Tui ‘free child places’ not really free

JulieCaw

I have been trying to book a 10 night holiday to Turkey for July 2019. I have been on the Tui and First Choice website (really the same website).
I find the holiday I want priced at £1130 each for 2 adults and two children - a total cost of £4523. When I go in to the details, I then get told - every time - even after clearing my browsing history - that I can have a free child place - reducing the price to - £3886. Brilliant. Quick - book it now. Every time I go to book it - after a few seconds buffering I get to the booking page to see the price per person has increased to £1507 for three people - the total price now is £4522. £1 cheaper with a free child place! This has been happening now for nearly 24 hours. Every single time the price is advertised as £1130 per person and every single time - after been given a free child place it increases to £1507 per person. Therefore for 4 people the price is £4523 and upon booking and receiving a free child place the new price for 3 +1 Free is £4522! Is this really a free child place?
How are they still allowed to advertise it at £1130? How are they allowed to increase the price upon giving a free child place? Surely there is something illegal about this behaviour? Surely they are breaking some rules?
What to do??

liviboy

Personal experience - complain to the ASA...when I complained I was offered the deal I wanted at the expected price...in my case it was British Airways but worth a shot with First Choice. Double check any conditions attached to the offer (look for the *) beforehand though...

cubegame

What to do?

Well for that sort of money you could probably get a really nice holiday for yourself (ie. Not Turkey) instead of lining a travel agents pocket.

liviboy

Just as an aside,

I searched for a holiday at Holiday Village Montenegro for 7 days departing Gatwick on the 7th October.

2 adults only - £1118.06

2 adults plus free child - £1059.82

2 adults plus free child plus paid child - £1441.77

The price difference between the 2 adults and 2+ 1 is clearly significantly different to the price difference between 2+2 and 2+1. It does beg the question of how prices etc are being calculated.

daveyjp

Sometimes it gets to the point where speaking to a human is the most sensible way forwards

photome

cubegame wrote: »

What to do?

Well for that sort of money you could probably get a really nice holiday for yourself (ie. Not Turkey) instead of lining a travel agents pocket.

Agree about not using the TA. But each to their own on destination

hollydays

A travel agent is good if you haven't the time, skill or are lazy.
I prefer to book myself to be sure I get the holiday that's exactly right for me. That way I've only got myself to blame.

silvercar

I'm guessing that taking advantage of a "free" child place triggers an under occupancy charge for the remaining guests. As the free child no longer counts as an occupant.

PompeyPete

hollydays wrote: »

A travel agent is good if you haven't the time, skill or are lazy.
I prefer to book myself to be sure I get the holiday that's exactly right for me. That way I've only got myself to blame.

For that reason, my wife follows me purely out of curiosity. She offers little input into the planning, and accepts without question whenever thing go a bit pear-shaped, even when Plan A leads to Plan C for safety's sake. We rarely have a holiday, they're adventures, even at 64 and 61 the thrill of the unknown has much more appeal than the norm.:)