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Original poster

Girls holiday advice

39 replies

Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 16:13

Hi... looking for some advice if anyone been in this situation. Booked a girls holiday for 6 due to go away in a few weeks. I’m lead passenger. Holiday is all paid. Unfortunately 2 of the girls (sisters) father passed away suddenly and they are unable to make the holiday. As I am lead passenger I contacted Thomas cook to explain situation and asked if their names should be removed etc. Thomas cook have said to do this they need to cancel the whole holiday (non refundable) and we would need to book it all again with no guarantee of getting same dates, hotel etc. We have all booked time off work and organised childcare. Also we would need to go through insurance to get our money back as we have to start whole process and pay again!!! I told Thomas cook just to leave it for now. My question is... if we turn up on day and just say the girls have fallen ill suddenly will we still be able to get on flight without penalty charges etc? We are flying with Ryan air. Thanks in advance for any help!

OP posts:
Hecateh · 17/06/2019 16:19

They need to claim on their holiday insurance. If they haven't got holiday insurance then, sad as it is, really they still have to pay

If the girls don't book in at the airport that's the end of it - their seats are paid for the airline don't care if they use them or not.

katieviney · 17/06/2019 16:25

do you have anyone else who could take their place and pay an extra charge for name change.

Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 16:26

Yes we aren’t looking to get their money back as we know it’s non refundable. Just checking it would still be ok for us to just go ahead and say at airport they’ve fallen ill as we are all on same ticket and Thomas cook won’t take their names off without cancelling full trip and then we would have to book it all again which is a lot of hassle at short notice.

OP posts:
justbeniceplease · 17/06/2019 16:31

Why do you want to pretend they are ill? The people who are there can travel.

Why are you flying with Ryanair of your holiday is with Thomas cook? Have you actually booked a package or have you booked separated?

Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 16:38

Thomas Cook have said they can’t remove name from the holiday, the full holiday would have to be cancelled and rebooked for the 4 remaining passengers with no guarantee of getting same dates and we have all already booked the dates off work so this isn’t an option we want to risk. Therefore that is why I am wondering if I just leave booking as it is, and say they have fallen ill on the day when I arrive at airport will it be ok? Sorry, obviously didn’t make this clear in opening thread.
Nope all booked through Thomas Cook, they use a range of airlines for their city breaks.

OP posts:
yearinyearout · 17/06/2019 16:41

If two of them don't turn up, they aren't going to tell the rest of you you can't travel. You just tell them at the desk they aren't able to come and that's the end of it.

justbeniceplease · 17/06/2019 16:42

You don't have to tell them anyone is ill. You can travel. I don't understand why you think you need to cancel and rebook. Your holiday is booked. Just turn up.

Thomas cook don't put you on Ryanair.

justbeniceplease · 17/06/2019 16:43

Sorry ignore re Ryanair my error.

GreenTulips · 17/06/2019 16:46

Yes just turn up

DD was unable to come with us one year and I just told the airline desk she wasn’t flying

No problems there

RedWineAllMine · 17/06/2019 16:47

Holiday is booked and paid for. It doesn't effect the rest of you if the other 2 girls don't get on the flight or don't go on the holiday. You can still holiday without them.

Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 16:50

@justbeniceplease Don’t understand why you think I would make it up off the top off my head... been on the phone to Thomas cook all afternoon and that is what I’ve been told. Hence the reason I am on here asking for advice. And I 100% assure you, I have booked through Thomas Cook and we are flying with Ryan Air. Not sure why you seem to think I’d be making random stuff up.

@yearinyearout thanks that’s what I was hoping someone would tell me!

OP posts:
Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 16:51

@GreenTulips @RedWineAllMine thank you both, this is what I was hoping would be the case!

OP posts:
justbeniceplease · 17/06/2019 16:52

Don’t understand why you think I would make it up off the top off my head... been on the phone to Thomas cook all afternoon and that is what I’ve been told. Hence the reason I am on here asking for advice. And I 100% assure you, I have booked through Thomas Cook and we are flying with Ryan Air. Not sure why you seem to think I’d be making random stuff up.

I don't think you are making anything up. My mistake re the airline, posted that straight away.

My point was why are you trying to get the names taken off on the first place? Yes I know TC will tell you to cancel and rebook if you want to remove name: but it isn't necessary. You can travel without doing this.

At no point have I accused you of making anything up Hmm

RedWineAllMine · 17/06/2019 16:53

I'm baffled as to why Thomas Cook didn't just say this 💁🏻‍♀️
No need whatsoever to cancel the holiday to loose all of your money to then re book. It's scandalous

justbeniceplease · 17/06/2019 16:53

In fact I said exactly the same as the posters you have thanked!

RedWineAllMine · 17/06/2019 16:55

Enjoy your holiday! I'm jealous 😎

Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 17:01

@justbeniceplease ‘I don't understand why you think you need to cancel and rebook. Your holiday is booked. Just turn up.’
I didn’t just think anything, I was told this by Thomas cook today when I phoned. Hence the reason I have came on here to ask for advice. I said all this in my opening thread. I didn’t just pluck this idea out of thin air.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 17:02

@RedWineAllMine thank you, slightly less panicked now Smile

OP posts:
justbeniceplease · 17/06/2019 17:06

Honestly I was trying to help. I said what the others said. Just turn up. What I mean by not understanding was why you called them in the first place.

But I shall leave it there/. I posted with the best intentions and you seem to have taken offence.

Enjoy your holiday.

Allhailthesun · 17/06/2019 17:09

I think Thomas Cook were just answering your question. The problem was you were asking the wrong question!
It should have been - if we are two people down dors it affect our booking rather than “what happens if we want to remove two people from our booking”.
If you are expecting to get money back/pay less because there is 4 not 6 of you then you’re out of luck. That will be up to insurance to cover,

Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 17:13

I think it’s pretty obvious I phoned because I have never been in this situation before. Then when I was told this information by Thomas cook I was worried and looking for advice from someone who had maybe been in same situation.
Maybe you should look at the way you word things if you do not want it to be taken the wrong way... questioning why I was flying with Ryan air (when that really has nothing to do with it anyway) just seems like you were trying to pick faults when I was just looking for advice. Sorry if I took it the wrong way, thanks for your help.

OP posts:
UrsulaPandress · 17/06/2019 17:16

Sheesh. Calm down.

Original poster
Lyn276 · 17/06/2019 17:16

@Allhailthesun yes not looking for any money back, that’s the last thing on the girls mind at the moment! We all paid our equal share so doesn’t make a difference to the rest of us!! You’re probably right, I maybe just asked wrong question and got an answer I didn’t want!

OP posts:
justbeniceplease · 17/06/2019 17:18

I wasn't going to reply but I literally posted an apology re the Ryanair thing ONE minute after my post. So less than 60 seconds. I wasn't trying to make you out to be anything. Stop trying to make it out to be something it's not.

My advice was the same as the people you thanked, which was just turn up.

Fuck knows what your problem is.

LizzieMacQueen · 17/06/2019 17:21

Not sure I'd say they were ill but they could easily be stuck in traffic en route to airport and not make it in time. I think if I was telling a white lie I'd go with that.

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