Travelodge on Watchdog tonight

budgetflyer

This is really no big deal. Its an industry wide practice that 99.9% of the time it works fine.
Once again, journalists sensationally trying to destroy a companies good image .
These overbooking practices ensure maximum efficiency that allows us to enjoy these £10 and £26 saver rooms.

Mark7799

budgetflyer wrote:

This is really no big deal. Its an industry wide practice that 99.9% of the time it works fine.
Once again, journalists sensationally trying to destroy a companies good image .
These overbooking practices ensure maximum efficiency that allows us to enjoy these £10 and £26 saver rooms.

Couldn't have put it better myself - I use travellodges regularly ( as do friends when they come to us to stay) and have NEVER had problems - this is with arriving any time from 3pm to midnight (having just stepped off the plane in Gatwick). The story sounds like scaremongering of the worst order (and succeeding by the sound of it)

inmypocketnottheirs

jackieb wrote:

I watched the programme too. They say that they overbook incase people don't turn up. But if people pre-book they take their credit details and charge them if they don't turn up. Why overbook if they're going to get their money anyway?

I agree. That is exactly the same scenario with airlines overbooking, they have been paid, why should they worry about no shows? I am not sure if airlines still do this after 9/11. SOmething tells me they probably do :rolleyes:

inmypocketnottheirs

budgetflyer wrote:

This is really no big deal. Its an industry wide practice that 99.9% of the time it works fine.
Once again, journalists sensationally trying to destroy a companies good image .
These overbooking practices ensure maximum efficiency that allows us to enjoy these £10 and £26 saver rooms.

But why should it matter to Travelodge if the rooms are full or not. They take a credit card number to guarantee the room at the time of booking, so what do they lose. I guess it is just a case of when another customer turns up willing to pay a second time for the same room, greed over takes and they can not resist the temptation to take the money.

I am booked in to a Travelodge tonight :eek:

Fran

budgetflyer wrote:

This is really no big deal. Its an industry wide practice that 99.9% of the time it works fine...........
These overbooking practices ensure maximum efficiency that allows us to enjoy these £10 and £26 saver rooms.

It certainly is a big deal! If you've driven all day with kids or if you are infirm in any way and then you turn up and haven't even got a room, or if you have allowed enough time to visit/do business but then have to wait around while the company tries to sort out a room for you so miss your appointments then it is simply not on. I didn't realise that hotels did this and even "99% of the time" is unacceptable.

MyUserNamesTaken

inmypocketnottheirs wrote:

I agree. That is exactly the same scenario with airlines overbooking, they have been paid, why should they worry about no shows? I am not sure if airlines still do this after 9/11. SOmething tells me they probably do :rolleyes:

Ah, but when airlines overbook, they tend to put customers on the next flight and give them something back for the inconvenience. I had exactly this when flying out from Amsterdam to Stuttgart in June. My flight was overbooked. The steward asked for any passengers who were able to take the next flight to come forward. I did, along with my son (we were off to see the football). We gave up our seats and were given seats on the next flight (about 3 hours later), food vouchers to use in the airport, phonecards, a discount off our next booking with KLM and €500 cash back (€250 per ticket). Travelodge doesn't appear to be doing any of these things. They overbook even the cheapy rooms that are fully paid for in advance. If you turn up late and your room has gone, tough, even though you have paid for it in advance.

johnmoney05

I would sleep in the lobby...if they were overbooked!

Sam_Bee

inmypocketnottheirs wrote:

I agree. That is exactly the same scenario with airlines overbooking, they have been paid, why should they worry about no shows? I am not sure if airlines still do this after 9/11. SOmething tells me they probably do :rolleyes:

Each scheduled flight has a sizable proportion of 'full fare' ticket holders. These are the guys that spend £2000 on an economy return to New York when you've spent £300. The flexibility they might have with their ticket allows them not to turn up for a flight, and fly on a later plane, or another day without penalty.

However, businesses are now looking to keep travel costs lower, so book their people on 'fixed date' tickets more regularly, meaning fewer 'full fare' passengers. This means that the airlines have less people not turning up, and have cut back on overbooking accordingly.

Believe it or not overbooking on airlines is a fraction of what it was 10 years ago.

Froggitt

If youve paid and its not refundable, your room should be taken out of the overbooking pool.....they have no right to assume you may not turn up and sell your room twice.

inmypocketnottheirs

Sam_Bee wrote:

Each scheduled flight has a sizable proportion of 'full fare' ticket holders. These are the guys that spend £2000 on an economy return to New York when you've spent £300. The flexibility they might have with their ticket allows them not to turn up for a flight, and fly on a later plane, or another day without penalty.

However, businesses are now looking to keep travel costs lower, so book their people on 'fixed date' tickets more regularly, meaning fewer 'full fare' passengers. This means that the airlines have less people not turning up, and have cut back on overbooking accordingly.

Believe it or not overbooking on airlines is a fraction of what it was 10 years ago.

Actually, I do beleive it happens less, and certainly for the reasons you specify. I do think that if I have booked and paid for a ticket/hotel room, or at least given my card number as a guarantee of payment, then I should receive that service.