On The Beach - anyone else used this awful travel agent?

bookworm1982 · 2022-03-25T09:28:15+00:00

We've booked a 4k holiday with them in June and all was fine until we just looked at our booking as saw that they changed our flights to the day before! We're meant to be flying Saturday to Saturday as that's when our hotel is booked, but they've changed our flights to the Friday to Friday without consulting us or explaining why. The worst part is that they will not respond to any of my messages via Facebook (seems to be the only way to contact them), and I've been messaging them constantly for a week! I'm so stressed and upset, I think we've been had by this company. Anyone else had problems? And if so how can I contact them?? Anyone know who I could report them to? I have no idea where to start. Thank you xxx

Lockheart · 25/03/2022 09:31

Are you 100% certain you didn't book the wrong flights? Do you have any confirmation that they were Saturday flights? It would be supremely unusual for them to change the flights and not tell you.

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 09:34

Of course, 100% certain. We have the original booking details. No question whatsoever. They changed them last week.

OP posts:

SilverHairedCat · 25/03/2022 09:36

On the Beach don't change the flights, it's the airline... Who are you flying with?

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 25/03/2022 09:39

Travel agents don't set the flights do they? Have you tried speaking to the airline, if there's not a daily flight it may be that there's no other option

But obvioulsy that's no excuse for not having a customer service department at on the beach

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 09:40

It doesn't matter who changed them. The fact is they've been changed without consulting us and more importantly, I cannot speak to a single person at On The Beach to ask what's going on. For all I know it's a mistake/blip on their system, and we are still flying on the Saturday, but I need to speak to someone there to check this. Just no way of contacting them!

OP posts:

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 09:41

@AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair

Travel agents don't set the flights do they? Have you tried speaking to the airline, if there's not a daily flight it may be that there's no other option

But obvioulsy that's no excuse for not having a customer service department at on the beach

I hear what you're saying and I will try the airline, but On The Beach are the travel agent who we booked everything with, so they're the ones I need to speak to

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Lockheart · 25/03/2022 09:41

@bookworm1982

It doesn't matter who changed them. The fact is they've been changed without consulting us and more importantly, I cannot speak to a single person at On The Beach to ask what's going on. For all I know it's a mistake/blip on their system, and we are still flying on the Saturday, but I need to speak to someone there to check this. Just no way of contacting them!

Why don't you try calling the airline?

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 09:42

I will try the airline xx

OP posts:

Lockheart · 25/03/2022 09:43

@bookworm1982

I will try the airline xx

At least that way you'll get confirmation whether it's a blip or not, and you can go from there. Good luck!

Peppapigforlife · 25/03/2022 09:44

You could also contact the hotel directly to see if your booking has been moved to the Friday as well.

Bunty55 · 25/03/2022 09:45

OP. After having seen those dreadful adverts on the TV with the 'Matilda' family, I would not touch them with a barge pole. I'm sorry you chose them for your holiday.

Crazycatlady83 · 25/03/2022 09:46

I have never booked with them OP but that's really poor of them! I can understand why you are annoyed! Some people can't just change a holiday day back by one day and to not even mention it, is unbelievable! Whoever changed it, your contract is with On the Beach so they are responsible for telling you!

I hope you get it sorted!

CremeEggThief · 25/03/2022 09:48

Going back a few years now, but we had 2 or 3 holidays with them and everything went to plan.

Look really carefully at all the small print and you might find a contact number in there somewhere. Companies really don't seem to like having a visible phone number now! I had to do this when I had an issue with PayPal and I eventually came across a customer services number I could only ring from a landline🙄, but it was there, hidden away!

GlitteryGreen · 25/03/2022 09:49

Oh wow, I have often booked with them and never had an issue, this has put me off for this year! Hope you get an answer.

TippledPink · 25/03/2022 09:50

I booked with them in the past, never again! There is no way contacting them other than Facebook and their message centre, they take over a week to get back to you! You can't speak to an actual person, it is the worst customer service ever. I ended up calling the airline and hotel directly to find out if my booking was still in place or was cancelled, Onthebeach got back to me 2 days into my holiday, too late by then!

Lockheart · 25/03/2022 09:52

Yes, their website does say a contact number is included on your booking confirmation. Check it carefully!

Comfortableatlast · 25/03/2022 09:55

British Airway changed our seats because they hadn't sold many seats in Club, just checked and our original seats are now available, I have changed them back. It is the little things in life.

Anyway I found this number.

Alternatively, if you would like to book over the phone then please call our Sales team on 0161 509 3700.

SynchroSwimmer · 25/03/2022 09:57

When researching prior to doing a number of recent bookings post covid/lockdown I checked out a good number of travel companies that I would previously have used on Trustpilot.

The reviews on there are very telling, both for this company and others that I have used in the past. The warnings there were sufficient for me not to even consider booking with them now.
Would advise anyone to check reviews on Trustpilot before making bookings.

Lockheart · 25/03/2022 09:59

@SynchroSwimmer

When researching prior to doing a number of recent bookings post covid/lockdown I checked out a good number of travel companies that I would previously have used on Trustpilot.

The reviews on there are very telling, both for this company and others that I have used in the past. The warnings there were sufficient for me not to even consider booking with them now.
Would advise anyone to check reviews on Trustpilot before making bookings.

On the beach has a 4.5 star / excellent rating...

uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.onthebeach.co.uk

Comfortableatlast · 25/03/2022 10:00

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03162982/officers

You could try tweeting some of these, if you don't get a satisfactory answer from the phone number.

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 10:02

Thanks everyone. There is a number on the booking confirmation, but when you call it it never puts you through to an actual person, just tells you to select an option and that option tells you to refer to their q&a on the website, etc. It's beyond frustrating.

And the sales number I have also tried - just says offices are closed no matter what time I call it. But I will keep trying

My understanding of this company is if things go smoothly, and there are no problems, then they are fine to use. But the minute there's a issue be it flights changes or cancelled hotels or refunds, they are a nightmare!

OP posts:

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 10:03

@SynchroSwimmer

When researching prior to doing a number of recent bookings post covid/lockdown I checked out a good number of travel companies that I would previously have used on Trustpilot.

The reviews on there are very telling, both for this company and others that I have used in the past. The warnings there were sufficient for me not to even consider booking with them now.
Would advise anyone to check reviews on Trustpilot before making bookings.

They have a good rating on trust pilot which is hard to believe right now

OP posts:

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 10:03

@Comfortableatlast

find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03162982/officers

You could try tweeting some of these, if you don't get a satisfactory answer from the phone number.

Thank you c

OP posts:

Gowithme · 25/03/2022 10:03

Flights on Fridays are probably cheaper as everyone wants to fly on a Saturday so they've probably shunted you off on a cheaper flight. Shocking of them to do that to you.

The website says....
If you need to speak to someone in our contact centre, please check your booking paperwork for our customer service telephone number

If you can't get hold of someone then then I would try the sales team - they might be more likely to answer if they think they might be getting a sale.....
Alternatively, if you would like to book over the phone then please call our Sales team on 0161 509 3700.

Original poster

bookworm1982 · 25/03/2022 10:04

@Crazycatlady83

I have never booked with them OP but that's really poor of them! I can understand why you are annoyed! Some people can't just change a holiday day back by one day and to not even mention it, is unbelievable! Whoever changed it, your contract is with On the Beach so they are responsible for telling you!

I hope you get it sorted!

Exactly! And thank you!

OP posts: