Travel is a complicated business, so of course travel companies occasionally have to change aspects of a holiday itinerary. But when the change inconveniences a customer, shouldn’t that customer expect something back in return?
That’s the question the reader George Williamson asked recently. Earlier this year, he found a 15-day tour of India with Great Rail Journeys, departing in October. He was told in writing that his flights would be with Virgin Atlantic — an airline that flies direct from London to India — subject to terms and conditions that meant the tour operator was free to change the airline if necessary.
George booked and paid a deposit. He then received a letter from Great Rail Journeys at the end of July, saying that the flight arrangements had indeed been changed. Yet George would not only be flying with a different airline (Etihad), but on a different route — he would now have to change planes in Abu Dhabi.
“I am 72 and have no wish to go by this route,” George wrote. He complained to Great Rail Journeys, which said it could refund him for his flights, leaving him free to book the direct Virgin flights, or rebook him and his travelling companion onto the Virgin flights — for an extra £150 each.
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“I think this is ridiculous,” said George, who asked me to look into his case. I spoke to Nick Thompson, the company’s customer-relations manager. He told me that Great Rail Journeys’ booking conditions state that although the likely carrier will be named at the time of booking, this is subject to change.
He said: “We are careful not to describe any flight as direct unless it is guaranteed that this will be the case.” He added that the new flights meet the brochure description.
Despite this, Thompson has offered to cover half of the cost of booking the Virgin flights, and he has arranged taxi transfers for George as a gesture of goodwill.
A decent offer and a fair outcome, I think.
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■ Jonathan Buck has written to complain about a recent experience on the Heathrow Express from London Paddington.
He is happy to pay the £35 return fare because the 15-minute journey is usually comfortable and reliable. His most recent journey, however, was far from satisfactory: “I was on a train with standing room only, and many passengers were told they could not get on. Apparently, they are running shorter trains.”
Heathrow Express told me the reason for the shorter trains is that it carries out maintenance work on carriages in July and August. It admitted that it occasionally has to restrict passenger numbers so the train manager has room to move through the carriages.
Trains obviously need to be kept up to standard, but that’s not much comfort for holiday passengers who pay one of the highest per-mile rail fares in the world, then have to put up with a substandard summer service.