Travel agent sold me holiday that is £600 more than quoted online

Pollycat

endemoniada wrote: »

I went to book a holiday in Gran Canaria armed with the info from the internet, I wanted to give the travel agent business as i do belive in supporting local business ( not with a £600 premium) . She dispelled the prices I quoted from the net as being impossible as the flights were more expensive. i.e flights to GC were £455 in her system, yet, teletext hols were quoting £235 for deal. I said i would go op to £500 for the right holiday . She recommended this specific holiday in Tunisia due to the nicer flight times - I truly believed that this was the going rate.

Also, having researched the hotel, it has had many complaints and is not as luxurious as I was told by the TA.

I had no prior knowledge of Tunisia, and did question the TA about it's culture/religion etc. She told me it was highly cosmopolitan and was safe to walk anywhere, the people were very westernised. I have read conflicting reports on this though. I'm looking at this objectively

I'm a bit confused why, armed with internet prices for Gran Canaria, you allowed the Travel Agent to tell you that those prices were 'impossible'.
They may have been impossible for her to match but if your prices from the 'net were accurate, you could have booked the holiday yourself.
Her comments would have rung alarm bells for me.

It sounds like she 'steamrollered' you into a holiday to a location that you hadn't even considered before going into the shop, based on offering you better flight times.

You're also now in a position that you're questioning how good the hotel is after checking out reviews - are you going to include this in your discussion with her?
If it's not too late (i.e. you've not already been into the shop), do bear in mind that reviews are subjective, not objective and a lot of people will take the time to complain but less will bother to give a positive review.
And some people's expectation are too high for the level of the hotel they are reviewing.

It's never nice to be caught out in the way you have been, especially as it's a special holiday for you.

I'm not sure how far you'll get with this - do let us know the outcome.

moonrakerz

Another good reason NOT to use a Travel Agent if you can avoid it:-

"Where customers use a credit card to buy airline or other travel tickets from a travel agent, they cannot normally claim against the travel agent if the airline delays or cancels the flight. This is because the travel agent contracted to supply the ticket, not the flight. So the customer would not have a claim under section 75 either.

However, things are different if customers use a credit card to buy the travel agent’s own ‘package’ of travel arrangements. In such instances the agent is the supplier of the holiday package."

A bit of a minefield !

From The Financial Ombudsaman.

Dornoch_Guy

One other thing you should check on is the location of the room you have booked, it might have a great view from the balcony and the cheaper one may have a wall in front of it! This could be part of the reason why it has cost you more, also does the cheaper price include transport from and back to the airport?

Enjoy your holiday and dont let the price of it get in the way of your enjoyment!

endemoniada_2

Barrhead Travel claim that Thomas Cook must have dropped the price a few hours later to fill the last few remaining seat, something that they have no control over. I have no evidence to prove otherwise. BH claim to have tried all methods to appeal to TC to reduce the price as they think it is unfair too.

I will enjoy my holiday regardless of the price as we have a great time wherever we are.

It is a shame that I have lost faith in booking in store as I do like to support local businesses which I do avidly with all my other needs ( I avoid supermarkets and use box scheme /charity shops/farmers markets and the like)

Reggie_Rebel

budgetflyer wrote: »

99% of packaged holidays can be done much much cheaper by self packaging.
Pick your days, pick your flights, pick your accom, pick your transfers- its really that easy.

All well and good until the airline pulls your flight and your hotel and car hire are interested as it's not their problem.

For some people it's not that easy

Pollycat

endemoniada
Ah well, at least you tried.
I suppose it's possible that the price you saw after booking was a reduced deal.

Have a great holiday, I hope the hotel is good.

endemoniada_2

Thanks Pollycat,

In all likelihood, it may well have been and it is better for me to think that.

In remember 4 or 5 yrs ago, i got a very last minute deal to Corfu for £110 each, i would have paid much more for the fantastic holiday I had there- so all in all, it even's out.

I don't have as much time to research bargains anymore, I try my best though. Juggling a new job in academic research with a PhD, nine yr old ,husband and a dog is such an enjoyable way to be kept busy!

pineapple123

Chalk it up as experience, dont let it cloud your hols, have a great time and think positive. Next time your be more savvy and probably grab the bargain of the year, you sure wont make the same mistake again.

Nordictat2

endemoniada...

Sorry to hear things didn't work out for ya but now you know better and lesson learned. I would try to do your booking from now on though and always check back here if you need help...Lots folks on here willing to help without giving ya a hard time

casevlloyds

endemoniada wrote: »

Barrhead Travel claim that Thomas Cook must have dropped the price a few hours later to fill the last few remaining seat, something that they have no control over. I have no evidence to prove otherwise. BH claim to have tried all methods to appeal to TC to reduce the price as they think it is unfair too.

I will enjoy my holiday regardless of the price as we have a great time wherever we are.

It is a shame that I have lost faith in booking in store as I do like to support local businesses which I do avidly with all my other needs ( I avoid supermarkets and use box scheme /charity shops/farmers markets and the like)

Unfortunately if you booked on a Saturday or Sunday this would not have been the case. Prices on holidays do not usually automatically increase or decrease dependant on availability. Certainly Thomas Cook I know have a Yield department and members of staff who manually update and ammend prices on late deals and I can guarantee you they do not work weekends. They are open and working Monday-Friday 9am-5pm so the holiday you booked could not have changed in price by the time you got home if it was at the weekend.
Looks like Barhead are telling porkies or clutching at straws to try and appease you.

Have you investigated the possibilty of cancelling your booking with them and re-booking on the internet?