aer lingus again!

stevescarratt

Hi seen quite a bit about this fiasco however my take is slightly different I booked a florida villa holiday with Hayes and they used US airtours originally on a direct aer lingus flight in May. Now told will be indirect which I can sort of do but now they are telling us that the seats we were allocated arent available and we are sat at the very rear(well some of us) there are 8 of us including 3 small children. we find the seating is now unacceptable as the holiday is all paid for what will i lose as thinking of cancelling and going with Tui thx for any advice 

eskbanker

stevescarratt said:

what will i lose as thinking of cancelling

It'll come down to the cancellation terms within the contract you signed up to with the agent, but I'd expect a significant deduction from any refund.

Woodstok2000

How big is the seating change? I assume all the kids are seated with an adult and youre in the same cabin as before?

If thats the case ultimately the flight change is a bigger issue than the seating one, so if you want to try for a refund thats the way to go. Aer Lingus had to offer refunds to their flight customers if they didn't want the rerouted indirect flights but im not sure that works the same with a package holiday.

Cancelling and rebooking seems a bit extreme just for a different seat, and the flight via Dublin is better in many ways as you preclear immigration. Probably worth discussing your options with Hayes directly.

Ayr_Rage

Have you booked a package holiday or separate flights and villa booking?

Exactly what stage are you at?

Have you already accepted the rerouting and the seat issue has come after that?

As you've booked through an agent then you'll have to ask them what penalties apply.

stevescarratt

we were originally all sat together as its 2 4 2 we had been given 4 in the middle with the ones behind as well now 2 are 6 rows away and the others are at the very back of the plane missis not v happy

stevescarratt

Hu we selected a villa and they sorted flights cars etc its all fully paid after we paid the balance my son found out about aer lingus cancelling flights literally 3 days after we paid the balance and now everything up in air

Woodstok2000

They should have given you the option to accept or reject the rerouting - did they do that?

Since youve booked the villa yourself you're still going to need to travel, have you checked alternative flight prices before you cancel? You may be paying significantly more if you book new flights now.

Realistically on the plane you're going to be reading/sleeping/watching films, so for the benefit of preclearing immigration in Dublin you may want to consider putting up with it, or seeing if theres any way to change your seats.

stevescarratt

no we didnt book villa just requested a certain one in windsor hills they sorted everything

Ayr_Rage

Does you invoice say PACKAGE HOLIDAY or just list the individual elements?

The only accurate answer you'll get regarding how much it will cost to cancel is from your travel agent.

Woodstok2000

stevescarratt said:

no we didnt book villa just requested a certain one in windsor hills they sorted everything

Got it. So if it's a package it will almost certainly be a full cancellation of everything.  You need to speak to Hays and see what that would cost (if anything), add that to the cost of rebooking the entire holiday with Tui now, and decide if that additional cost is worthwhile for the sake of sitting 20 feet further apart for the first 8 hours of your holiday.

eskbanker

Ayr_Rage said:

Does you invoice say PACKAGE HOLIDAY or just list the individual elements?

It doesn't really make any difference, the regulatory definition of 'package' is fairly wide (note the repeated use of 'or'):

(5) In these Regulations, subject to paragraph (6), a “package” means a combination of at least two different types of travel services for the purpose of the same trip or holiday, if—

(a) those services are combined by one trader, including at the request of, or in accordance with, the selection of the traveller, before a single contract on all services is concluded; or

(b) those services are—

(i) purchased from a single point of sale and selected before the traveller agrees to pay,

(ii) offered, sold or charged at an inclusive or total price,

(iii) advertised or sold under the term “package” or under a similar term,

(iv) combined after the conclusion of a contract by which a trader entitles the traveller to choose among a selection of different types of travel services, or

(v) purchased from separate traders through linked online booking processes where—

(aa) the traveller's name, payment details and e-mail address are transmitted from the trader with whom the first contract is concluded to another trader or traders, and

(bb) a contract with the latter trader or traders is concluded at the latest 24 hours after the confirmation of the booking of the first travel service,

irrespective of whether the traveller concludes separate contracts with one or more travel service providers in respect of the services.

(6) A combination of travel services where not more than one type of travel service of the kind listed in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of the definition of “travel service” is combined with one or more tourist services of the kind listed in paragraph (d) of that definition is not a package if the latter services—

(a) do not account for a significant proportion of the value of the combination and are not advertised as, and do not otherwise represent, an essential feature of the combination; or

(b) are selected and purchased after the performance of a travel service of the kind listed in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of the definition of “travel service” has started.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/634/regulation/2