Bugsy Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Just back home from a trip to london. A birthday present from our eldest daughter to my wife. We flew from Poitiers to Stansted on Wednesday, pre-booked hotel, evening meal and a show. "We will Rock You" at the Dominion theatre. That's the good bit, excellent show (all the music of Queen), really nice hotel, the Copthorne Tara, and a good meal at the Raddison. Well good apart from buying two glasses of wine and being charged £9.00. (french wine prices do spoil you a bit)Where it all went wrong is on our return to Stansted on Thursday. We arrived at check-in, presented our booking reference and were promptly told it was booked for the wrong day. "It will not be a problem" we were told, "just go to the ticket sales and they will amend your flight, and we have lots of space on this flight."Presented our selves to the ticket office, "No problem sir, that will be £460.00". My response can easily be imagined. "I can book you on tomorrows flight and that will be £119.00". We had no choice, as they wouldn't budge, so I paid for a flight on the following day. We then spent the next 18 hours enjoying the delights of being stranded at the airport until a six-fortyfive flight this morning.Now I know it was down to us, the booking made by my daughter was wrong.I did expect to have to pay for a change of flight.I am struggling with two aspects though, why such a high charge and why, having paid an additional £119.00, could we not simply have been allowed to board a plane that had space for us on it.Budget airline.................................... now, if there was only a choice..............[:@] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Ouch. Why on earth didn't they print the flight time and date alongside the booking reference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 2, 2007 Author Share Posted March 2, 2007 They did Cass, and my daughter sent it to us with a detailed itinery and we didn't think to check the dates of the flights. That part is down to us, but the rest is pure trauma.Anyway tomorrow is another day, and it won't appear on my credit card for another month..................[:D]I am very tired....................[8-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I still can't see how they can justify the extra cost being so high. Or why they could not put you on the plane that you turned up for, for that same price. They wouldn't have to rehook the plane up to the fuel tanker or anything, would they? How heavy are you? [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 I'm not defending it, but it's how budget carriers work. There is almost always a premium, and probably an amendment fee as well, for late changes and last-minute bookings. I assume as you mentioned Stansted it was a budget airline? I quite agree that what you were asked to pay sounds excessive and it's totally ridiculous if there was space available when you wanted to go. But it's the downside of cheap flights, ferry crossings etc.I know you said you had no choice - but really, who needs British Airways, Air France, Brittany Ferries etc and all of the talk of monopolies, 'pirates' and 'extortion' when the cheapies behave like that?Still, I'm really pleased you enjoyed the rest of your trip, sounds like a wonderful treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 A friend and I once missed a B.A. flight (don't ask!) booked via airmiles, and B.A. staff were really great. They said they would try to get us on the evening flight which was by then pretty full, this they managed and apologised because they couldn't seat us together. No extra charge either. Bugbear,Just remember the good bits, as for the bad bits well in the end it's only money, it comes and it goes and shrouds do not come with pockets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Had an amendable crossing with SeaFrance booked for last Saturday. We could not make the actual sailing that we had booked and turned up at Calais and went to rebook the crossing.Now the conditions say that you will need to pay a fee and the difference in fares.When I went into the office and approached one of the agents, all I could detect was the very strong smell of alcohol.Firstly, my booking was changed to one that had already sailed (confirmed my suspicions) and then to the next actual sailing.However, the good thing was that I was not asked to pay more.As for the airlines, at times budget airlines are most certainly not budget - 'in a fix are we Sir, then it will cost you dear'.Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 The only time that happened to me was when somebody at work booked a ticket for me flying out on the wrong date and I didn't notice until I arrived at the airport. That was with Finnair, and they changed it instantly - no charge. Subsequently I have turned up at Portsmouth on occasions and asked Brittany Ferries to change my ticket to the next crossing. Not only have they never charged me for making the change, but I usually get a refund because it is a cheaper crossing. I suppose it must prove something, even if only how O'Leary managed to build up his reputed 500million€ fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceni Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 Thanks, Bugbear, as long as there are people like you the rest of us will get our REALLY cheap flights.[kiss]Johnnot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugsy Posted March 2, 2007 Author Share Posted March 2, 2007 [quote user="Iceni"]Thanks, Bugbear, as long as there are people like you the rest of us will get our REALLY cheap flights.[kiss][/quote]All contributions to my next credit card bill gratefully received.................................[:D][:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verviale Posted March 2, 2007 Share Posted March 2, 2007 You can understand why they do not want to sell last minute tickets cheap as it would encourage people to just buy last minute, but for a genuine mistake and the fact they had a stack of seats empty, would you not think they could use their disgression, just to give out a bit of feel good factor for the airline,instead the result is bugbear having been left feeling ripped off,and letting all of us know about it ,yet another bit of negativity for the airline,I think they need to be a bit more understanding, and bugbear would have been on here singing there praises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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