Not given connecting rooms

dickydonkin

poet123 wrote: »

Additionally, persistence and not being fobbed off is not a crime, and to be threatened with the police is indicative of very poor customer service skills on the part of the shop. Unless the OP was verbally or physically abusive it was disgraceful to threaten her with the police.

Like this you mean?

As for pedantic, I spend quite a tidy sum annually for my trips and as alluded to earlier, I don't use High Street TA's therefore I am meticulous on what product I am paying for and what to expect and I research, research and research on destinations, accommodation and service well before forking out.

If that is pedantic - then I am guilty as charged - it seems sensible to me, but it certainly reduces the likelihood of having to react to a situation the OP found herself in.

Persistence is one thing, and the OP should be commended for that, but once again - we just don't know what actions the OP deployed.

However, if she went into the TA and refused to move causing disruption, then some could argue the threat to have her removed by the Police was justifiable.

Utterly ridiculous to even still be arguing this

Whose 'arguing'?

poet123

dickydonkin wrote: »

Like this you mean?

As for pedantic, I spend quite a tidy sum annually for my trips and as alluded to earlier, I don't use High Street TA's therefore I am meticulous on what product I am paying for and what to expect and I research, research and research on destinations, accommodation and service well before forking out.

If that is pedantic - then I am guilty as charged - it seems sensible to me, but it certainly reduces the likelihood of having to react to a situation the OP found herself in.

Persistence is one thing, and the OP should be commended for that, but once again - we just don't know what actions the OP deployed.

However, if she went into the TA and refused to move causing disruption, then some could argue the threat to have her removed by the Police was justifiable.



Whose 'arguing'?

I also rarely use a TA as I much prefer to do my own trip planning. However, if you cannot trust a supposed professional to ensure what they are selling you is available and actually exists then what is the point is having such outlets?

Not everyone can or wants to do their own trip planning so you should be able to rely on those who say they have the expertise and knowledge in the field to do it for you, and do it properly.

I suspect the pedantry charge was levelled at you because you seem to want the OP to be in the wrong, you are nit picking on the names of the rooms involved, dissecting her story etc.etc. Inferring she may have behaved less than politely, the video you link to is irrelevant and I am not sure why you did so.

The titles of the rooms are immaterial, if the OP was clear with her need for connecting rooms, and the TA sold her a type of room which did not connect, could not connect, then she made the error.

What one hotel refers to as a junior suite another will call a club room or executive room, there is no consistency in room titles. My husband travels extensively for business and I often accompany him, believe me we have had all types of rooms with all types of titles and and in reality an extra square foot or a fluffy bath robe is often the differentiator.

The bottom line is the OP did not get what she paid for, she wouldn't ever have got what she paid for because it didn't exist. Therefore, quite rightly in the face of their (now admitted) error the TA has had to bite the bullet. A lesson for them, and maybe a lesson for everyone.

Dunroamin

poet123 wrote: »

I also rarely use a TA as I much prefer to do my own trip planning. However, if you cannot trust a supposed professional to ensure what they are selling you is available and actually exists then what is the point is having such outlets?
.

Although in an ideal world you might be right, I don't think that anyone should use a high street travel agency and expect them to be particularly professional or knowledgeable, most of them are just booking points. You really need to go to a specialist agency to get the skills and knowledge that you refer to.

dickydonkin

poet123 wrote: »

I also rarely use a TA as I much prefer to do my own trip planning. However, if you cannot trust a supposed professional to ensure what they are selling you is available and actually exists then what is the point is having such outlets?

Not everyone can or wants to do their own trip planning so you should be able to rely on those who say they have the expertise and knowledge in the field to do it for you, and do it properly.

I suspect the pedantry charge was levelled at you because you seem to want the OP to be in the wrong, you are nit picking on the names of the rooms involved, dissecting her story etc.etc. Inferring she may have behaved less than politely, the video you link to is irrelevant and I am not sure why you did so.

The titles of the rooms are immaterial, if the OP was clear with her need for connecting rooms, and the TA sold her a type of room which did not connect, could not connect, then she made the error.

What one hotel refers to as a junior suite another will call a club room or executive room, there is no consistency in room titles. My husband travels extensively for business and I often accompany him, believe me we have had all types of rooms with all types of titles and and in reality an extra square foot or a fluffy bath robe is often the differentiator.

The bottom line is the OP did not get what she paid for, she wouldn't ever have got what she paid for because it didn't exist. Therefore, quite rightly in the face of their (now admitted) error the TA has had to bite the bullet. A lesson for them, and maybe a lesson for everyone.

