Where Do I stand?

Mat_hev

Hi

Just looking for some informed legal advice. A few months back we booked a holiday to Mexico. We booked the holiday over the internet but the supplier is Thomas Cook. At the time,there was no mention of the Departure Tax being included. After I booked, I saw on the Thomas Cook website that Departure Tax was now included in the price.

So when I came to pay the balance I queried this with the Internet TA. At first they were oblivious. They gave me the TÇ number to find out.TC looked up my holiday reference and told me that it was included in the price. I then rang my TA.They contacted TC then rang me back to say it was indeed included. TC had told me that there was paperwork to confirm this.My TA said that there wasn't any extra paperwork included. My original e-ticket was all that was necessary. I wasn't happy that their reply differed from what TC had told me,so a few days later I asked them to check again?

They replied with an updated e-ticket,this time confirming that the Departure Tax had been included in the ticket price.

Also an email from my Internet TA saying that it had already been 'costed' into the price.

So far so good.... Yesterday I received an email from my Internet TA saying that I still owe them an oustanding amount. No indication what its for...but I am suspicious because it tallies up with the amount for the Departure Tax.

I wasn't able to reply earlier to my TA but I 'think' they've realised they didn't cost the Tax into the price and are now trying to pass on the charge to me.

Its not a huge amount but I'm aggrieved on principle. After 'me' querying the departure tax, they and TC have both said its costed into the ticket.I have an email from my TA confirming this. There was NO MENTION of an outstanding balance needing to be paid. It feels like now they have realised it 'wasn't coated they want me to pay the excess.

Where do I stand legally? I really don't want any aggro but if I'm not happy to pay,what are my options?

Thanks in advance.

stephb34

I can't remember the exact date all this came into effect, so i'll try and explain the basics. If you book a TC package to Mexico the departure tax is now included in the price of the holiday. If you booked before this came in and you've paid your balance in full then you will be asked to pay the tax, if you haven't paid in full then you will get a new invoice with the tax added on and you will be expected to pay it. It looks like they did forget to add it onto your booking when the change came in and now they're asking for it. If this change hadn't happened then you would have to pay it yourself in Mexico, so its still the same cost to you whether you pay it now to TC or you were going to pay it in Mexico, so you haven't been diddled its just an over sight. Legally I don't know where you stand, I presume the agent can cancel your booking if you haven't paid in full so you would lose your holiday, or you could protest and insist they waive it, but its not something you weren't expecting to pay anyway. The idea its paid to TC in advance is to save time and inconvenience on your way home in Mexico.

Mat_hev

Thank you. Had my TA explained this when I queried the matter I would have felt more agreeable. I think where I feel aggrieved is that AFTER me paying the outstanding balance & receiving an email confirmation that the tax had already been 'costed' into the price, they now want the money. It would have been 'nice' & good for receiving my future business,if they had acknowledged their mistake and waived the cost. Still not sure whether to pursue this.Weighing up my options? If I do pay it is under protest, and wonder who I could appeal to?

stephb34

When you booked the holiday on the internet who was it you booked with? Depending on this information is whether they could stand the £100 out of their profits if you pursue it further, as I said you're not actually paying £100 you didn't know about because if things hadn't changed you would have had to pay it on leaving Mexico anyway. If you are going to do future business with them you could say you are paying under protest but would like extra discount on any further holidays you book with them.

Mat_hev

At the moment I would prefer not to name my TA. I have had good dealings with them in the past hence our choosing to book with them this year. I don't get the feeling they are a one man show because I've previously spoken with & dealt with various members of their team. My aim is not to stop them from making a profit. I simply feel that I've been 'misled' into believing that the Tax was paid WHEN in fact (even through an honest mistake)it wasn't. Yes I was expecting to pay even more when we were at the airport,so in a sense it is me that's benefitting from tax being paid straight to TC. But to receive an email requesting an extra payment (with no info or even explanation offered,is at the heart of the matter. The amount is within our budget but its the feeling of being not 'diddled' but 'misled' that's led to the issue. When we book we try to get a good deal without compromising on the quality. We had a great deal, now because of the tax added its an extra cost to the original price. On the TC website the price hasn't gone immeasurably up now they have included the departure tax. Had we known this we may well have chosen to book direct. Still not sure whether to pursue this but will definitely challenge the 'outstanding balance'.

stephb34

Didn't want you to name them just wondered if they were a multiple or independent TA. As for the email requesting payment and no explanation the problem is nowadays everything is computer generated automatically. Let us know the outcome.

Mat_hev

I queried the outstanding balance.It was the departure tax. My TA apologised but explained it was an added cost that came up. I decided not to pursue the matter. I paid up while noting to my TA that I felt misled by their previous email. All in all,it wasn't a huge amount so not worth the stress of pursuing it. Matter now closed.

stephb34

Good on you think you made the right decision you could have protested, probably wouldn't have got you anywhere and like you say only stressed you out, look forward to your lovely holiday.

Julie_De_Young

I left Mexico a couple of days ago on a Thomson ( flight only) trip.

The departure tax in this instance was due & changes frequently as it is tied to the fluctuating exchange rates. We took 2000 pesos for three of us having read it was 900 each or 2000 for a family. It turned out to be 1110 EACH.

I think of it as the visa we don't have to buy to visit;)