Mike,
I've looked on tha ABTA website here http://www.abta.com/ and at the top right corner there's a box permitting you to download the Code of Conduct.

I cannot reproduce it here for copyright reasons but clause 1.9 refers to Alteration of Travel Arrangements and implies the member should immed. infor the client of such changes. I don't know if Portland are a travel agent or a tour operator in this instance.

Section 2.2 also describes Sinificant Changes to Trabel Arrangements - and I'd consider your flight times to be a Significant Change. Sub clause (1) suggest the Principal should inform you 14 days (at least) prior to dep. but sub-clause (ii) suggests some form of compensation may apply if these changes are after the Balance Due Date. Once again, sub-clause (iii) muddies the issue by suggesting you should be immed. informed if you have previously had a confirmation.

A bit confusing and very annoying for you.

I guess it depends what you want to do. If you wish to cancel I'd expect the T.O. should permit that with no loss of deposits/monies on your part. If you wish to retain the booking it will depend upon you having paid your final balance - if so, your position is strengthened.

Hope this helps a little.
Mike

Hi MikeFluff the thing with flight times is, that they could indeed change again before your departure date next year.

They may not have informed you quite yet as they too may think these times may change again. If you were to alter your booking at this early stage then the flight times you are now viewing could also be changed again to your advantage. Also if you were to re book at this early stage any flight times you were given for the new holiday could also change before your month of travel.

I would keep my eye on the flight times and review the situation a little nearer the time. When is it you are travelling?

Rather than going to the trouble of going off the site to download the ABTA link you can download it directly from Holidaytruths via HERE

Thanks for that Mike.
What's really peed me off is that on the face of it Portland were going to spring this flight change on me as late as possible. I will now see how long it takes for them to inform me of this change. Unless Portland or an employee reads this, me thinks it will not be soon.

Hi mikefluff
I'm pathetic at links, but if you go to the turkey forum first page, belcekiz beach hotel thread, one of the last posts, from susien is about Portland telling her of a flight change to Dalaman. They agreed to move her to a flight that suited her better free of charge. (I should think so) She was going on a Fri and they moved her to Mon. Of course it only works if you've got a few days leaway.
I'm booked on a Portland hol flying to Dalaman next summer and am waiting to see if I get a flight change letter, perhaps I'd better be pro-active and ring them, but as glynis says they could change again.

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=39120

There you go Mike link to the above for you.

Sarah

Whilst I can understand that you are not very happy to have discovered this information I think to sit back and wait for them to officially tell you is not the thing to do. I agree that there could be further changes and I can see the sense in them waiting until they have confirmation. But what are you going to do if they don't tell you until the week before you go? You need to decide if the change is such that you do not want the holiday under those terms. A bit late in the day to find an alternative. I would suggest you make contact with them now and try to find out if the information is correct. If they deny and subsequently change it then any claim you would have would be strengthened. If they say yes that it is a change then you either accept or ask for a refund, if it is a night flight against day. There is usually extra charged for day flights, or cancel and find another holiday.

fwh

I understand what you are saying FWH hence me asking Mike when he was flying (which unfortunately he hasn't responded to) As my thoughts were if he isn't going until next August for instance then I personally wouldn't change my holiday as yet ie 8 months in advance.

Mikefluff
Although clearly its not the correct procedure, as you have booked an extra person on this holiday and found out about the flight change by default, it crossed my mind that Portland might not even bother to officially tell you, thinking you will have noted it from the paperwork connected with the amended booking. Presumably this has the new flight time on the confirmation.
Would they expect customers just to work it out for themselves?(Sorry, but I haven't got much faith in these company's procedures!)
If so the first time you would 'offically' know is, at best when you pay the balance or at worst when you get your tickets sometime next summer.

Hi, we have travelled with Portland many times and always found them quick to inform of any change they probaly have not had their summer schedule confirmed yet so will wait until then. We travelled with excel last october and they never informed us of a flight change of 10 hours until five days before we went when our tickets arrived, and our return flight was changed by two hours later and not informed at all about that until we got to the airport. Still not heard a valid reason from excel for this!!

On Scheduled flights, the airline is obliged to tell you of any changes (even by 5 minutes!)

On charter flights, we don't often see changes for clients until the tickets arrive - they only tell us if the change is "significant" - which usually means over 12 hours difference.

I discovered a similar change for a client last year when I added on an extra passenger - phoned the tour operator and told them that the client wasn't happy with the change - they explained why the change had happened and were happy to cancel this flight so we could rebook (no cancellation charges). They also tried to find an alternative time for us.

So definitely don't sit back - but do call them. However as has already been mentioned, further changes might happen. Changes happen for all kinds of reasons - all genuine, at this stage - mostly out of the control of the tour operator as well!

The main reason I chose to fly from Norwich was that the flight time was the best, also I was forced to book early (departing late Aug06) to ensure a single room for my son. I paid a heavy suppplement for a day flight from a regional airport, now I feel I am being penalised unfairly. I would classify a 7 hour change as major.
I personally do not think the original flight time was ever there. As far as I am concerned Portland have ripped me off. Holiday companies hide behind small print and bend the rules to their own purposes.

I telephoned Portland to enquire about flight change. Apparantly they have only just been informed of the flight change and are informing customers as I speak. (Does any remember the popular BBC program called Jackanory, don't know what put that thought in my head) It is not their fault you will be pleased to know, the airline they have hired for the charter (Pegasus) have had a slot change. He also informed me that it is in their terms and conditions that this is not a major change.
Don't get me started on the conversation we had after that about what constitutes '7 nights'. (Does anyone remember the Tony Hancock lift sketch '8 persons is 8 persons', don't know what put that thought in my head either)

Mike, the term 'Significant' as in changed flight times is open to interpretation. I would imagine a court might take into account the duration of the holiday - 7 nights suffering a significant change more so than a 14 night holiday - given both have a 7 hour change. But this is just my guess.

As regards loosing a 'night's accommodation at the hotel due to the revised 5:00am arrival time - I sympathise with you on that and can only suggest the following;

Tell Portland that whilst they may be within their rights to change flight times, you booked based upon their published times (at that time) and that constitutes your contract. Should they retain these new times, and in addition, suffer a flight delay such that you arrive late at your resort you will calculate the actual dealy from the originally contracted flight time for compensation purposes regarding loosing a nights accommodation.

Ros Fernihough won my case for refund of a night's accomm. from another tour operator on the basis of our 14.5 hour flight delay. You are delayed 7 so far.

The other suggestion I can make is to check further brochure editions (if your holiday featured in a brochure) and note if the price is now lower reflecting the poor flight times. If there's no brochure issued you will need to check on-line or telephone Portland as if you were enquiring for the first time. Obviously, avoid giving your name/address etc. as their computer systems will then locate your original booking. If there's a price drop demand a refund or cancel and rebook.

Mike