thompson holidays rip off misold see what u think

budgetflyer

Hiring a car is only cost effective if you are going to use it a lot during the holiday. Carjet (and most others) supply and charge for a full tank of fuel (aprox 50 -60 Euro non refundable) and you return as empty as possible.

BTW the resort hoppa shared price is £105 rtn.for 3 you could get 6% off with quidco.
Shuttledirect will do you a private transfer for £116 -3% back via quidco.
You could probably get a taxi outside the airport for around £40 EW but you may have to queue.

seabreeze_3

hi all i would just like to say thanks for all the help and comments we have managed to hire a car through avis for 103 pounds for the week which i will be trying to claim back off thomson when we get back onece again thanks everyone

MarkyMarkD

Again - WHY wait till you get back? Resolve the issue sooner, rather than later.

Tell your credit card company now that you are disputing the transaction and they will probably have a go at Thomson on your behalf.

laudan

Just to say the same thing happened to me and if you read up on Holiday Truths it has happened to other people too. I clicked on the "holiday" tab and booked my mam and sister on a weeks holiday to benidorm (just like I did the year before) was not informed transfers were not included till the email came through. I phoned straight away and they offered to cancel the booking, got some decent transfers so went ahead with the holiday but you are right the web site is shocking. Not any time during the booking was I informed I was doing a build your own holiday.

Buzz_Bub

I too have been a victim ........... booked on line last Sunday and after completing the confirmation came with Transfers not included. Cannot contact them by phone - I've done around 3 hours calling - the phone bill will be masive. We need to get from Heraklion to a resort near Chania so around 2 hours 30 minutes drive. Cheapest taxi I can find is £86.00. Anyone else had this problem? Would be interested as at the moment it looks like we will be spending our first holiday night in the Airport waiting for a bus the next morning! Surely with a Package Holiday the transfers must be included (see their What's included page).

Okay some news - just got through to Thomson - 58 mins. it took (this time).
Yesterday they had a power cut so the phones were not working!

About this holiday dilema. They did not have it as a package holiday! There are no transfers on this particular holiday so beware if you book on line unless there is a tick by transfers underneath the price when you do a search there's no transfers and you must make your own way to the resort. Thankfully, because Thomson are kind of owning up to the misleading www. I have been given a refund free of charge which is a result in a way but now I need to find another holiday with a tick! Very dissapointed but could not face having to find own way to resort at that time of night. Shame!

MarkyMarkD

I don't think they are being generous with their refunds. Their website is so misleading that they haven't a leg to stand on if anyone chose to take them to court (or to their credit card company) for misleading them.

Nenen

Sorry if this is slightly OT and rather naive but we are having problems with Thomsons too and I'd really like opinions as to whether we are being reasonable or not, as this is only our second foreign package holiday in a good many years, so I'm not sure what is expected these days.

Two issues... 1) we booked late (12 days ago) and website says we will have to pick our tickets up at the airport but I wanted to ring and confirm that was the case and all is OK. I've tried ringing numerous times... once hanging on for 75 minutes but just don't get through. I emailed them yesterday but still no reply and we are leaving Thursday! :eek: My greatest fear is that we will get to the airport and be told we can't fly due to lack of tickets.:eek: I do have written confirmation of the booking but it clearly states that this does not constitute tickets. Can anyone tell me if it is safe to assume the tickets will be at the airport waiting for us please?

2) Hope this doesn't sound too wingey! I booked and paid (over £800 each) for the last minute deal using Thomsons through latedeals. It is for a 4* hotel, half board in Italy. Nowhere on Thomsons website (or the link though from latedeals) did it say that we would have to share a dining table for every meal with two people (complete strangers) chosen by hotel (on room numbers I think).
I have since read several reviews on tripadvisor from very disgruntled people who had to share a small table for a fortnight with people they didn't know and/or get on with. When they complained to Thomson reps they were apparently told there was nothing they could do. The hotel management refused to change anything either. My query is, is this usual/acceptable for 4*? Is it reasonable for Thomson not to mention this in brochure?

