Travel Agent advice please

[everydaysaschoolda]

Hi

Not sure if I just need to suck this up or if there’s anything I can do?

We booked a multi centre holiday through a local travel agency. When deciding on flights there was a particular airline I wanted to fly with. Our TA found flights but the flight coming home would only give us 1 full day in our last city. I queried this and was given an option for a different airline. I wasn’t keen but decided to go with it as we thought we needed at least 2 days to explore. There was an extra cost of £170 which I assumed was an extra night at the hotel. After a few days I changed my mind and emailed the TA to say I wasn’t happy with the airline we’d gone with and could I change to original quote even though we’d only have 1 full day in the last place. He emailed back giving me the flight details. When I checked I was surprised to see the preferred airlines flight home was the day after therefore giving us 2 full days. When I sent a screen shot of original email querying what date the flight home was on the TA apologised and said as it was his error he’d wave the £80pp admin fee to just one £80 fee but the flights had now risen adding £645 onto our holiday. I am fuming I feel I have now been mis-sold a holiday. We have paid £800 deposit so far and I assume I’d lose that if I cancel but I have no trust in this particular TA now. To add when I went into the various websites to price check, the flights difference is £193, the TA says this is because they price the full package. Just to clarify I didn’t mind paying an admin fee to change the flights but to find out due to his date error I could have booked the flights I wanted, I was so disappointed. Anyone been in similar situation or have any advice please?
Thank you

You'll need to check the small print of the website or whatever contract covers the booking. For example I just looked at Barrhead Travel and their T&Cs state "A package travel booking is made with us when: (a) you tell us that you would like to accept our written or verbal quotation; (b) you pay us the deposit we ask for; and (c) we issue you with a booking confirmation." So assuming their T&Cs are similar then based on what you've said, you've basically accepted the booking with the TA. (Disclaimer - not a lawyer, probably obviously).

Probably not helpful right now, but you live and learn. Next time you book something similar ask to see everything in writing and confirm it yourself. I had something similar with Barrhead Travel, she sent the quote through and I picked up an error in the dates. Her error, but ultimately if I hadn't noticed it and had accepted it then that would be on me. Never assume people are capable. Don't use the agent again. Consider writing a complaint or tweeting about it, but if it's an independent TA that'll likely be less effective.

I have to say, I don't think you've been missold a holiday. You were told the terms and you accepted them. The fact that a better option was available is an error and annoying, but no more than that IMO.