Can TUI do this?

Lankies

Hi all, my friend and I booked flights with TUI for May of this year from Manchester to Corfu travelling out at 15.00 hrs and returning at 13.30hrs,the tickets came to £840 in total which were more expensive than other times on the same dates but that was fine because due to my friends job they were the times that suited us, for some reason I was never able to book seats although I went on my account several times to try. A few days ago I saw that the flight times for our flights had been changed outbound from 15.00 hrs to 05.50hrs and returning changed from 13.30hrs to 21.45hrs,the price for the new flights are £674 a difference of £166 but when I asked if we would get a refund for the difference I was told no, can they do this? I was also told that if I cancelled(my friend doesn't know yet if she can change her shift) I was told that the refund would only be based on the new flight prices and not on the original price we paid, to say I'm fuming is an understatement, can anyone give me any advice please?. 

NoodleDoodleMan

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/info/flight-conditions-of-carriage#thomsonairways

Scroll down to Article 9.1 Schedules

I suppose it's all down to what "significant change" means in practice.

There are others hereabouts with more of an insight to this situation than I have - no doubt they will clarify.

emmajones1976

Its within 12 hours, there is nothing you can do.

Lankies

It's the fact that they've put us on a cheaper flight but are refusing to refund the difference that I'm most annoyed about, we could have booked cheaper flights in the 1st place but opted to pay extra to get the time that was right for us so how can they refuse to refund the difference? 

emmajones1976

Because thats what you agreed to when you booked the holiday/flights.

Sandtree

Lankies said:

It's the fact that they've put us on a cheaper flight but are refusing to refund the difference that I'm most annoyed about, we could have booked cheaper flights in the 1st place but opted to pay extra to get the time that was right for us so how can they refuse to refund the difference? 

If it had gone the otherway and you'd been moved to the more expensive flights would you have been happy to pay the extra?

As you've plenty of notice of the rescheduling it will come down to the T&Cs and most define a significant change as being more than 12 hours. 

bagand96

Have your flight numbers changed?  Or is it just the same flight number on a different time?

If the flight number has changed than you could exercise your right to a refund for cancellation under EC261 (well technically the UK legislation that replaced it) 

NoodleDoodleMan

I realise this is scant consolation - however you will get more time in Corfu on arrival and departure - fingers crossed your friend can get the time off to suit these flights.

emmajones1976

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I realise this is scant consolation - however you will get more time in Corfu on arrival and departure - fingers crossed your friend can get the time off to suit these flights.

Planning to go into work the same day you fly to/from Corfu? Hmm. Not something I would do, but each to their own.

NoodleDoodleMan

emmajones1976 said:

NoodleDoodleMan said:

I realise this is scant consolation - however you will get more time in Corfu on arrival and departure - fingers crossed your friend can get the time off to suit these flights.

Planning to go into work the same day you fly to/from Corfu? Hmm. Not something I would do, but each to their own.

Agreed.

Flight delays on return can be an issue.

Lankies

Flight no hasn't changed and have now been told if we cancel we will lose all of the money as it was a flight only booking, my friends shift finishes at 7am the day we fly, it's a 2 hour drive to the airport so an early flight is out of the question.