Update, tried to book same holiday online. Only an extra £50. Cant do this as they will not refund deposit.

Thats seems a little unfair Hydro. I changed my airport once , the girl said at the time that it would be a little cheaper but when I actually received my paperwork it had been treated as a complete new booking using the current prices etc of that day . Im therefore assuming this is the case in your booking .

They stated in the letter that there would be no amendment fee to change flights if the new times were not suitable

that just means they wont be charging you the £25 or whatever per person admin fee . Unfortunately you would probably still have to pay any difference in flight cost.

what department did you speak to . I wouldnt bother with customer services at TC . Try the administration dept or the operations dept and see if you have better luck at keeping that child price . I have a phone number for admin 0871 2302399 or to save the 10p per min call 01274384658 and ask them to put you through. I spoke to customer services last week about making a change . My booking is with Direct holiday (part of TC) but it was still the TC customer services that I had to phone .They couldnt help me and said I would get a call from admin within 24 hours . I asked if they could put me through but was told it would take them 24 hours to give me a new price. I knew that wouldnt happen so put the phone down and rang myself . Hey presto dealt with within 5 mins with new confirmation email. I think if you are lucky and get the right person they would be able to overide the normal system if they felt inclined to do so

I assume you mean you've tried to book the same holiday elsewhere and found it cheaper? Could you explain this to them and hope they'll price match?

You do become rather unstuck when it's a flight change that isn't major as the TO's have in their terms and conditions that flights are subject to change.

dont give up hydo . It's just a matter of getting the right department or the right person

Good news, rang again and got the same run around, no free child place, full refund and additionally a booking amendment fee . I mentioned that I would get in contact with airtours and they offered to contact them. They came back with the alternative departure time we wanted and the holiday is actually 10 quid cheaper. If I had not had persevered it would have been costly.
Glynis it was exactly the same holiday and I see what you mean about it not being a big deal to the tour operator as they are covered by terms and conditions, but it doesn't say much for customer service these days.
You were right lynwestie, keep at em!

Just checked online and everything is as it should be. Thanks everyone for your advice and goodwill.

Excellent news Hydro - enjoy your holiday

Brilliant news hydro. Pleased for you

Well done Hydro- good result. We had the same problem with a skiing holiday, where our flights were changed to horrible times, especially travelling with kids. Same scenario, we could change the flight but it would be a new booking and no free kids places left- they had us over a barrel, we couldn't afford to change. Good to hear that you came out victorious, I know that the tour ops are 'allowed' to do it, but not right that it rarely works in the customer's favour.

Pam

Hi all....just booked package with thomascook to gran caneria in july from manchester....have gone coach...diy...and been part of a big group booking Im not sure weather was diy or package....but Ive never booked a package myself before...flight time change I could cope with.... but really scared they could change the airport....I wouldnt cope with that one....sure I read on HT somewhere that had happened to them....We live in Northwales and it would cost a lot to get to Gatwick which they also use... and I wouldnt know how to start about getting there ....nor could I get the exta time off work that would be needed ....am sure lots would be in the same mess as me...its about time there was an even playing field when it comes to things like this....it should be full refunds if exactly what you ordered cant be delivered...or extra costs born by seller not buyer...

Just me going through my usual pre holiday panics....sure my hol will be perfect

something to think about though....they always quote terms and conditions....the terms and conditions constitute the contract between you and the tour operater/travel agent ....they are planned written and drawn up solely by the tour operator/travel agent for you to sign....and no holiday can be booked unless you do so...

There is a point in law were a contract can be deemed to be unfair.

If it read you can be asked to go the other end of the country to catch your flight when we cant provide the one you booked up the road ....you will have to pay the extra travel expenses yourself ...if you cant afford it you will loose your money and your holiday....no one in there right mind would sign it.....

hydro.....you wrote ......Just checked online and everything is as it should be.....am new to booking hols over net or travel agents .....can u tune me in ...... I had seen a holiday on the thomas cook net site and the shop matched the price....so I booked and paid for it in full from the shop...the final payment was due a week after the deposit so just paid it all.......if you book in the shop is there a way to check your booking online...or can you only do that if you book online

ps... hope hols great

hi Tweetie pie,

I book mine over the phone with TC and pay via internet.

