Charges to change flight booking

[JudithChalmersPassport]

My (normally very reliable) husband has just booked a one way TUI short haul flight for us both. However he booked for the wrong date (2026 instead of 2025).

He's on the phone to TUI now - they want to charge 70% of the total fare to change the date. This means nearly £350 fee on top of a £500 flight.

I accept this is in their t&c's but he rang as soon as he realised his mistake, more or less immediately after the booking was submitted.

I feel absolutely sick. Is there anything at all we can do? Payment was made by credit card. Thank you.

Is is non refundable or is there a cancellation fee ? Would be be cheaper to cancel then re book?

Thanks @coralsky - unfortunately the cancellation fee is 100% of the cost

Is it actually an admin charge to change the date or is it the difference between the cost of the 2025 flight and the 2026 flight?

If the two flights cost the same amount but a charge now being applied on top, I'd just reconcile it in my mind as the price difference, to make it easier to swallow. But I'm pretty good at compartmentalising things like that.

I don’t think it really matters that he rang straight away. Their policy is their policy so you’ll likely have to pay or find another way around it. Could you book it for this year and then keep next year also?

Could try contacting your credit card company.

How much is the flight for 2025? it’s likely more expensive as it’s sooner?

I paid extra to Tui for 4 extra legroom seats, then when I went to choose them they weren’t together! I called to see if I could cancel the “upgrade” and choose standard seats so we could sit together (family of 4). I knew I had no chance of the extra I’d already paid being refunded, but they said it would cost c £400 to downgrade! We decided to suck it up & sit apart.

I don’t know how airlines are permitted such onerous terms/charges.

Doesn't it come under distance selling rules? (I don't know much about it but thought you could cancel things you'd bought online within so many days)

Nope it doesn't, I should've checked before commenting

Thanks everyone for your very helpful replies. Feeling a bit calmer now. The short story is that we're going to book new flights for the correct date and keep the 2026 flights as suggested by @Brainded. Sticks in my throat a bit that I'll be flying Dick Turpin airlines again, but it's the most sensible solution for now.

To answer some of the other individual points:

@PersephonesPomegranate It's a flat rate 70% fee to change the date - nearly £350!
@wintersolstice - Been on to the CC company, unfortunately nothing they can do
@Fupoffyagrasshole - Yes, 2026 flight is slightly cheaper than 2025
@slipperylizard - Bloody daylight robbery! I thought admin fees were supposed to be proportionate to the costs incurred by the supplier, but clearly not
@endsnewyearsday - No worries, it was a perfectly reasonable point

UPDATE: Husband booked new flights for the correct dates, then spent the afternoon ringing various TUI numbers hoping to cancel the 2026 flights (to be honest, we have more pressing things to be spending £500 on right now).

Eventually got through to a very understanding, reasonable manager and, long story short, the 2026 flight has been cancelled and refunded in full.

I'm both surprised and delighted with the outcome. Just shows it's worth persevering sometimes, even when 'computer says no'.

Brilliant 🙌

Glad you got this sorted - ridiculous behavior and they just say it’s the T&Cs. They good news is TUI changed its T&Cs (forced to?) wef 28 Feb 2025 that any amendments up until 28 days before only now have an admin charge of £50 per person.

TUI are a horrible company. I avoid them completely. Customer service is appalling.

Agreed. They are the absolute worst. I won’t go into details but safe to say my 80 year old parents were extremely let down by these cunts.