thomson holidays nasty sales tactics

pulliptears

Probably not even relevant/possible but I'll put it out here anyway..

When we flew to Chicago a couple of years ago we checked our luggage in at the airport the night before the flight and had the pick of seats on the plane. As we lived within travelling distance of the airport it was as easy to do it the night before than stand waiting in check in the following morning.

munchpot

tbh I wouldn't be worried about it. We flew to Dom Rep and kept being contacted about booking to sit together. Got through to someone else on the phone and they told us that as we were having food (and one of our children has a nut allergy) they would sit us together anyway as it's easier to work out food delivery

In the end we upgraded when we checked in to their premier cabin as they were flogging them off cheaply.

I think they're just trying to pull a fast one - I didn't think they could split parents and children up

pimento

munchpot wrote: »

tbh I wouldn't be worried about it. We flew to Dom Rep and kept being contacted about booking to sit together. Got through to someone else on the phone and they told us that as we were having food (and one of our children has a nut allergy) they would sit us together anyway as it's easier to work out food delivery

OP, book the kosher meal and they'll sit you together!

Becles

munchpot wrote: »

I think they're just trying to pull a fast one - I didn't think they could split parents and children up

They can. I've been in that situation before.

You can control your arrival time at the airport on departure as you make your own way there and can get there early enough to have the pick of the seats available. However if you are relying on transfers on return, you're at the mercy of the tour operator and may get split up if you are last to arrive at the airport.

Had that in Barbados when a coach broke down and they held the flight as they knew we were on our way! Me and ex had seats one behind each other, but a couple with a child had random seats dotted all over the plane. We swapped so at least the mother and child were behind each other as he was only 7.

Pre-booked coming back from Mexico with ex and two children but we were missed off the list. We were at the back of the queue at the airport and were given random seats, and Mexican ground staff basically said tough despite me showing them my booking confirmation. Had to get on the plane and stand in the galley until everyone else boarded, and the stewardess asked people if they would mind moving so we could have seats together

Jamie_Yorkshire

Steve290 the cost is £30 each return, not each way. Therefore total cost would be £90 for your party.

We always use this service when flying with Thomson's, it allows us to get the seats we want. Especially with the 2 - 3 - 2 configuration on the Thomson long haul flights.

Shelldean

they can and do split families on flights.
Friend went to USA with her family. Son aged 18 son aged 10 and her OH. All four were seperated, but my friend refused to let her 10 yr old sit alone. After some wrangling she did manage to get two seats together but not w/o a fuss. They wasn't bothered that the adults were seperated but not the child. Tho my friend did wish after the long flight she'd not been the one who sat next to the 10 yr who was hyper and chatty ALL the way :rotfl:

same friend just last wk returned from Las Vegas. On this trip were 5 adults on return trip ALL were seperated.

Edited to add.. both the above were obviously long haul flights. But on a trip to Spain a few yrs ago, with my OH and four kids, we were sat together both ways. Both times having the whole row across the plane

pulliptears

On all the US internal flights I've taken we have always been separated, not so much of an issue though as they have only been 4 hours or so and I did managed to get seated with youngest child.

giraffe69

I'd be annoyed if I were OP. You have paid for a holiday and now they'd like another £90 to sit you together and ring you with scare tactics to try to get it. Personally I wouldn't pay. If it were a young child then it might be different but if you are apart reading your book, eating or sleeping does it really matter?

paddyrg

It sounds like a bit of a pain, and a lousy upsell tactic, but it could be a blessing. My wife and I, who love one another dearly, get so overtired and grumpy flying longhal it is a blessing to sit apart!

steve290

giraffe69 wrote: »

I'd be annoyed if I were OP. You have paid for a holiday and now they'd like another £90 to sit you together and ring you with scare tactics to try to get it. Personally I wouldn't pay. If it were a young child then it might be different but if you are apart reading your book, eating or sleeping does it really matter?

Thanks, glad some one agrees with me. I just feel that it is another way of getting extra money out of you, which is fine but not after you have paid and also with such a hard sale.

I did have an email back from my complaint acknowledging that some of the information given was incorrect and not presented in the correct way. Didnt sound like they would be doing anything about it. Apparently Thomson allocate any unreserved seats 3 days before the flight and do make every effort to keep bookings together where possible.
As always they will do what they will do and no use getting to bogged down with but I will simply not give Thomsons any more of my business as nothing turns me off more than stupid hard sell techniques