How Dare They Do This?

kit444

I booked 2 tickets with Cyprus Airways from Manchester to Larnaca for 10th May 2006. I booked these last year as I am partially disabled and need time to prepare for holidays. YESTERDAY they sent me an e-mail that the flight had been changed and was now going from BIRMINGHAM instead of Manchester at 5mins to midnight. Surely this cannot be allowed. I know I have had time changes but never airport changed. Plus the fact we have a hotel booked for Tues 9th May with 15 days parking, paid for, a car to pick up at Larnaca airport, paid for, accommodation booked and paid for which cannot be changed. Is this legal anyone please? Take about a ruined holiday. They said they would give me my money back for the tickets but I don't want my money back. I want to go to Cyprus.

kit444

Rachie_B

:eek: thats awful

ive never heard of that and would be raving :mad:

let us know what happens

mystic_trev

First Choice have a flight leaving Manchester at 08.30 10th May for £239 return any use?

hjb123

Have they said why they are changing it? Is the flight that you should have been going on still going ahead?

billieboy_2

We had something similar a few years ago with a package holiday to Skiathos. We were supposed to go from Birmingham but the flight was changed to Manchester, although the times were okay and it was about three or four months before the holiday. We kicked up a bit and I think in the end we got about £80 compensation. We had to drive to Manchester and pay for parking for two weeks whereas we could have got a lift to Birmingham Airport. The £80 just about covered the cost of the parking. I would be livid with such short notice. I hope you can do something about it. Good luck.

tonys_3

I am sorry to hear about your problem. If you booked through a Travel Agent,
explain your position, and see if they can find an alternative flight on the
same day as the cancelled one. If yes, ask them how best to approach
the Insurance company to cancel the original flight, and transfer the repayment to your changed flight.
Should you not have used a Travel Agent, you will have to do the above yourself unless another member of the family is available.
Maybe some of the Travel Agents who frequent this site could advise you on the chances of your insurance agreeing to cancel the original policy on the short notice of change of airport. Although as your headline does not indicate
that your problem is travel related, they might not read your post.

Good luck and I hope you get to go on holiday.

Sarahjovi

We had the same happen to us a few years ago, we booked a flight from Luton to Menorca on a friday! It was changed to Gatwick on a Saturday!. We had a Villa booked, car hire, etc, etc., They gave us £10 per adult compensation (£40) and none for the 4 children's flights. It ended up costing us £160 extra to get to gatwick. I looked into whether they could do this legally, and I'm sure it was in the small print! Luckily we could change the Villa Booking to Saturday to Saturday and the car hire people changed the dates as well! But what a panic at the time!

Sarah

black-saturn

In the small print of any package holiday it says they reserve the right to change the flight details at any point. But theres nothing stopping you now doing all you can to rectify it by writing to them and contacting ABTA. Also after the holiday write to them and tell them how the change affected you and how much more it cost you as a result.

My mum and dad went to the US about 8 years ago and on the way home on the plane they announched that the flight was being rescheduled to arrive in Liverpool instead of Gatwick. Their car was on the car park at Gatwick so they had to get a train there the next morning to pick the car up. What a nightmare!!

Voyager2002

You do have certain rights in this situation, under EU law. The following link is to an Irish website so some of the specific details (eg the enforcement agencies in Ireland) would not apply to you, but since the law is Europe-wide then you do have these rights, and the office in Brussels (link and email address near the bottom) should be able to help you.
http://oasis.gov.ie/transport/air_transport/air_passenger_rights_in_the_EU.html

Good luck!

NafUk

Perhaps you could call the Citizens Advice Beureau and ask if you can get a small claims under way. It is very simple and forms can be downloaded. I would take them for your extra costs and inconvienience distress.
Good luck

budgetflyer

This happens far too often. The airlines will offer you a refund and THATS IT! Not much good if you cant get a suitable booking elswhere or have booked stop over accom,parking or even your hotel at your destination. I think early bookers are hit hardest,often I think airlines just guess flight times,airports etc, wait to see if they can sell enough seats and only then finalise the details.