In fact, we wouldn't mind sharing tables if it wasn't so obviously regimented and there was some flexibility... dh and I usually get on with most people but I must admit that the thought of being forced into sharing every breakfast and dinner with some awful couple we can't get away from makes me really dread the holiday. I did manage to ring and get through to Latedeals to ask about this but they just said that if Thomson don't state it in their brochure they weren't to know and so I need to take it up with Thomson.... can't get through to them however much we try (see above)! Am I making a fuss about nothing? DH (being a lovely, placid sort) is of the opinion we should just 'grin and bear' it and go with the flow....but I feel aggrieved we have paid for a fairly expensive holiday in a supposedly 4* hotel and didn't expect this.

Dumyat

have to say I dont think Thomsons are the only offender here. I have been looking for a cheapy week in October. many of the websites are very unclear if transfer is included or not. we always hire a car as my husband gets stir crazy at the beach or the pool. personally I dont want a transfer and would rather have a holiday where the cost of transfers can be deducted and be put to the cost of a hire car (but not with the tour operator - their prices are outrageous).

MarkyMarkD

Nenen wrote: »

Sorry if this is slightly OT and rather naive but we are having problems with Thomsons too and I'd really like opinions as to whether we are being reasonable or not, as this is only our second foreign package holiday in a good many years, so I'm not sure what is expected these days.

Two issues... 1) we booked late (12 days ago) and website says we will have to pick our tickets up at the airport but I wanted to ring and confirm that was the case and all is OK. I've tried ringing numerous times... once hanging on for 75 minutes but just don't get through. I emailed them yesterday but still no reply and we are leaving Thursday! :eek: My greatest fear is that we will get to the airport and be told we can't fly due to lack of tickets.:eek: I do have written confirmation of the booking but it clearly states that this does not constitute tickets. Can anyone tell me if it is safe to assume the tickets will be at the airport waiting for us please?

2) Hope this doesn't sound too wingey! I booked and paid (over £800 each) for the last minute deal using Thomsons through latedeals. It is for a 4* hotel, half board in Italy. Nowhere on Thomsons website (or the link though from latedeals) did it say that we would have to share a dining table for every meal with two people (complete strangers) chosen by hotel (on room numbers I think).
I have since read several reviews on tripadvisor from very disgruntled people who had to share a small table for a fortnight with people they didn't know and/or get on with. When they complained to Thomson reps they were apparently told there was nothing they could do. The hotel management refused to change anything either. My query is, is this usual/acceptable for 4*? Is it reasonable for Thomson not to mention this in brochure?

In fact, we wouldn't mind sharing tables if it wasn't so obviously regimented and there was some flexibility... dh and I usually get on with most people but I must admit that the thought of being forced into sharing every breakfast and dinner with some awful couple we can't get away from makes me really dread the holiday. I did manage to ring and get through to Latedeals to ask about this but they just said that if Thomson don't state it in their brochure they weren't to know and so I need to take it up with Thomson.... can't get through to them however much we try (see above)! Am I making a fuss about nothing? DH (being a lovely, placid sort) is of the opinion we should just 'grin and bear' it and go with the flow....but I feel aggrieved we have paid for a fairly expensive holiday in a supposedly 4* hotel and didn't expect this.

(1) Yes, the tickets will be there. I wouldn't spend 75 minutes on the phone asking them to confirm something they've just told you in an e-mail.

(2) We have also had shared tables, both in Italy and in Majorca. I really don't see it as a problem. Obviously if the people you are asked to share with are complete @rses you can ask the hotel to pair you up with someone else, but most people are quite nice and it makes a change from sitting on your own all the time IMHO. I wouldn't expect this sort of detail to be stated in a brochure.

I'm sure you realise this, but it would have been good to do the research on the hotel BEFORE rather than AFTER booking too.

Nenen

Thanks for your comments... maybe I'm just being too picky! However a couple of points relating to your reply

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

(1) Yes, the tickets will be there. I wouldn't spend 75 minutes on the phone asking them to confirm something they've just told you in an e-mail.

