View Full Version : Thomson/First Choice Luggage allowances, grrrrr
Having booked to go to Sharm with First Choice, we just did as advised on the website & phoned to inform them that we were bringing dive equipment.
According to the website we should be able to take an additional 10kg free of charge on production of a current dive qualification.
We were informed that First Choice no longer operate the airline & that all flights are with Thomsons & that their allowance is only 5kg.
We've flown with both of them in the last 18 months & this was never an issue previously because FC worked on an allowance of 20kg plus 10kg, whereas Thomsons worked on an allowance of 25kg plus 5kg. i.e. no difference.
Unfortunately the FC tickets still carry their standard allowance of 20kg & haven't changed to match Thomsons.
B.......y robbers!
I'm taking it up with them by phone & email so watch this space.
Nigel N
Having booked to go to Sharm with First Choice, we just did as advised on the website & phoned to inform them that we were bringing dive equipment.
According to the website we should be able to take an additional 10kg free of charge on production of a current dive qualification.
We were informed that First Choice no longer operate the airline & that all flights are with Thomsons & that their allowance is only 5kg.
We've flown with both of them in the last 18 months & this was never an issue previously because FC worked on an allowance of 20kg plus 10kg, whereas Thomsons worked on an allowance of 25kg plus 5kg. i.e. no difference.
Unfortunately the FC tickets still carry their standard allowance of 20kg & haven't changed to match Thomsons.
B.......y robbers!
I'm taking it up with them by phone & email so watch this space.
Nigel N
If it is still on their web site take a print/screen grab of it now before they change it. If you booked from the web site then that forms part of the description and you are entitled to be supplied with what was described (Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, summary here http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/consumers/fact-sheets/page38337.html)
The check in desk of almost all charter airlines are run by service agents.
That means they havnt got the authorisation to do anything but whats
on the rule book in front of them.
A website or brochure has a disclaimer that gets the company out of
anything they say on it.
So .................
You email the customer services (you might have to be persistent) and get
an official reply confirming any allowance that applies to THAT FLIGHT on THAT DAY.
Armed with this you keep it in your bag and ONLY in the case of an argument
do you produce it.
I've had to do this twice now and it definatley works because you've got it
in writing and they cant dispute its right.
I'm not sure if its still the case, but you used to be able to prebook additional excess allowance - at a cost. This is far cheaper than being charged at the at the airport, if you are still struggling for weight allowance it may be a more cost effective option than just hoping you'll get a way with it on the day.
Gareth
http://www.firstluggage.com/ tho it doesnt appear to do egypt
its a Pain i know but you could just use this lot or even try FEDEX or DHL yourself if you are shipping larger items.
also do copy the webpage to disk and email them as you have booked a package that allows the extra weight allowance and they are obliged to ensure that you do not have to pay extra to cover it despite them choosing to change carriers.
tragicaly for some reason your rights as a consumer are ignored by airlines
you pay for a hiliday which is described as XYZ package with ABC times like happened to me
i had a holiday booked which was a 7 night stay but the flight times game me 9 full days in resort (4.30 am flight out and 9pm flights back) which was great and it was booked under those flight times which is what i paid for (in full in cash) they then change the flights 2 weeks prior to the holiday to a 7.54 PM flight out arriving in resort at 1130 ish allowing for transfers and pick up in resort at 4.30 AM thus axing 2 whole days from the trip. the original flights were stiill flying with the same carrier but it was an "overbooking" error apparantly and they "had" to change us as we were just a couple not a larger booking, with ofcourse no right to cancel and go elsewhere as its too late to get a refund.
so instead of my right to a refund as part of a retail sale due to them failing toi provide what was paid for your not allowed anything.
They seem to be retreating.
My sister, who is holidaying with us but flying out the next day, has had a reply to her own enquiry to First Choice by email.
It would now appear that we can take the 10kg as detailed in the FC website, even though it's at odds with Thomson Airlines allowances.
Hopefully they'll also reply to our email soon.
