Holiday Cancelled major travel agent

poh75

Hi

We were due to fly on holiday this morning, for a 14 day package holiday 5* however last Friday PM i made contact with the hotel to confirm a late check out and found they did not have my reservation. I had paid in full and received all my confirmations from our travel agent.

I immediately called our travel agent (A major house hold name!) and was told that they were "about to call me" to say that I could not have the hotel I wanted and that they were changing it to another one.

When I made the booking I said "NO SUBUSTUTIONS", as I wanted a certain resort hotel.

Without going into a lot of detail why, but I suspect that the hotel or the travel agent made a mistake on the price, when the travel agent went to pay they worked out either that the hotel had undersold or the agent had got a mix up with prices. The price shown for this holiday almost doubled a few days after we booked. There were many other people affected by this problem from what the agent told me (everyone going to that hotel)

With only 2 days’ notice that they changed our hotel from a brand new top end resort to a 30 year old resort and totally different vibe, family focus rather than couples.

We were offered a full refund; however we have lost our holiday and were told it will take 10 days to refund. I am not in a position to fund a second holiday on the risk we don’t get a refund for what ever reason. So basically I am screwed. The travel agent has said that they will refund or book me on a new holiday on Tuesday if they can.

My problem is we have taken the 2 weeks off work and those are fixed, cannot change them. If we flew out Tuesday we could get 10 days ish somewhere else, problem is its half term and not much left. (we don’t have kids – did not realise it was half-term)

I was wondering if i had any compensation rights in this case ? This is the first time I have used a major travel agent for a package holiday, and seems that even if you pay get confirmations, tickets etc its totally worthless.

I have always in the past paid for my flights and found a hotel myself and then you know it’s booked.

I suspect the lesson learned here is - book direct and that way you know you have it!

Thanks

lisyloo

I suspect the lesson learned here is - book direct and that way you know you have it!

I sympathise but I don't think that's the whole story.
You booked a package, something has gone wrong with one part (the hotel) so you are refunded for the whole package.
If you had booked seperately in the same situation you would only get an offer of a refund of the hotel, after all the flights etc. are nothing to do with the hotel company.

Not quite so straightforward.
In general you have more protection if booking a package.

ferf1223

lisyloo wrote: »

I sympathise but I don't think that's the whole story.
You booked a package, something has gone wrong with one part (the hotel) so you are refunded for the whole package.
If you had booked seperately in the same situation you would only get an offer of a refund of the hotel, after all the flights etc. are nothing to do with the hotel company.

I'm not sure that's completely true...if an individual books with a hotel - the contract is between the hotel and the customer - not the hotel and a 3rd party which has other options available...I'm not sure that the hotel would pull the same stunt in that case? I have read about this sort of thing happening a few times recently when a 3rd party was involved...but never when a customer booked direct with the hotel. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe not...

d.ross_2

If I were you I would take the alternative, and then if it doesn't live up to your expectations, send a letter of complaint after you return.

There have been a few cases recently that new hotels haven't been completed in time, especially in Egypt where the unrest a couple of months ago caused delays.

poh75

For work I have travelled all over the world in the last 20 years, and never had a case of a hotel saying my booking has been cancelled (once I had the final confirmation from the hotel). I have had a couple of times where a problem has happened with the room that was allocated, but was then always upgraded. Maybe lucky hotel was not full. Mostly always 5* style hotels. However I get your point, but is that not what travel insurance is for ? The hotel is not going to mis price a room, its lists the price and I pay. I suspect some random person in the buying department of my agent has either made a mistake, or the hotel decided it could get a better deal by selling those rooms to a different agent.

poh75

This hotel was Turkey. It is a new hotel - but its open and people are staying there. If the hotel had not opened, then I would have totally understood. This hotel is still being listed by this travel agent, and you can book it. The hotel has confirmed to me this morning that they are NOT selling any rooms to this major agent and another in the UK. However those rooms do NOT exist on the UK agents website and the price is 2x what we paid! I feel sorry for anyone else that makes the mistake in the coming days.

miamoo

Poh75 which hotel is it please? I have read before that a TA will put prices up to deter bookings when they is some dispute/problems between the hotel and TA.

StuieUK34

Make things easier, list the Travel Agent, we live with Free Speech
Also, get on the phone to Consumer Direct (Google there number), and ask for advice on what to do:
If you book Anything through an Agent, its the agents job to give you what they advertise and what you pay for and enter into a contract for....

Although offering a refund, etc etc, in terms of kicking !!! against this TA, you have been drawn into a holiday offering, made the contract, then only to be told last minute that you have been 'mis-lead', to which an investigator would find that the contract you entered with the TA, the TA never really put into practise. The same process as to when people book through agents for flights only to be 'bumped' or put on indirect flights, given they paid for the privilege of direct only flights, etc etc....
Get some advice to give yourself options...

lfc84

http://www.abta.com/consumer-services/frequently_asked_questions_consumer#changes1