Thomas Cook cynical money making ruse

hugheskevi

45 minute wait in uncomfortable heat while 3 check in operators sat and twiddled their thumbs. I asked a TC rep if it wouldn't make more sense to have at least 2 of the priority staff man the normal desks but he said it wasn't up to him.

He perhaps could have pointed you in the direction of a web page such as this one, which explains:

Premium pricing

For certain products, premium products are priced at a level (compared to "regular" or "economy" products) that is well beyond their marginal cost of production. For example, a coffee chain may price regular coffee at $1, but "premium" coffee at $2.50 (where the respective costs of production may be $0.90 and $1.25). Economists such as Tim Harford in the Undercover Economist have argued that this is a form of price discrimination: by providing a choice between a regular and premium product, consumers are being asked to reveal their degree of price sensitivity (or willingness to pay) for comparable products. Similar techniques are used in pricing business class airline tickets and premium alcoholic drinks, for example.

This effect can lead to (seemingly) perverse incentives for the producer. If, for example, potential business class customers will pay a large price differential only if economy class seats are uncomfortable while economy class customers are more sensitive to price than comfort, airlines may have substantial incentives to purposely make economy seating uncomfortable. In the example of coffee, a restaurant may gain more economic profit by making poor quality regular coffee—more profit is gained from up-selling to premium customers than is lost from customers who refuse to purchase inexpensive but poor quality coffee.

If they were aiming to make it more uncomfortable but nobody was upgrading, you were lucky they didn't move one of the operators from the normal desk to the priority desk

fozmcfc

Ich wrote: »

The check in staff are not actually employed by TC but by whichever handling agent TC use at Larnaca, this is irrespective of whatever uniform they wear.
So make sure you get your facts correct

Yes true, normally it's someone like servisair (sp?) or something.

Just remembered but when we flew with Monarch back in May, coming home we were in the main queue, which wasn't massive anyway as we got there well early.

Anyway, they filtered some people including us, over to the hand bag drop only desks, to check in, because they were empty. So it could go by whoever is manning the desk and/or airline.

mountainofdebt

Never mind paying for priority checking in - you'll have to pay to sit together as norm if you fly with Thomas Cook or First Choice

newbutold

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Never mind paying for priority checking in - you'll have to pay to sit together as norm if you fly with Thomas Cook or First Choice

I don't think it is restricted to TC or First Choice, it seems more & more charter flights are going this way.

Give me a scheduled flight over a chartered one any day!

mynameisdave

redmike123 wrote: »

They need to be told that this just isn't on.

Book with a different company and they might get the message. Keep feeding their coffers and they won't care

unholyangel

Ich wrote: »

The check in staff are not actually employed by TC but by whichever handling agent TC use at Larnaca, this is irrespective of whatever uniform they wear.
So make sure you get your facts correct

Was about to post along these lines when saw you'd beat me to it. In a lot of places, its the airport themselves who hire the check in staff.

newbutold wrote: »

I don't think it is restricted to TC or First Choice, it seems more & more charter flights are going this way.

Give me a scheduled flight over a chartered one any day!

Both have their pro's and con's I think. Scheduled flights are generally roomier though and you usually get certain things FOC that charters would charge for.

What i've always found daft is that most airlines will give you extra leg room FOC if you are over a certain height - regardless of what your leg length is. So if you're 6ft but have extremely long legs.....you're out of luck and will need to pay - despite not being able to physically fit into a normal seat due to said long legs.

Complain about the additional cost for "premium" services and travel agents will likely say that they give the option to pay for additional services to those who want it rather than having a general price increase for everyone - regardless whether they want/will use the service or not.

Baggieboy_2

Yes, fair points being made. Acknowledge that it is Servisair (sp?) who staff the desks, but I suppose the question is who keeps (or what is the split of) the tenner they charge for it. Hey ho - We're emigrating there in December so won't be a problem in the future anyway!

ThumbRemote

It may be agents who staff the desks, but it's Thomas Cook who set the policy of priority check-in.

bod1467

mountainofdebt wrote: »

Never mind paying for priority checking in - you'll have to pay to sit together as norm if you fly with Thomas Cook or First Choice

newbutold wrote: »

I don't think it is restricted to TC or First Choice, it seems more & more charter flights are going this way.

We booked through TC and are going on a Thomson holiday next month. Does that mean I might not have to sit next to the wife and kids? :T

Ich_2

It may be agents who staff the desks, but it's Thomas Cook who set the policy of priority check-in

I'm well aware of that, but is it not better when complaining to have the correct facts rather than refer to agents's employees as TC employees? The agent is no doubt following the requirements of the contract with TC and it is that the OP needs to comment on