But we'll be taking paper copies of everything anyway.
Once they get their websites synchronised though, it could be a different matter.
I was kept on hold, trying to get through to FC/Thomsons for so long today that eventually, when I did get connected the cordless phone battery died.
I was supposedly being put through to the 'Holiday Line Team' but somehow ended up at 'Web Support'.
The Web Support advisor was actually very helpful but not in a position to make an immediate decision on the matter. She did however, offer to go & find out more if possible & also sent me a brief email with her contact details shortly after the phone died.
So far her investigation has revealed that nearly all the flights to Sharm are on FC planes, operating within the Thomson Airline umbrella (both FC planes & TA planes now operate with TOM flight numbers) & will almost certainly honour the allowances made on the website. The only problem would arise if it's a TA plane & that's when all the print-offs will be needed.
Good, innit?
Maria CM
11-05-2009, 20:06
I feel for you....
I have this hatred that can quickly start to overwhelm me when faced with airports and airlines.
Hope you get all your print-outs OK and get to really enjoy waving them at some officious little twerp. It will of course, be absolutely no fun if they just let it all go through with no query at all after all this effort.
best wishes,
Maria
Yay! Sorted.
After being bounced from 'holiday provider' to 'airline provider' and back several times we were put through to someone whose role probably didn't include customer compaints & queries (they did web stuff) but who got stuck in anyway.
Result, an email confirming we would get the allowances we asked for.
Nice one Lynsey H.! You're a star.
(and we've told FC that too)
Nigel N
I noticed today that on both FC and Thomson websites that the standard allowance has been changed to 20kg with an additional 5kg for diving equipment.
(FC originally 20+10, Thomson 25+5 - plus 5kg hand luggage for both)
That means a reduction in overall allowance of 5kg to divers since we went last year. At least they haven't abandoned the extra allowance completely like some.
However the next trip, if there is one, will need some serious thought about packing & what to take.
TBH i'm amazed that First Choice customers have got away with it.
Tui is 5kg, First Choice 10Kg.
Tui buys FC, so logic says FC becomes 5kg.
I suspect they were running a lead-in time to ensure any existing bookings
were ok, but they seem to have been very generous time-wise.
No-one was getting away with anything,Terry.
Before this the total you could carry on both FC and TUI was 30kg. (see above).
It's only now that they've reduced to 25kg.
No-one was getting away with anything,Terry.
Before this the total you could carry on both FC and TUI was 30kg. (see above).
It's only now that they've reduced to 25kg.
Checking my emails for comfirmed allowances from Tui.
(Without searching discs, my archive starts 2006).
Trips with Tui using Thomsom planes:
Dec 06, Jan 07, Nov 07, Dec 07, Feb 08, Dec 08, Jan 09.
All state 20kg in suitcase boosted to 25kg on production of a diver card.
I've no idea what FC did prior to Tui taking them over, but for way before
2006 its always been 20kg + 5kg for divers with Tui.
Strange.
We went on a Thomsons package last Easter, before using FC in September ( after being beggared about by XL). That's where our figures came from.
Whatever. They're all reducing the allowance & it probably won't stop there.
FoxRacer
14-05-2009, 21:36
You don't get anything for free with Thomas Cook!
Diver@50
23-05-2009, 21:46
I am off to Egypt in June 2 weeks diving:cool: 1 week in Hurghada, and 1 week live aboard Blue o'Two:) :) I'm flying with Viking, got a 25 kilo allowance, and purchased an extra 10kilos at £30 each way. Seems good to me:) :)
Mike Halligan
30-05-2009, 17:13
I am off to Egypt in June 2 weeks diving:cool: 1 week in Hurghada, and 1 week live aboard Blue o'Two:) :) I'm flying with Viking, got a 25 kilo allowance, and purchased an extra 10kilos at £30 each way. Seems good to me:) :)
Blue o'Two and Viking worked for me in February. Customer service excellence in both cases. :D :D :D
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