Advise needed

mobby-2554

Advise needed?

My friends booked a holiday last year to Majorca.
Once they had paid the full balance they recieved a letter from the tour operator saying the hotel they had chosen was now only for families & they had to transfer them to another hotel.

I found it on the net & it is still available for the young & lively?

They have since been into the travel agents with a print out proving this but the manager said it was a mistake & would be taken off line.

The hotel they want to give them is not in Magaluf which is where they wanted to be. It is in Palma Nova so quite away from all the night life, they are young & that is what they're going for.
They told the manager this & he told them to get taxi's & get receipts then complain when they get back.
I have never heard of something so ridiculous.
If they pay out for taxi's, they could get back & First Choice say it's nothing to do with them.

What rights have they got on this & what can they do?

Had another look today & it's still on line;

http://www.thomson.co.uk/thomson/page/byo/search/results.page?packageClassifier=byDestination&destClassifyAttribute=Spain&resortClassifyAttribute=Majorca&accomClassifyAttribute=Magaluf&sortOption=&pageSize=10

Thanks in advance for any tips.

sturll

Any substantial changes to a hoilday normally come hand in hand with a full refund.

i.e The TA will normally say (as per terms and conditions) "We have to change your hotel, you can either have a full refund or accept the Hotel which will be of the same or higher class"

I would go to the TA and ask for a full refund, it's amazing how things can suddenly change when the removal of money is mentioned.

Then do what most people do and boycott the travel agents and book yourself. Its cheaper and far less hassle.

In the words of Thomson themselves:

Major changes to your holiday
Occasionally, we have to make major changes to the flight or accommodation making up your holiday with us. If we tell you about any of these changes after we have confirmed your holiday booking, you may either:
- accept the new arrangements offered by us; or
- accept a replacement holiday from us of equivalent or closely similar standard and price, if one is available; this can include the choice of a replacement holiday from another TUI Travel Group company. Should you choose this option the terms and conditions of your holiday will not change and these conditions will still apply to your booking.or
- cancel your holiday with us and receive a full refund of all monies paid.

Either way, we will pay you compensation, using the Compensation table shown, unless the change is for reasons beyond our control (see the ‘Important note – events beyond our control’) and we will always refund the difference in price if the replacement holiday is of a lower standard and price.

Major changes to your holiday for which we will always pay compensation, using the scale shown, may include the following changes: a significant change of destination; a change in accommodation to that of a lower category, a change in the time of your departure or return flight by more than 12 hours, a change of UK departure airport (excluding changes between London airports, London, Ebbsfleet and Ashford stations and between Dover/Folkestone ports) but see also ‘Important note – events beyond our control’. These changes are only examples and there may be other significant changes which constitute major changes. This standard payment will not affect your statutory or other legal rights. We will only make one payment for each full-fare-paying adult in the holiday booking. Any children not paying the full adult fare will receive 50% of these amounts. Children using a free child place will not receive any standard payment.

If the change is not acceptable to you
If any major change indicated above is not acceptable to you, you can cancel your holiday booking. In this case, we will refund all the money you have paid us and will pay you compensation, as shown above, depending on how many days before your holiday we tell you about this change. This standard payment will not affect your statutory or other legal rights.

Period before departure when a major change is notified Compensation payable per person More than 56 days 0 55-29 days £10 28- 15 days £20 14-8 days £30 7-0 days £40

Important note – events beyond our control
Events beyond our control include: war, threat of war, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist activity, industrial disputes, natural and nuclear disasters, fire, epidemics, health risks, technical problems with transport including changes due to rescheduling or cancellation of flights by an airline or alteration of the airline or aircraft type for reasons beyond our control or that of our suppliers; closed or congested airports or ports, hurricanes and other actual or potential severe weather conditions, and any other similar events.

mobby-2554

Thank you for that sturll.

Looks like I'll have to go to the TA with them, they are only young girls & are being told a load of rubbish.