Arrived at Holiday Destination to be told overbooked (airtours) Compensation advice ?

bobsa1

We went on holiday with direct holidays and had booked 4* named accom. We travelled on a MY Travel flight (booked a package via direct holidays) but didn't use the coach transfer (got a hire car instead)

When we arrived at the accom the receptionist told us we were not staying there for 1night but that they had booked us into the hotel next door.

Anyway the hotel next door had 4* above the door but was of a very poor standard (old fashioned & poor facilities) in adition we had booked a triple and a double room (3 kids) and they were offering us 2 x doubles & a cot. Youngest dd is 21/2 so would fit in a cot (but only just) but probably would not sleep properly. We had paid a child fare for her.

Rang the rep and she spoke to original hotel who then had rooms available. rather strange!

In order to get back to the first hotel we had to walk through a picket line of approx 50 hotel staff who blew horns at us etc. apparently a strike was going on due to poor working conditions.

when we went back to the first hotel we were shown 2 x very small doubles with no space for even a cot. We refused these rooms and suddenly got offered a triple and a double.(what we originally booked)

We accepted these but the whole episode took approx 5 hours, kids really upset etc. I spoke to the rep and she offered £40 per full paying person compensation. We took it but advised we would be taking the matter up in the UK.

The UK had known for several days that hotel would not take us but had not let us know.

Should I request further compensation or just let it rest?

Advice please.

Woby_Tide

for 5 hours 'inconvenience' you're unlikely to get more than £80 compensation you have, they'll probably give you vouchers that have conditions attached if they offer anything else

bobsa1

Thanks Woby-tide that is what I thought but I just wondered if anyone else had experienced this kind of problem.

What really anoyed me was the fact we had paid for a triple and yet they kept trying to palm us off with a double & a cot.

jonesMUFCforever

As you got what you paid for eventually I think you got the max. compo a reasonable person would offer.
Lesson here is to complain straight away, and don't let them get away with selling you short.

bigglesinc

Where did you go and what was the hotel. It might be worth giving it a miss if they mess you about. Wouldn't want to start my Holiday with 5 hours of hassle.

I find it quite insulting that many holiday companies think we go on holiday on a whim and that it's not really important to us. Most people I know save hard for the time they get away and for many it's the only break they get.

jetboy

Mytravel do play 'harder ball' compared to some with compensation beyond their original figure. A friend of mine had to drag them to the small claims court. It tooks months.

taytay_2

i used to work for airtours as a supply rep (rooms, transfers etc) in Skiathos and if you have taken IRC (In Resort Compo) then i would let it lie because it is very very unlikely you will get anything else

Sounds like it was the hotel playing games as Airtours will have bought the rooms for a bulk (cheaper) rate and the hotel try and palm people off so they can get more money selling straight to punters when the demand is high.

Airtours will claim the compensation back from the hotel probably

shammyjack

Dont give up !

I have taken Airtours to court after taking miserable in resort compensation and got full cost of holiday back ( £800+ ) plus court costs and £500 compensation.

Insist on case being in your local court using the reason that Airtours (Mytravel ) local court where the case would usually be heard hears too many cases to be impartial., it worked for me !

shammy

bobsa1

Thanks for the advice shammyjack, however in all honesty it was only the first day of the holiday that was spoilt. Am I pushing things and should just accept what I've got?

avondale

Bobsa,
With regard to your holiday, i'm not an expert but will give you my own experience. About 12 yrs ago when i was a real young buck i and 5 other guys decided on a lads holiday to cyprus. To cut a long story short they put us in totally the wrong resort and we were 3 to a bed for the 1st few days, not quite the threesome i had in mind lol. I accepted no compensation at the resort, i kept all receipts for taxis and such like. When i returned home i took the tour operator to small claims court, cost me about £80 and i got all our money( total price of holiday) refunded in compensation. This was after i had written numerous letters to the tour operator and was offered derisory compensation. I contacted WHICH who have a legal service they composed numerous letters for me and explained the court procedure and as stated i won my case. The only thing i would say in your situation was that it was only 5 hours of disruption, although that doesn't make it in anyway acceptable. I don't know if you would gain anymore compensation by going via small claims court , but only you can make that decision.
Good luck