h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Wel,that's good customer relations i must say.I've just spent i wouldn't like to say how long trying to sort a friends travel arrangements out too..i should say non-travel arrangements now!!!
It's about time there was more control put into place when it comes to holidays,and travel agents.....it seems they can get away with anything..as long as they say "executive".
I have heard nothing else either,maybe a call to watchdog????
Do keep us informed ,won't you.

Well my travel agents called today - Cosmos have sent a cheque for £1300.00 - I'll read what they have to say - but I was looking for a larger sum.

I suppose it's better than nothing ,McKay,but as you say,,not really enough to compensate you for all you went through.
It looks as though we will get nothing..they have said so in the latest letter ,which arrived on monday..they "do not feel they need to compensate us for the hotel bill,as we chose to move there of our own accord".I didn't ask them for anyhing for the £600 the second villa cost us.
i really dont know what to do next...or where to go.Az has suggested the C A B,and lil suggested a solicitor,but i'm taking a couple of days to think it over...unless you have any ideas???
Do let us know how you get along,won't you.

Well solicitors tell me that I'll win, and that they'll probably settle out of court - but that it'll probably take 2 years to get it - how much do I really want, probably the maximum I will get will be about £3K.

Remember my first letter said nothing was wrong, but they'd offer me £600 "for good will" Even in this second letter they've only admitted the villa "needed a dab of paint" but agreed the lack of vehicle substantially affected our holiday.

I'd write back saying that at first you only wanted the money back for your inconvenience, but now you wish to be totally recompensed for your extra spend, and that this includes £600 for the second villa. Don't be afraid to to tell them how you feel - don't be insulting, but be brutally frank - if the place smelt like a toilet - say so.

Whilst they are taking their 28 days to reply to this, I'd consult the CAB - ABTA are not on your side, so don't rely on them. In your second letter be sure to stress the inconvenience and to point out the difficulties you faced as a wheelchair user trying to resolve the situation in America. (foreign country, unknown laws, seperation from normal support, etc.)

And just a tip write down now, on a piece of paper how much you want - minimum - starting with an apology. Keep it until you get their reply, because after 3 months you start to lose the will to go on, and that bit of paper will serve as a reminder.

Thanks for the advice.I can't seem to get my head round writing again,but i must because i don't want them to think i've cooled off,or calmed down.I will e-mail them again tomorrow,then ring the citizens advice at the beginning of next week,and see what they have to say.I really dont feel like i want the stress of fighting them in the small claims court,but i am so that they are insinuating that i've lied!!Who in their right minds would have all the hassle we had,and spoil their holiday,then go to the trouble of lying about it??Maybe they think that it was our first holiday there,and didn't know what the nice villas were like,,,,,it was actually our fifth time!!!
for the advice ..hope things go well for you with your claim too.

You never get adequate compensation for the hassle, do you?

I've embarked on my own little battle with the trainline store. They've managed to debit me twice for one journey - possibly because they don't like safari, I had to try several times to buy the tickets, ended up using firefox. I looked at cancelling & getting a refund - which it seems to have prematurely logged that I want (with a penalty admin charge).

The voice at the end of the phone couldn't grasp that I had done the journey (can you really cancel afterwards & get the journey for the price of the admin charge?) but wanted reimbursing for the surplus debit. I'm now expected to send my bank statements to their office, to get my refund.

Umph!!! it strikes me that travel agents are really not too concerned with their passengers well being..they're just out to make quick money,and s@d the customers.
I have become disillusioned(sp?) with all of them,My friend has a terrible time with one company,they sent her tickets in the wrong name,and then wouldn't change the name,even when she ofered to pay the change over fee.They advised her to cancel so she would get some of her money back,then last week they informed her they were charging her £35 for cancelling!!!
She has lost over £200 so far..

What can say about Trainline - we used to host it but they took it elsewhere - obviously standards are declining.

Smurfles - name and shame - which company ?

I'm thinking about doing all my own arrangements next year.

By all means McKay..my company was thomas cook,and the tour operators are called style holidays,a susiduary company of ...you'll never guess.....thomas cook!!!
The company my friend booked with ,and cant get any satisfaction from are Ebookers,and the airline who refused to change the name on the ticket is british midlands!!!
I am well nformed that, if they had so wished,Thomas cook could have offered a refund/compensation ,without consulting Style holidays.The villa company is called Elite vacations,and is in kissemmee,orlando.
I am now needing to find out,seen as thomas cook made all the travel/car hire/and villa arrangements ,should they be responsible for sorting it out....i believe they should!!!
If you're thinking of booking everything yourself take a look at "Holidays uncovered".. it's a real eye opener!!!

Most annoying pop-ups on that site - I'll have to have a more detailed read later.

Oh,do though!!I must aadmit the pop ups were a pain,but the site is really interesting..if you have a couple of hours to spare!!

I have decided to accept the £1300 I've been offered by Cosmos.

After talking to my lawyer he has said that I won't get much more out of ABTA because they break it down into bits. They say the cost of the flights was (roughly) 60% of the holiday cost, and as I got there and back OK that money is not up for grabs, then it carries on, and decides how much percentage everything is worth.

I said but I bought a holiday which they ruined, and he said that would be his approach in court, BUT it would depend upon how the court viewed it - was I being "unreasonable" was the company acting "reasonably" - well I was prepared to fight it, except for his next caveat - it could take 3 years. During which time I'd be responsible for costs, whilst they would undertake the initial writing on my behalf, if Cosmos held out, then I'd have to pay to pursue the case.

So I caved in.

Well done McKay.At least you got something ,i just had a second letter,saying that they ca find no reason to offer any compensation,so they repeated what they said in their frst reply..they are sorry if we weren't happy,but hope we'll not let that put us off using them again

Well, it's a shame you had to 'cave in' McKay, though it does sound like it's better to have 1300 pounds in your pocket than any more hassle and perhaps not getting anything in the end after paying legal costs, etc. *Next time* (if?) you come to southern Spain again check with me first. I have a friend who works for Hertz and I can source nice places to stay.

Sal, have you given up?


az

hi az,and before i go any further can i just wish al on here a very merry christmas.
I don't know what to do for the best az,i can get some free legal advice,but with no proof(hubby didn't get to record any of it,because of the manager shouting at me outside when he saw him go in with the camcorder)i don't know how we'd stand.They are adamant that there was nothing wrong,and if i thought that they'd let us go back in,i'd even go back over there,just to prove a point,but they aren't stupid enough to do that.
i haven't been too good ,and haven't got the energy to keep argueing with them,but i hate to see them win.

I got back 20% of the cost of the holiday - which was less than I wanted, but to be honest it has opened my eyes to a great many things in the travel industry.

In future I shall be travelling 'independant'

I don't know what to suggest Smurfles - the lack of evidence will count against you, and you have to pay to take it to ABTA, but I definately feel you have a case, if CAB will help I'd carry on. Make it a hobby, or failing that - write it up for your local newspaper - they'll probably love it.

Good luck anyway - and Merry Christmas.

You should write an entry about this awful experience of yours. Remember, h2g2 entries get indexed on Google, conversations don't.



Ste

I'm considering how to do it - I'm thinking of a holiday advice type of thing, including a "one researcher's experiences" type of thing.

Yeah. Or you could do it under "Package Holidays - A Warning". As long as it is explicit it'll be ok. Don't edited guide entries have to be "balanced" though?, you might not be able to submit it, but at least it'll be findable by people who are looking up that company on the web.

Ste

Or even target the specific company - naming names - in question and don't even try to submit it