Travel company not responding

Kittenonthekeys

I am at a loss as to know what can I do to get the travel co. we have booked our holiday with to communicate with me.
We booked to go on hol. in June with a very long-established and supposedly reputable tour operator (members of everything.) It's all paid for.

When I went on Easyjet's website to check in, as you can do it 60 days ahead (I wanted to do it while my old printer was still working) there was a notice saying that there will be disruption to our outbound flight which meant I could not check in. Easyjet did not go into further detail, simply suggesting I log in and re-schedule it. Which I cannot do because it has been booked through the travel co.

I tried several times to get through to the travel co; on one occasion being left on hold for over an HOUR with no response, after which I gave up. Luckily I had found their freephone number online so at least wasn't racking up a huge phone bill.
I managed to get through the next day when I was told, yes, they were aware of a flight change but had no details and that their 'Operations Team' would 'definitely' call me back that day.
They did not.
I tried calling again and was promised a call back. Again this did not happen.
Next, I emailed customer services, even sending them a screenshot of the Easyjet page in question. No response.

I even rang Easyjet's 0871 number but helpful as they tried to be, there is nothing they can do as my contract is with the travel co and only they can book us on an alternative flight - whenever it is.

As all the usual complex arrangements (time off work, cat boarding, airport hotels, parking, etc) had already been made around the original flight which will now have to be re-scheduled, I urgently need to know details of the new flight. I don't even know if we are going on the same date and no one at the travel company is either willing or able to tell me. Even some kind of 'we're onto it and haven't forgotten you' reassurance would be a start! Any communication would be good.
There seems little point in phoning again, as each time I'm just told they'll call me back - which they don't.

Please does anyone have any idea of what I can do next and how I might find out what's actually going on?

pennylane99

have you looked at Easyjets schedule for that day, see what it says about flight times to where you are going

HXDave

Kittenonthekeys, a bit more details would be useful, like the name of the travel company and the routing you are having problems with. Without these, i doubt anyone would be able to advise accurately.

HXDave

bcl999

Kittenonthekeys wrote: »

Please does anyone have any idea of what I can do next and how I might find out what's actually going on?

If you name the company, someone here may have better (more responsive) contact details for them. I would send another e-mail anyway headed up "2nd request" and asking them to respond by a specific date. Then I would do a search for a fax number or an address for their Customer Services and send a fax or RecDel letter asking for confirmation of the flight details by a specific date.

I wouldn't rely on verbal communication for this type of problem.

Kittenonthekeys

Thank you. The company is Citalia (wasn't sure if I was allowed to name it.)

Pennylane - I did try looking on Easyjet's schedule but it seems you can only do it for flights *today* or *tomorrow.* (Sorry - I misunderstood - I think you must have meant alternative flights, whereas I'd taken it to mean flight cancellations.)

bcl999 - I will try those things. I totally agree with you about verbal communication.

HXDave

kitten,

what route, and what date are you flights currently booked for (the date / times that you are aware of!)

HXDave

Kittenonthekeys

The outbound flight is (or was originally) London Gatwick to Naples 8th June 16.55

richardw

There's this

London Gatwick to Naples
Dep 08 June 2011 06:05
Arr 08 June 2011 09:45
Flight 5223

and this

London Stansted to Naples
Dep 08 June 2011 17:25
Arr 08 June 2011 21:10
Flight 3363

available on the 8th June from easyJet.com

Kittenonthekeys

richardw wrote: »

There's this

London Gatwick to Naples
Dep 08 June 2011 06:05
Arr 08 June 2011 09:45
Flight 5223

and this

London Stansted to Naples
Dep 08 June 2011 17:25
Arr 08 June 2011 21:10
Flight 3363

available on the 8th June from easyJet.com

Thank you - I did see these flights when I did a sort of test booking to see what else was available. However, we can't book any alternative flight because the original booking was via Citalia - only they can do it on our behalf.
Should either of these flights become full while Citalia is messing about, then we probably won't be able to fly that day.
I also have no way of knowing if Citalia has already in fact booked us on one of these flights and just not told us.
This is why I need to speak to someone there who knows what's going on.

HXDave

Kitten,

It seems that there is no longer a 16:55 flight that day, however there is still a flight @ 06:05 from Gatwick, getting into Naples 09:45.

Citalia are part of the Thomson Holiday Group and, unfortunately, are quick to anser the phone for making reservations, but can then take an eternity to answer when it's a customer service issue.

Unfortunately, many independant agents are not fans of the THomson group, and we do very little with them, so have no 'special' numbers. What i would suggest is calling normal reservations and insist on either being told by them what is happening or asked to be put through to 'operations'. My guessing is that the flight will just have been moved to the earlier time, and providing that is OK with your arrangements, should be easily sorted out. It may be that easyjet are just waiting for confirmation that the flight change has been accepted, and therefore 'suspended' the flight booking until they know what is happening. If thats the case, then verbal communication should be no problem, provided you eventually recieve a revised invoice showing the correct details.

HXDave

Kittenonthekeys

Thanks very much indeed - I'll get onto them now and will report back. Didn't realise they were part of the Thomson Group
Very grateful.