once you have recieved your confirmation letter, at the top should be numbers like this ( yours will be different and these are for exmaple ) 1234 - 1234567891 .... 4 numbders dash 10 numbers ... ( still with me ? )

Go to TC web site. along the top click on " make payment " then page down and under heading " view booking details" there is MY ACCOUNT underlined, click on it and entre your details eg the numbers, the name the booking was made in, and date of holiday etc,
press enter.

your now in your account for your holiday, on the left side you can view your booking details etc, also you can make a payment, etc

even print all this out if you want

This is how i found out my flight had changed 3 times ... only by a few hours not much !!

good luck ... happy holidays

gregg

hi gregg...will try it out...when I first went mooching for this holiday there were 2 hols exactly the same...one was a lot cheaper than the other....the cheaper one had 8pm flight the other had a 7.30am flight....the 8pm hol suited me better as well as being cheaper

...but couldnt make up my mind as kept remembering a post Id read where theyd booked a holiday with an 8pm flight which also had same holiday with 7.30am flight which was more expensive.....and nearer the time had flight time changed to 7.30am ...8pm flight had been canceled ....not only did it mess up plans....but they had to pay extra as morning flight cost more......what annoyed them more was the fact that had they booked the 7.30am flight in the first place it would not have cost then as much extra as they were being asked to pay because 8pm had been canceled ....

I thought about it too long and when went back on site my mind had been made up for me....only the 7.30am option remained.....so I booked it.

me being me then began to wonder what they could change it to ....it looks like there are only 2 flights per day the morning and evening one....as it looked like they transfered people to the more expensive morning flights seemed it wouldnt change to 8pm ....and all them flight seats seemed to have already been filled....they would have to refund the suppliments charged fot the early flight too..

thinking my flights wont change ...or can they

bye the way am flying man to gran caneria in august with thomas cook

Hi,
They can change your flights or mine for that matter as they reserve the right to in the T&C's,

however, if the flights are different numbers they may change the timings, unles one of the flight dont have engough passengers then they might transfer them, saying that, if they are two different flights then there are passengers at the other end that will need to come home !!

I have always book TC, book for last year for 7am departure and it was changed to midday, for this year i booked 7am flight knowing it would move to midday and it did as soon as i got my confirmation later, to midday then it has changed to 10.50am and i have found out it is actually going at 10.40am ... i know its 10 mins early but why ?

As long as they dont change it to a night flight i dont care !!!

I like the night flights gregg....flew both ways with olympic night flights....I sleep most of the way....

Hi Tweetie Pie, I expect you should be able to see your account details online, as Gregg stated. Just thought that I would mention that I booked online and tried to pay some of my outstanding balance at a TC shop, only to be told that I could only pay online or over the phone as the holiday was booked online. Didn't mind as I did it once I got home.
Thought it was a bit odd though. I got word last week that our flight times have changed again, half an earlier so that's OK. Wonder how I would be feeling now, had I backed down and just paid out, just to have them give me back favourable air travel times?
I like leaving early in the morning ie <8:00am.

hi hydro...I only found my hols on the net....I then phoned local thomascook shop who matched the online price....I then booked and paid for it in full over the phone....and then went in shop few days later to sign and pick up paper work...ps have a great time

I check web prices and then phone them to make the booking.

The reason being is that if I made a mistake with the booking on the web then it would be my fault, where as if they took the booking over the phone and it was wrong then i could get it changed free.

First year I went to turkey i booked over the phone, repeatedly asked for residence accommodation at lykia world but when confirmation came thru it stated village accommodation which is cheaper but i had paid more money to stay in residence !! when i phoned they said they would have to listen to the tape recording of me making the booking, they did and they said that i DID ask a few times for residence, so it was their error and changed my booking acordinly, and for FREE !!

so only use TC web pages to check prices etc, do bookings on phone or in one of their shops !!

I understand your caution Gregg, tour operators and hotel management can be slippery customers. In my case I go to the same hotel every year so I know exactly what I want and what should be on the confirmation that I am given before I hit the confirm button. IMHO the important thing is to understand exactly what you want and be satisfied that your confirmation covers your requirements and that you copy or save the confirmation. You can always phone to check while you are online.
Not saying that phoning is not as safe, I just find it easier to understand what I am getting if I can read it. Different strokes and all that.