You have not said where you stayed.

Don't be blinded by how much you paid or compare to other holidays. Flights and transfers account for 60% of the cost of any holiday. It sounds like you went in high season, school holidays perhaps? In a good quality hotel? That would account for how much you paid.

In Cyprus, this is what you would pay in high season for exactly the same in a good 3 or 4 star hotel.

 

I believe the rep was passing the buck back to the travel agent to get rid of you. If you had been my guest, I would have still done the report but no way would I tell you you would be compensated.

 

If you feel very strongly then keep at it. Certainly they should have fixed your A/C and flight delays are awful but sometimes unavoidable but they have quantified that with the voucher/cash offer. How much do you actually want from them?

 

Going back to the room, you will have to fight your travel agent on that one. As far as I can see, you got what you booked and if it was mis sold, that needs to be dealt with by whoever told you the wrong info. Again, if you booked by phone, ask for the call records to be lifted.

[Loubychew]

I just noticed your post saying they moved you the next day. So how many nights did you have with dodgy A/C in the end?

[andie_303]

moving you the next day wouldn't have helped if you got legionnaires disease - what a joke!

[gibbon666]

We i complained at about 10am then when got back to apartment at night time there was towels all over the floor and so we went to reception and they said its to late no ones here to help us. So we slept in the room and about 11-12ish the next day see our rep whom told reception to move us and packed our stuff up and moved at about 2pm

[Loubychew]

Hi,

 

So they moved you as soon as room became available or whatever. After one night. So for one night with bad A/C you were offered 100 voucher or 50 cash in recompense? In their eyes, they have offered you enough for the inconvenience of not having the A/C when you needed it and for having to pack up and move rooms. The fact that there is a chance that you could have become ill from a faulty A/C unit is not the issue, they won't pay out for something that might have but didn't and in all likelihood wouldn't happen.

 

So you are left with the flight delay and the wrong info from the travel agent about the room.

Was there anything else in complaint? I ask because the offer is quite good (omitting the delay and the room mix up). Most companies give a lot less for one night and day of inconvenience.

[gibbon666]

Well to be fair the air/con was not what i was moaning about - its the only thing really they actually sorted out- ok it took them a day and yes 100.00 voucher for this is fine. It was the pure fact that i specifically spoke to a holiday advisor when booking the holiday and was told we would definatly have seperate rooms and ended up having 3 beds in one room and no one cared that i was given this information and they might as well of just said miss your lieing! (all because apparently its not on the computer) - and yes our flight was delayed by 16 hours or so so by the time we got there we had had already lost some of our holiday and then to find 3 single beds - and then the air con after getting unpacked etc...u can imagine our holiday justed seemed one big stress!

[Loubychew]

Right then, so A/C sorted. Delay, took on the chin, bummer but it happens. You could still pursue this if you have the time and energy though.

 

Back to the room. It is now up to you to fight the travel agent/advisor on what they sold you. Was it on the phone or in the shop?

If the shop, do you have a witness to what was said?

[gibbon666]

I just noticed on my paperwork it states triple room on my tickets (in the booklet) it says 1 x twin room???

are these different??

[finsch]

please can some one help me about lost luggage at thee airport

[finsch]

go on holliday to find out one of the cases was lelt at brimingham air port please can some help me on this matter

[Loubychew]

A triple room is a room with 3 beds which is what you got. As I said in an earlier post, twin rooms can sleep 3. It is a squash but cheaper than booking a larger family room.

 

Please go back to the source and don't leave the shop/get off the phone until you have an answer. All we can do is speculate based on the info you have given.

[mustang67]

go on holliday to find out one of the cases was lelt at brimingham air port please can some help me on this matter[/quote

 

Would be best if you started your own thread about this

ie. Lost Luggage.