Are people not learning any lessons re travel bookings?

isplumm

MoJoeGo said:

Butts said:

MoJoeGo said:

Webxite said:

I keep telling myself not to book anything until it's all over, and then optimism takes over and I believe the government (the things they say that seem to say travel is on). I book cancellable/reschedulable things, or cheap flights I can lose. So far it has mostly not paid off, but we did manage to get away to Greece last summer which was great. We probably won't try again to get abroad this year after two cancellations close to the wire which were very disappointing, but then again optimism might take over. 

All that to say, humans are daft, travel is great, but optimists lose out right now.

A person after my own heart. Book things that are flexible, ideally with small deposits and with large companies you'd travel with again. Leverage ATOL the Package Travel Regs, and companies own policies (have become a real fan of BA...), get insurance, and eventually something will come out ok.

In our case, it was Santorini that came good for us last year, and it was fabulous (and very very cheap!). This year is still up in the air but we will get something - it's a challenge I relish!

Welcome to the club !!!

I am currently on a quest for BA Gold and should hit Silver next week from a standing start in May.

Book with BA and it's win win, small deposit and balance payable three weeks before departure. Up to that point you can cancel and get your deposit back in the form of a voucher. If anything goes red you can cancel free of penalty if BA don't do it for you.

Refunds take days and changes are processed quickly.

Anyone who has booked with LM.com, Love Holidays, On the Beach et al during the pandemic want's their head examined.

I should perhaps qualify that statement of mine...  

I have been silver with BA for an inordinate and often undeserved length of time (I did fly a lot with them pre 2015 but I was also Gold then). My wife and daughters are all bronze or silver too. So I'm no stranger at all to BA - it's just that the last year has made me appreciate them a lot more because of the flexibility and stability they offer relative to other operators. Which made a refreshing change after the relentless cost cutting from the Cruz era. "Buy On Board" my backside...

Now that said... for proper holiday bookings. EasyJet actually offer slightly more flexibility within the last 3 week period for countries that remain Amber - which is an important consideration when traveling with older children. But overall BA has done a lot to retain my long term business. The half million Avios I have in the bank play a part as well 

Still won't be allowed to do TP runs to get back to gold though. Mrs MJG thinks I'm mad as it is. Pity as I did like the full English buffet in the 1st class lounge...

I have booked a BA Holiday - going in September - to an amber country - its a risk - but worth it I believe. The cancel weeks before was a good option for us.

sheramber

MattMattMattUK said:

MoJoeGo said:

Shaking my head a bit right now. It seems like every day we are getting posts from people asking for help with refunds when the travel rules change (as they do every 5 minutes it seems). However this is despite them having done one or more of:

1) Made their original booking during the pandemic
2) Booked with a travel agent that has a poor reputation
3) Not got any/adequate travel insurance
4) Not checked the cancellation terms before booking

I've not tacked this post onto one of these threads as I'd rather not be rubbing salt into any specific posters wound... but are people really not learning even the basics of making sure they have some risk mitigation, after more than a year of global disruption?

Many people are seemingly incapable of learning, many people are selfish, stupid etc. and that has only been amplified by the pandemic

International holidays this year are on a scale from daft to utterly stupid depending on the location, next year will probably only be slightly better, but many people will still claim that they "need" a holiday and then claim that it is not their fault when it goes wrong, despite knowing the risks and failing to take account of or mitigate them.

There is also an element of 'it won't happen to me.'

ginger_chocolate

I've been booking holidays and events almost throughout the pandemic, on the offchance that they might happen. Some have actually gone ahead, most haven't, all of the cancelled ones so far I've managed to get refunded. I do read the terms carefully to make sure the booking is flexible or refundable. I also completely accept that there is a risk involved and that things go t*** up that's my own problem. However, I don't think that just because someone asks about options or for advice on a forum that it necessarily means they are abdicating personal responsibility. Sometimes you might know it's a longshot, but it's always worth asking. (That said, there definitely are some entitled people out there who don't acknowledge their own risk taking and think the world owes them a favour.)

Caz3121

sheramber said:

There is also an element of 'it won't happen to me.'

I often think that when I see gofundme pleas for someone that has gone on holiday without any insurance and had an accident
Maybe travelled many times without insurance and no issues...after an accident will they travel without insurance in the future?
may be similar for those that have used third parties for years to book flights without issue, when they experience the pain and cost of cancellations and rescheduled over the last 16 months...will they use those third parties again?

Ganga

ginger_chocolate said:

I've been booking holidays and events almost throughout the pandemic, on the offchance that they might happen. Some have actually gone ahead, most haven't, all of the cancelled ones so far I've managed to get refunded. I do read the terms carefully to make sure the booking is flexible or refundable. I also completely accept that there is a risk involved and that things go t*** up that's my own problem. However, I don't think that just because someone asks about options or for advice on a forum that it necessarily means they are abdicating personal responsibility. Sometimes you might know it's a longshot, but it's always worth asking. (That said, there definitely are some entitled people out there who don't acknowledge their own risk taking and think the world owes them a favour.)