It was on the website that it said that tickets purchased less than so many days before travel would not be sent to home address but would be available for collection at the airport. Maybe I'm being over-cautious but I just wanted to make sure, given that I've been let down by companies (in different circumstances) in the past. It therefore came as no suprise to me that our tickets actually arrived in the post this morning!!!! Whilst I am obviously relieved, I can't help thinking that if I had already left home (maybe to stay a couple of nights nearer the airport or to stay with friends etc) under the assumption that the tickets would be at the airport (as stated on website) I would not have received them today and been in a right old pickle at the airport! I can't help feeling that I can't trust any company (whatever they are being paid) to d as they promise and not to screw things up. :mad:

Quote from Markymark "(2) We have also had shared tables, both in Italy and in Majorca. I really don't see it as a problem. Obviously if the people you are asked to share with are complete @rses you can ask the hotel to pair you up with someone else, but most people are quite nice and it makes a change from sitting on your own all the time IMHO. I wouldn't expect this sort of detail to be stated in a brochure."

We had shared tables (which we thoroughly enjoyed) when we went to Sardinia last year but this was clearly stated in the brochure and you could change places (thus giving you the opportunity to stay seated near people you got on well with or move on if you didn't). I suppose I assumed as 'Just Sardinia' holiday brochure was so clear and above board about it then all travel companies would be .... my mistake . I would assume that this sort of thing might happen without prior warning in 2* or maybe even 3* hotels but I thought (wrongly) that part of paying extra for 4* meant a little more 'luxury' than being forced to share tables with strangers every mealtime.

I can quite see that some people would think I am 'making a mountain out of a molehill' but for me it is the principal of the company not providing clear information. Btw, the reviewers say that many people did ask to change and were refused! Apparently Thomson reps say there is nothing they can do about it and hotel refuse point blank to agree to any changes. One reviewer actually stated that his evening's entertainment consisted of watching queues of irrate holidaymakers getting angry at the hotel staff about the situation and hotel staff appearing to refuse even reasonable requests!

Quote from Markymark: " I'm sure you realise this, but it would have been good to do the research on the hotel BEFORE rather than AFTER booking too.
"
Yes, I'd never do that again! However, the circumstances were trying to say the least! What happened was, I had been searching for a suitable holiday for several days and found what appeared to be the 'perfect' holiday for us to Menorca on Latedeals site. We much prefer smaller, quieter hotels and resorts, HATE big touristy places and particularly wanted to be right next to a beach, so hard to find somewhere to meet all criteria (despite posting for help on MSE too). I read up all the info on tripadvisor (as I had done on lots of others deals and consequently discounted due to bad reviews). This Menorcan hotel got excellent reviews and so I tried to book online... after several failed attempts, I rang latedeals and the woman spent ages trying to find the deal to no avail.

Eventually (after about 15 -20 mins) she realised she had entered the wrong spelling for the hotel (despite me spelling it to her at least twice). Finally she found it was fully booked (the online availibility had disappeared during the time she took to find it) and then proceeded to try and find a suitable replacement. After much too-ing and fro-ing (and many rejections on my part) she read out the details to me of the Italian one we've now booked. I asked if I could have time to look at it and get back to her but she said I had to be put on hold and decide in the next 3 mins as once I put the phone down then she couldn't hold the deal for me.

Stupidly, in my desparation and increasing frustration I agreed to that (but have learnt my lesson now )! I just had enough time to go to the Thomson site and read their description and decide from there. As I've already said, it didn't mention anything about shared tables. It was only after I booked and put the phone down I was able to go to Tripadvisor and found out.... I then rang latedeals back but they said it was too late, they couldn't do anything, not their fault/problem etc etc etc and I'd lose 100% of holiday cost if I cancelled.

One of the things that really bugs me is that Thomsons, Latedeals (and I guess other companies too) answer the phones when selling you the original deal within a few minutes but if you want to check/change/query anything after that the after-sales customer service is appalling and hanging on the phone for 30+ minutes is the norm.:mad: ...which goes back to the OP's point I think.

Next time we can afford a holiday I'm going to go back to what I used to do and book everything separately myself! I HATE being a pawn in a big company's 'game'... IMHO they couldn't give a monkeys about individual customers!