Warning - Re: Onthebeach.com

Saint_Chris

sorry delwynsholidaydeals but your not doing to well on the travel forum today.

If your a travel agent like you say, i'm sure that you should know the answers to the questions.

Even i knew about Zoom

Also a bit naughty that link to your web page advertising holiday, which isn't allowed on here btw

jscalow

I love this forum ! its like all the rest, always descends into an argument. Keep up the good work everyone !

dancingtasha101

Engadine wrote: »

Adding baggage to flight bookings has been an optional extra for quite some time especially with the low cost airlines.

A lot of people now do just take hand luggage for which there is no charge.

If you are taking luggage with you that you require to check in then I'm afraid that it's now part of life that you will be charged with most airlines.

Sorry but I don't see why you expect to be refunded as everyone else travelling on the flight that checks in luggage will pay so why shouldn't you.

The issue isn't about paying extra for luggage, but the fact that this wasn't made explicit and the baggage amount quoted BEFORE the booking was made. Please read the post properly. The same thing has just happened to me and it's shocking and in my opinion, misleading.

wannaberichbtch

I also booked flights with this company & fell foul of their paying for baggage after confirmed payment scam, (Baggage cost was also twice the price of airline's charges & had to be booked for all on booking or none). This cannot be justified,they clearly do not rely on repeat business as 90pc of their customers feel like they've been mugged, they are part of Hays travel,wouldnt by from any companies within this group again.

olipot

wow I'm glad I read this post I haven't been abroad for quite a few years and intend on going early next year and I knew nothing about paying for baggage, thanks to the original post I will now be on my guard, this really is such a brilliant website its a mine of useful information:j

Warrington-Mike

Olipot - I think On The Beach are one of the very few websites that do not include luggage in the price they display. It's always worth a look at the websites terms and conditions first though to see if it is included before you book.

Madmel

Del, I too am surpised by your vehemence. Not all charter airlines charge for baggage; 3 weeks ago we travelled out to Spain with First Choice & returned with Thomson. The 2 companies either merged or Thomson took over FC, with it going through whilst we were away. We received a 20kg baggage allowance each, even the kids, and a meal each way. All for just £65 per person return:rotfl:

Before booking, I checked the same route with Flybe but they wanted over £1000, plus baggage and meals or food on board :eek: .

You really can't make sweeping generalisations about airlines without checking your facts.

To the OP, it does sound like sharp practice to me. I would follow some of the good advice given here and complain to Trading Standards and any consumer programme you can think of. Perhaps all the negative publicity might shame them into a change of heart

Grabbit_2

Has anyone had any success with this bunch of very nice people ?

I don't want to reveal too much here but I have some very intreresting information winging it's way in relation to this company..... Send me a message if you have also been affected by a "surprise" charge to your booking.

snaowman

Pm'd You Grabbit

dlawrock

We've also fallen foul of this unquestionably "sharp practise". After putting in our CC details and pressing continue, a screen comes up saying "do you want hold baggage or not?" and proceeds to charge you more than twice the amount you would have paid going to the airline direct! (in this case it's Thomson, who would have charged £26, but OTB fleeced us for £60! Also they only offer you all or nothing - whereas with Thomson you can choose any number of the party to take hold luggage or not) You are warned that if you don't opt for hold luggage NOW, you'll be stung for a load of amendment fees later. I clicked the option to take hold luggage, and the only other button on the screen says "view receipt", and lo and behold they'd scammed another 60 quid off us!

We were shocked by this and rang to complain, but were told it's in the ts&cs and we should email. We have done so but they're really not interested at all. We are definitely a punter to be fleeced, not a customer to be valued...

We went back on the website and sure enough, buried way down in the ts&cs is the statement mentioned earlier. But if anyone read that they wouldn't book anyway, as it give OTB carte blanche to charge an extra £30 a head! (who would book given that paragraph? you don't know what you're paying!)

Also I DID find the actual booking charge (£15 each way per bag) mentioned under "choice and flexibility" on the right hand side, way down at the bottom of the page. It only appears on ONE booking screen, AFTER you've selected your flight AND accomodation. You have to scroll down to get to it, and at booking time I clicked the button to continue, which DOESN'T require scrolling down, without ever seeing the baggage charge paragraph. In other words, the site is designed to mislead you into thinking that baggage is already catered for, whereas it's not, AND they rip you off for way more than the airlines actually charge for it!!!

My point here is that what they're doing might be LEGAL, but it's like someone selling you a car, and once you've handed over the money, they tell you that the wheels are extra, and "it's all in the small print - didn't you read it?"

And the evil Ryanair might charge for everything extra, but even they don't scam you for more AFTER you've paid!

We don't know whether to keep our fingers crossed and go ahead with the holiday, or contact Visa and see if we can get a refund. Any ideas? Anyone know where we stand legally, and if there's any point disputing this?

Cheers,
Dave