Complaints re travel agent (thompsons)

[evedawn]

I'd like to complain regarding errors and attitude of a travel agent. (absolutely dismal - don't even get me started!)

I have written a strongly worded letter and need to know:

How long I can legally give them to respond (in writing)

Should I send a copy to a governing body of travel agents? If so who would this be? ATOL?

thanks guys

(Ps - next time i will be booking entire hol ONLINE MYSELF - might as cos i can't **** it up more than the agents did!)

[munchie63]

well, I'm not sure they even have to respond, never mind a timescale.

I had trouble some years back with Cosmos. Minor stuff really, but it did spoil the holiday.
Rep wasn't interested. Wrote to them when I got back.....basically got a letter saying sorry it spoilt your holiday, reps say no other issues on site, hope we enjoy our next holiday with them.
Translated as 'we've had your �2500, screw you'

needless to say, never gave them my custom again

[jno]

don't get your phrases in a tangle here - it sounds as if you're complaining about tour operators rather than travel agents? Travel agents are the shops with lines of brochures on the wall, tour operators publish the brochures and run the holidays. Thomson own travel agencies as well s running the holidays, so it may be both of them let you down, but be sure of where you stand. Broadly, ATOL covers tour operators and ABTA covers agents.

They did it to me once 25 years ago and I wrote them a stiff letter of complaint and demanded a refund of about half the cost of the holiday. They paid up without a squeak, presumably knowing they didn't have a leg to stand on. And I haven't gone back to them.

[Dee Sa]

they wont pay up now, best you can expect is a �50 travel voucher to use on your next holiday with "them", so they cant loose, firstly you might never want to travel with them again and secondly if the holiday goes on "special offer" last minute to put bums on seats then they wont accept your voucher.
For my last complaint the letter read -- we are sending you a �50 voucher etc and they forgot to put the voucher in the letter !!
Once they have your money neither travel agent or tour operator could care less about you.

[bednobs]

i would imagine that they probably work to a policy but i would highly doubt that there is anything in law about this: the laws of the land are probably too busy saying murder and the like is against the law, rather than dealing with peoples holiday niggles!

[netibiza]

I complained to BA about my holidayto Florida, including the flights, after refusing �50 and discount for next holiday several times, (they didn't even fly from Ibiza then) I eventually got �200 in cash back from them and a Pilot teddy bear for daughter, but then having used Iberia the next year, I realised that BA weren't so bad.

[evedawn]

Thanks for all your adivdce - ps bednobs it's not just "holiday niggles" - we are out of pocket for amongst their many errors are:

we paid em up front for car hire - which was never booked! the only way we coudl then hire a car was by paying AGAIN ourselves.

same with the VIP lounge. (paid for in advance but they made an error with the booking)

Same withe airport parking! (paid for in advance but they neverbooked it - despite it being shown on our itinery)

So three things we paid em for in FULL when booking we had to pay for a SECOND time!

Whilst I agree that there are far more serious crimes around would YOU be will to see the handing over of cash twice over as a "holiday niggle" ? Doubt it.

[superbike]

I used to be a Customer Service Manager at a travel agency which meant that I just dealt with complaints. I liaised between passengers and the tour operators who run the holidays.

In my experience, when a passenger writes a letter to the tour operator you can expect to have an acknowledgement within 7 days. You should ask for a full written explanation within 30 days of them receiving your letter.

Tips(no particular order):

1. Check for any information which may help you in the booking conditions which can be found in the back of the brochure. Section called 'Our responsibilities to you' or similar.

2. When you write to them, make sure you know what you want to get back and make it clear in your letter. If they don't know what you want then they will either not make you any offer or it will be minimal.

3. Keep your letter factual and not emotional.

4. Explain that your contract with them included the items and that they have failed to provide these items which you had paid for.

5. Check whether your complaint is with the travel agent (person in the shop who booked your holiday) or the tour operator (company who package the flights, transfers and accomm to sell through the agent.)

6. Don't accept their first offer. They will try to give back the minimum they can so if you are not satisfied then write to them again thanking them for their offer but be firm and clear that you do not find their offer acceptable considering the out of pocket expenses, distress caused and wasted time in reorganising what should have been done in the first place.

I would say that if the extras you paid for appear on your itinerary then the travel agent has booked them for you and the fault therefore lies with the tour operator but I would suggest you go to your agent to ask them for help in making your complaint to the tour operator. Most travel

[superbike]

....agencies will have a procedure in place for dealing with complaints and possibly contacts at the tour op.

Message to DEE SA: I am a very professional travel agent and I resent your vast generalisation that we do not care once we have your money. You may have had a bad experience but please do not assume that we are all the same.

[Bob906]

Nice one superbike you tell em.
But you did fail to say that any receipts that were obtained should accompany any requests for a refund. BUT NOT THE ORIGINALS photo-copy them and send the copies

[evedawn]

superbike and bob those were BRILLIANT bits ofa dvice. thanks a mill!