Flight times changed aarrrrghh!

[LiliLil]

I know there’s nothing that can be done, I know it’s in their T&C’s that flights are subject to change but it’s so bloody frustrating.

Booked a holiday with 2pm flights, meaning we’d arrive at the hotel early evening, have some food and relax, we have two children.

We now fly at 9pm so will arrive closer to 3am, miss a full evening of our holiday and the kids will be exhausted.

To change airports will cost £1000, we’ve scrimped as it is for our first holiday abroad as a family so this isn’t an option.

I’m so pissed off!

It’s been mostly paid, only a small amount left to pay.

I have had a quick look for other holidays but nothing caught my eye, it took weeks to find this one. I’m going to make a coffee and have a good look now.

Ah, if it's jet2 then they don't class anything under 12 hours a significant change.

Whereas Ryanair are 3 hours and Thomson 5

Easyjet changed our return flight from mid morning on Thursday meaning we would be home late afternoon to Saturday evening meaning we'll be home the wee hours of Sunday so more than 3 days later! Only 2 flights a week so the only alternative was to cut 2 days off the holiday.

All travel agents have different conditions. Sometimes due to their fault or an issue getting you into the Country out of everyone's control, they'll refund in full or let you book further in the future. If you cancel completely with the agent yourself they can keep your deposit. As you have paid off more, I'm not sure what their procedures are.

To cancel the holiday yourself you'll have to go through your insurance company. This is a pain as you need to have a valid reason not to fly, depending on your insurance company they only reimburst for medical reasons or a death. Most of the time you will loose your deposit.

If it were me, I'd look at changing the dates, they won't have printed your tickets yet so changes can be made. I know you said you can't add on the day before as it's more expensive but what about changing to further in Sept? Or if you can find another holiday that they are selling and ask to transfer what you have paid them, hard I know when you have your heart set on something.

Unfortunately you will always be up against flights changing. The more flights an airline have going out in one day the more chances of flight changes.

Or to save yourself any more stress, go with what the changes are. Try bring what you can food and drink wise from the airport to your accommodation, check online if there's any 24 hr supermarkets (not sure where you're going). Or if there's absolutely nothing open, arrange with your accommodation some bottled water. Chances are you'll all be tired and will hopefully fall asleep.

who did you book through

Booked through TUI

Dammit, major change is now over 12 hours, definitely used to be a lot less. Sorry OP, that's really rubbish. Charter flight times are usually pretty stable especially if the flight has been operating a few years. Unless it's a case of them consolidating two flights because of insufficient bookings.

Thank you, I think that is what’s happened.

They have offered a full refund thankfully!

Can remember that flight times were the main factor when booking holidays when the kids were young .
I would be furious TBH . It never occurred to me the flight times would change!

Why have they changed? My flight last week was changed due to the French air traffic controllers strike, and again on the way back. My fight for 5.40pm was at 9.30pm, got to hotel at 1am, night mare! Then a 9.00 flight was changed to 1pm. Did get an easyJet food voucher though!

This has just happened to us with TUI. I've just read your update that they offered you a full refund, how did you get them to agree to that?

Our outbound flight was changed from 6am to 2pm, but the flight home is at the original time, so we are effectively losing a day of our holiday.

They refuse to do anything as its under 12 hours. The only option was the pay the full amendment fee but we fly on Monday so this was £££!

So annoyed, will never fly with TUI again

They haven’t given a reason.

The response I got was that as my flight had changed to an evening flight from a day flight I could either choose an alternative holiday/flight but pay any additional cost, or have a full refund.

@Backtonormalatlast exactly! Our daughter suffers from anxiety and hates change, it causes her to meltdown. She would not cope with being so tired and out of routine, the flight times were the only reason we chose this holiday.

That's brilliant. So happy for you. Very decent of the agent. Hopefully you find something just as good if not better.

Thank you so much 😊

@Rachaelrachael I contacted them on Facebook, this was what I got back.

I’d take the full refund tbh if you are able to go off peak

presumably the return flight is now past midnight. That would piss me off even more as you’d have ti check out at 11am and hang around for 12 hours. Nah.

Good luck finding something more suitable. You will do. Algarve is lovely and usually has lots of flight choices.

@StillWantingADog the return flight hasn’t changed…yet! But means we are in effect losing almost a day of the holiday.

I hate holiday shopping, it’s so stressful but I think we’ll take the refund and start from scratch.

@StillWantingADog ill check out the Algarve thank you!

Also the weather there in September is just lush

That's so good that you found someone helpful! I messaged on FB, called a few times and spoke to our local shop and all they did was quote T&Cs. One person even said 'if we did it for you, we'd have to do it for everyone' 🙄
I'd take the refund and book with another company.