I agree with most of you points and you have also highlighted how even a 'professional' can get things wrong - in this case, arguably due to the types, categories and standards of rooms that are advertised in brochures.

As you will probably be aware, you just cannot rely on a company rating of their own hotels and you certainly shouldn't believe everything a TA tells you - especially the ones who have probably never travelled out of their home town.

As for the nit picking accusation on room titles, you have explained why it is important to understand the types of room on offer for the very reasons you have described.

Lack of consistency being the main one and research and reading reviews are methods to get a better picture of what is on offer rather than taking the words of a travel agent who is only after the booking first and foremost.

Not everyone can or wants to do their own trip planning so you should be able to rely on those who say they have the expertise and knowledge in the field to do it for you, and do it properly.

In an ideal world, I agree, but the reality is that whether you are buying a car, a house or anything for that matter, the bottom line is that in most cases, the seller will accentuate the positives while forgetting to mention the negatives.

Sales people have targets and I suspect TA's are no different but the 6 grand or so what the OP has forked out, that is by anyones standards a significant purchase and I suspect many people would have done a little research before handing over such a fee - regardless of the product being sold.

poet123

Dunroamin wrote: »

Although in an ideal world you might be right, I don't think that anyone should use a high street travel agency and expect them to be particularly professional or knowledgeable, most of them are just booking points. You really need to go to a specialist agency to get the skills and knowledge that you refer to.

I agree in principle, but I don't think that getting connecting rooms for three kids under 5 falls into a category that only a specialist TA would/should be able to successfully achieve.

Ensuring customers get what they paid for should be a pre requisite for any TA, specialist or otherwise.

I can't tell you the last time I used a TA, but others are not so internet savvy or maybe they just don't have the time (3 kids under 5!) so they do use high street agencies. If those agents perform badly as they did here, then they should expect to be called to account for it.

photome

dementedhousewife wrote: »

Would just like to add
Manager said the AM wasn't around till
11.30
I said its ok I'll wait.
She said we have procedure for that and I said
What is that exactly
She said we can call the police
I was with one of my 5yr old twins
I was not shouting it swearing ...I'm not a chav!!!!

I'll never buy a holiday from First Choice again
They were disgusting in the Customer Service

Were they really

They made a mistake according to your side of the story.

They tried to put it right but there was an extra cost because you had to have an upgraded room, most people would have either paid that extra cost or at least come to an arrangemnet to maybe pay half.

You kicked off and the TA relented unsurprisingly and ended up footing the bill.

And even now if the hotel cant accomodate you in connecting rooms they may not as it is still only a request, although i guess you will get them

poet123

photome wrote: »

Were they really

They made a mistake according to your side of the story.

They tried to put it right but there was an extra cost because you had to have an upgraded room, most people would have either paid that extra cost or at least come to an arrangemnet to maybe pay half.

You kicked off and the TA relented unsurprisingly and ended up footing the bill.

And even now if the hotel cant accomodate you in connecting rooms they may not as it is still only a request, although i guess you will get them

If they were sure that they had asked for, then booked and paid for, a room that could never have been supplied because it didn't exist, why would anyone agree to that?

I certainly wouldn't.

POPPYOSCAR

Dementedhousewife, good for you for sticking to your guns and seeing this through.

Perhaps if more people had your attitude and were not so easily fobbed off, we might get better customer service.

Hope you have a wonderful holiday.

Dunroamin

poet123 wrote: »

I agree in principle, but I don't think that getting connecting rooms for three kids under 5 falls into a category that only a specialist TA would/should be able to successfully achieve.

Ensuring customers get what they paid for should be a pre requisite for any TA, specialist or otherwise.

I can't tell you the last time I used a TA, but others are not so internet savvy or maybe they just don't have the time (3 kids under 5!) so they do use high street agencies. If those agents perform badly as they did here, then they should expect to be called to account for it.

I've not used a TA for over 30 years but this is probably because I used to be a lecturer in Travel and Tourism.;)

dementedhousewife

OK what i also did was send mass emails to David Burling ( the MD of TUI )trying all the different types of emails that it could be

BINGO!

I did get a response early the next day saying

that after they read the comments on my booking they did think
my case should be investigated striaight away.

And they reffered it to the specialist team...
They must of put some sort of note on my booking
as they changed their mind quite quickly

So... those of you who think i was in wrong or what ever
the matter was investigated by the Directors Office
And they agreed i was right