Where do I stand with Lasminute.com and 7 flight changes

Butts

CathyP911 said:

The reply to my PTR email:

thank you for your email.

Hereby to inform you that your booking is not cancelled from the providers and is still active.

So if you decide to cancel the booking, it will be considered as a voluntary cancellation.

The standard will apply, as set out in the Terms and Conditions.

Please let us know how you want to proceed.

We remain at your disposal for further help.

Kind regards,

its like they didn't t even bother to read the email or its contents.  

Usual poor grammar and syntax - that's a genuine LM.com missive.Incidentally it's not worth the paper it's written on. 

CathyP911

Butts said:

CathyP911 said:

The reply to my PTR email:

thank you for your email.

Hereby to inform you that your booking is not cancelled from the providers and is still active.

So if you decide to cancel the booking, it will be considered as a voluntary cancellation.

The standard will apply, as set out in the Terms and Conditions.

Please let us know how you want to proceed.

We remain at your disposal for further help.

Kind regards,

its like they didn't t even bother to read the email or its contents.  

Usual poor grammar and syntax - that's a genuine LM.com missive.Incidentally it's not worth the paper it's written on. 

Cheer i know that but how to make them realise that they are acting outside the boundaries of the regulations is another thing. 

Butts

CathyP911 said:

Butts said:

CathyP911 said:

The reply to my PTR email:

thank you for your email.

Hereby to inform you that your booking is not cancelled from the providers and is still active.

So if you decide to cancel the booking, it will be considered as a voluntary cancellation.

The standard will apply, as set out in the Terms and Conditions.

Please let us know how you want to proceed.

We remain at your disposal for further help.

Kind regards,

its like they didn't t even bother to read the email or its contents.  

Usual poor grammar and syntax - that's a genuine LM.com missive.Incidentally it's not worth the paper it's written on. 

Cheer i know that but how to make them realise that they are acting outside the boundaries of the regulations is another thing. 

Chargeback is the only language they understand from my own personal experience this Summer.

bagand96

The problem here is, that the PTRs do allow a travel provider to arrange alternatives.  And there's not much guidance on what constitutes reasonable change or not. 

Even the big tour operators consider a flight change of upto 12 hours as "minor". 

Not saying I disagree with you OP, I'd feel thoroughly pee'd off in your situation, and what you booked and what you're getting are very different. 

But enforcing your rights, and interpretation of the PTRs will be a fight.  The advice to get ABTAs opinion is a good start. I also think chargeback is a good start, it may go through fine. However the bank may not want to be the judge on a matter of the PTRs so it could also fail. However you have nothing to lose in trying it. 

CathyP911

bagand96 said:

The problem here is, that the PTRs do allow a travel provider to arrange alternatives.  And there's not much guidance on what constitutes reasonable change or not. 

Even the big tour operators consider a flight change of upto 12 hours as "minor". 

Not saying I disagree with you OP, I'd feel thoroughly pee'd off in your situation, and what you booked and what you're getting are very different. 

But enforcing your rights, and interpretation of the PTRs will be a fight.  The advice to get ABTAs opinion is a good start. I also think chargeback is a good start, it may go through fine. However the bank may not want to be the judge on a matter of the PTRs so it could also fail. However you have nothing to lose in trying it. 

I believe I read that a change less than 12 hours in a trip under 14 days constitutes a significant change. They are required to provide a suitable alternative and changing us from direct flights to multi-stop with 4 hour layovers in my opinion is not a suitable alternative.
I will get hubby to ring the bank and ask about charge back and section 75.  He's submitted an ABTA complaint this morning and has been trying to call but he cant get through. The icing on the cake now is they are trying to say we accepted the change even though we have the email trails stating we haven't. 

Butts

If the above fails you have the fall back  of the FCO advice on travelling to Austria changing between the time of booking and the actual Holiday.

CathyP911

Butts said:

If the above fails you have the fall back  of the FCO advice on travelling to Austria changing between the time of booking and the actual Holiday.

Possibly but not sure that will be enough. Complaint gone to ABTA they have reams to read through uploaded every pushbike email we have. Phoning bank in the morning as can possibly start chargeback before travel date if goods and services differ from those purchased. Worth a shot at least. Then last ditch is small claims. 

CathyP911

So ABTA are quick. Will be contacting LM before we fly to discuss what should happen. 

Westin

Were ABTA supportive of your situation?
Did ABTA think that the flight changes were unreasonable given the total duration of the holiday?  

CathyP911

Yes they were. More so because the amount of alternate offers that were made and the forceful tactics to get us to cancel. They are going to look at all the paperwork we have sent which is absolutely everything. Once they have looked they will then contact LM.