first choice pulling flights

by **joolz** on Sun Mar 21, 2004 8:20 pm

while in work today i was checking a minor detail on my parents holiday booking to menorca when i noticed that the departure airport had been altered from cardiff to bristol. we have had no notification from First Choice about this and they are travelling on 3rd may! the flight goes out of bristol at 06.15 and there is absolutely no public transport to get them there for a 04.00 check-in. i rang First Choice who said that they would be sending a letter out in the next week or so!!! they also advised that compensation would be �10pp!!! this wouldnt even cover the cost of petrol and the toll for the Severn Bridge not to mention the cost of parking and the incovenience of getting to this airport.
although i work in travel and see this kind of thing on a regular basis it always leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. now my parents have the option of amending, cancelling or staying in bristol the night before at their own expense. I wil be away that week on a course so cant take them. I am so annoyed as my mum has been recovering from a course of chemotherapy and has looked forward to this holiday for the past year that it has been booked. as the travel agent who booked this holiday, the very least i would have expected would have been a courtesy call from FC so that i could let my customers know this, not for me to have to discover this while generally looking at the booking on their system!
sorry to vent my spleen on you all but i just had to tell someone. and by the way, i havent even told my parents yet!! i will let you all know the outcome after my further discussions with FC.

by **HW Jan.C** on Mon Mar 22, 2004 12:42 pm

I think First Choice need a lesson in common curtesy to customers.It is really bad form, send the letter and duck. :tongue:

by **joolz** on Mon Mar 22, 2004 8:36 pm

i will certainly be taking this up with first choice customer service department and giving them a piece of my mind! i will let you know how i go!

by **Angellore** on Sat May 08, 2004 10:32 pm

As a fellow travel agent I agree with you that this sucks, and I hate having to pass the bad news onto customers, however, it is in the terms and conditions of the booking so getting anything out of the operatoer is nigh on impossible

I personally find that MyTravel are the worse for making last minute changes.

by **joolz** on Sun May 09, 2004 10:35 am

yes it is on the terms and conditions that a flight time change (minor) can be made but if another aiport is offered then free canx must also be offered. which is what we have done! good old thomson then rebooked them from cardiff, same hotel, about �55 more. another booking lost to first choice. but in their favour i have to say that their customer service member of staff that i cancelled with was extremely good and very helpful.