Ugh... ripped off and the feeling isn't nice...

hander

So, planning a half term away with kids. Found a reasonable deal via icelolly online and ring to get the lowdown.

Firstly, various holidays advertised just don't exist. To be expected, I guess.
So we settle for 3rd choice. Price quoted, ready to book, wife says she'll just check with me. She does, we agree, return to agent.

Agent says, price has gone up now - erm, an extra 75GBP/pp.
Agent says 4 seats remaining on this flight only!
Wife panic books.

Apart from unpalatable last-second extra hike in price, it feels like the 4 seats left was blatant manipulation. I idly check price on flight this evening and there are lots of seats left.

Will try and erase this from my mind and it's not my style to vent online but... can't help myself.

Is this common practice in this industry? It's our first package tour in our lives. Normally, we're flights and wing-it types. This time, we thought we'd try something simple as we're both short of time to organise.

Never again. Nothing like feeling of being ripped off to leave a bitter taste.

bagand96

Is this common practice in this industry? It's our first package tour in our lives. Normally, we're flights and wing-it types. This time, we thought we'd try something simple as we're both short of time to organise.

I suspect it's common practice with the agents that advertise on icelolly (which is basically a classified site for agents).

I suspect you haven't bought a package holiday either. You've just booked through an agent who's booked you on some flights and found a hotel to match.

The "4 seats left" may well have just been rubbish spouted by that agent to pressure sell. That said some airlines use it too on their websites so he may have been seeing that. What the airlines mean is "4 seats left at this fare" as they sell blocks of seats at different fare levels.

phatbear

hander wrote: »

Wife panic books.

and there lies the problem!

you said there are plenty of seats online but are they in the same price bracket. as im sure you know flights will have a percentage of seats at one price then a percentage at another price etc etc so even though there may be seats available they may not be the same price as the ones you were sold.

bottom line is you paid the price so you shouldnt have then bothered checking or you should have checked and then paid the price.

stephb34

Oops its not a package, have you got an atol certificate and is it protected by abta. Icelolly don't sell packages they just put components together, then if one falls through you are stuck with the other bits.

richardw

Just put it down to a bad experience and enjoy the trip, you'll save on future holidays.

Icelolly, onthebeach, love holidays etc are great for finding examples of what's available, but don't book through them, just search for the same but separately and book direct.

mgdavid

if you want to use an agent, find a reputable one first; ask around, do the research, don't just 'go on the net'.

mikeeboy

I ALWAYS book budget flights direct with the airline, and just use the icelollies of the world to book the hotel. I'm in control of bags and flight changes etc. and less can go wrong

As already mentioned, the headline price of a flight is generally just for 1 person. You start putting 4-6 people on and you realise that they sell "buckets" of seats at different prices. I recently had to book 7 flights, but had to make separate bookings to get the best price. So we'll be seated all over the place(unless we pay for seats), but I've saved a few quid in the process.