I still find it amazing that despite all the posts in the travel forum even before Covid the number of people who book holidays ,flights etc with dodgy / shonky travel agents to save a couple of £ on their holidays .

ginger_chocolate

Ganga said:

ginger_chocolate said:

I've been booking holidays and events almost throughout the pandemic, on the offchance that they might happen. Some have actually gone ahead, most haven't, all of the cancelled ones so far I've managed to get refunded. I do read the terms carefully to make sure the booking is flexible or refundable. I also completely accept that there is a risk involved and that things go t*** up that's my own problem. However, I don't think that just because someone asks about options or for advice on a forum that it necessarily means they are abdicating personal responsibility. Sometimes you might know it's a longshot, but it's always worth asking. (That said, there definitely are some entitled people out there who don't acknowledge their own risk taking and think the world owes them a favour.)

I still find it amazing that despite all the posts in the travel forum even before Covid the number of people who book holidays ,flights etc with dodgy / shonky travel agents to save a couple of £ on their holidays .

It's an interesting one though, isn't it - because lots of people who book through dodgy third party agents still end up having no problems. My Dad is constantly "saving money" booking through agents I've heard horrendous horror stories about from other people and so far he's been lucky and not had any issues at all. So maybe people just think it won't happen to them, because, so far, it never has? Not suggesting it's not a daft thing to do, but I can kind of understand the psychology.

Sandtree

MoJoeGo said:

2) Booked with a travel agent that has a poor reputation

You are forgetting that people book almost always book on price and its easier to offer cheaper prices if you provide poor service and avoid your obligations for as long as possible. To a lesser degree there can also be an element of convenience, City, Heathrow and Gatwick are my three easiest airports to get to in order and so Ryanair are not high on my list but if you live near Luton or Southend etc then its understandable why you may consider them more favourably.

The ones that amuse me more personally are those that are doing chargebacks against the likes of Ryanair as not only were they let down in the first place but they were unhappy with the handling of the situation and now are complaining that Ryanair won't let them book with them again unless they repay their debt. Thats going beyond just using someone with a poor reputation but where you have first hand poor experience

Butts

ginger_chocolate said:

Ganga said:

ginger_chocolate said:

I've been booking holidays and events almost throughout the pandemic, on the offchance that they might happen. Some have actually gone ahead, most haven't, all of the cancelled ones so far I've managed to get refunded. I do read the terms carefully to make sure the booking is flexible or refundable. I also completely accept that there is a risk involved and that things go t*** up that's my own problem. However, I don't think that just because someone asks about options or for advice on a forum that it necessarily means they are abdicating personal responsibility. Sometimes you might know it's a longshot, but it's always worth asking. (That said, there definitely are some entitled people out there who don't acknowledge their own risk taking and think the world owes them a favour.)

I still find it amazing that despite all the posts in the travel forum even before Covid the number of people who book holidays ,flights etc with dodgy / shonky travel agents to save a couple of £ on their holidays .

It's an interesting one though, isn't it - because lots of people who book through dodgy third party agents still end up having no problems. My Dad is constantly "saving money" booking through agents I've heard horrendous horror stories about from other people and so far he's been lucky and not had any issues at all. So maybe people just think it won't happen to them, because, so far, it never has? Not suggesting it's not a daft thing to do, but I can kind of understand the psychology.

What's brought it to the fore is the pandemic and it's associated ramifications for Travel.

You only find out how good or bad a Company is when something goes wrong, most of the time in normal circumstances that happens rarely and is certainly not under the spotlight as it is currently with thousands affected. 

Caveat Emptor springs to mind.

Ganga

Sandtree said:

MoJoeGo said:

2) Booked with a travel agent that has a poor reputation

You are forgetting that people book almost always book on price and its easier to offer cheaper prices if you provide poor service and avoid your obligations for as long as possible. To a lesser degree there can also be an element of convenience, City, Heathrow and Gatwick are my three easiest airports to get to in order and so Ryanair are not high on my list but if you live near Luton or Southend etc then its understandable why you may consider them more favourably.

The ones that amuse me more personally are those that are doing chargebacks against the likes of Ryanair as not only were they let down in the first place but they were unhappy with the handling of the situation and now are complaining that Ryanair won't let them book with them again unless they repay their debt. Thats going beyond just using someone with a poor reputation but where you have first hand poor experience

People ALWAYS complain about budget airlines and yet use them time after time ,why ? because they are cheap as chips !
Many years ago i had to go to Southampton on a training course ( we live in the NE of England ) got a price from BA who at the time were the only ones who flew Newcastle / Southampton  £333.00 ! the course was cancelled and went a few years later ,flew with Flybe £19.50 , scheduled flight costs have all ways been more expensive so RyanAir etc will always be popular.

eskbanker

Ganga said:
went a few years later ,flew with Flybe £19.50

That business model worked out well for them then....