Hi, how far did you get? Their website is offering holidays in Sri Lanka for January 2013 and I did get as far as the point where you started entering the presonal details of passengers etc for specific package without any problems. Perhaps it was just a temporary glithc on their website at the tiome you tried?

SM

I've tried for 2 weeks now on H&J. It refuses to quote every time saying "website problem"
Today I phoned H&J
- the nice helpful young lady there found she couldn't even access Sri Lanka for January 2013 on their own systems.
I've been promised a call back when they find the problem.

Mercury website doesn't go to 2013 at all yet. But I've phoned them and asked for a callback also.

I have just checked on the H&J website and got a good choice of holiday results to Sri Lanka for January 2013 and similar to SMa I could go as far as booking a holiday if I had wished

Is the difference perhaps that Kiltman and I were looking at packages and you've been trying to put a dynamic, bespoke booking in place ukbill?

SM

Thanks for your assistance folks.
I tried multiple times again now - everywhich way in I could think of - and the same result.
Website gets to "finalising results" - thinks for a VERY long time - then gives up and says "website problem"
And now I think I sussed it!
CFNS !
It's the Cold Frozen North Syndrome again.
Going out of Heathrow - yes website OK, Holidays offered (though Jet via Mumbai - yuk!)
Try for Manchester or Newcastle or (speak really quietly) even Glasgow?
What the heck are strange Northerners trying to go abroad for anyway?
The don't need exotic travel - just stick to Benidorm guys.
Guess they may get around to us later.

Ah yes I see the problem now Bill, how stupid of you (or I) to even dream of flying from anywhere else than from the centre of the whole tourist universe that is London

(speak really quietly) even Glasgow?

Us lot up here wouldn't know what to do if the travel or flight industry gave us somewhere exotic to fly to, I can just here the decision makers saying 'Spain or Crete that will do them up there' , no offence to either but it does annoy me the limited availability we have and the arrogance of the travel companies.

I hate the way Thomson tells us when there are no flights available - 'We don't fly to ????? from Glasgow, however we fly from other Scottish airports' and then proceed to bring up Manchester flights
Hello Thomson, I know we own Doncaster but I don't think Manchester is a Scottish airport unless my Geography is really poor

I hope you get it sorted Bill although J&H being part of Tui who own Thomson I think thee will be forced to pick up thee bags and go to the Tourist Metropolis.

I do have to wonder whether the "powers that be" watch this site!

Yesterday I was complaining about the non-availability of H&J and Mercury packages to Sri Lanka in 2013.
I'd been trying to book on their websites for many weeks, with no success.
(And I added a little moan about things available for deep south Sassenachs denied to the cold frozen North.)

Today I tried again.
AMAZING! Mercury Direct is now providing Sri Lanka quotes way into 2013 (including the frozen North on Emirates),
AND the H&J website is now providing quotes for Newcastle (and even Glasgow!!)departures in Jan 2013 to Sri Lanka.
(though they still do require connection through the tourist mecca of Heathrow and don't offer Emirates yet)

So an amazing coincidence that I posted here after weeks of trying, and the very next day something changed!