Total inflexibility - rip off!

We had paid a £600 deposit for a holiday to Thomson's Sensatori Crete to celebrate significant birthdays but, after reading a large number of negative reviews, felt that it would not be the best place for us and found a better alternative. When we tried to change the booking at the Holiday Hypermarket we were told that we had to pay £100 for admin fees which we accepted but, when we were told that they would not then honour the Internet pricing, we felt that they were unreasonable and totally inflexible! We obviously argued the case that the holiday advertised did not, in fact, meet our needs and close friends who had been to the Crete Sensatori had not had a good experience and had advised us to rethink. It all fell on deaf ears! We ended up having to cancel the original holiday losing £450 in the process because it was the cheaper option!!!!! We have always booked through Thomson - never again!!!

What a bad experience!

The Thomson customer service is so bad. If you manage to get through their English is terrible and they will not do nothing to help you (unless money is involved). Sadly the directors have ruined what was a great company. I'll stick with Thomas Cook in future.

Sally Smith found this review useful

DO NOT care about disabled people( THOMSON AIRLINES)

My wife uses a wheelchair so I requested a bulkhead seat for her on our return flight(we had extra legroom seats that were Very cold on the outbound flight) we were eventually confirmed in bulkhead seats by email, however when we checked in we were moved to the row behind with no extra legroom!! During the flight we found out that we had been "BUMPED" by a Thomson stewardess and her boyfriend on what was probably a freebe. My wife spent over 4 hours in agony so that these two inconsiderate individuals could put their feet up on the bulkhead in luxury.
When we complained Thomsons didn't care!!!!

Sally Smith found this review useful

disability

we went with thomsons on a late booking booked on line . (yes you need a printer ) to print you document and tickets not a problem .i have mobility problems and use a wheel chair and had booked assistence with their customer care ,and from checking in to arriving at destination ,and return journey they were brilliant .we had all ready booked for this years holiday with them and other than changeing airports which we are gutted about ,they gave us some good flight time changes .ho and my wheel chair bag was left on the coach with my medication in it our fault but they was brilliant getting it back to us ,so looking forward to are next holiday in a few months time
bring on the sun lol

Do NOT book any holidays with thomson

We as a family have book a holiday for may 2013, thomson customers services are the worst I have ever dealt with. I phoned to removed some extras that thomson had added to my holiday WITHOUT my acceptance, and to delete a passenger due to illness as is unable to travel, after 35 mins on phone they removed the extras and told me they are unable to delete passenger at same time and can I ring back tomorrow ( large company unable to do 2 things at once they are kidding me). I then telephone them the next day 28 mins to delete passenger they have charge me full deposit for this, and then confirmation email arrived with them added extras AGAIN totally £98 , please beware every tim e you ring them something gets added on to your invoice please check and double check, so I ring them back, they are now. Unable to delete extras as they can't do 2 things on 1 holiday in the same day JOKE. Thomson are also unable to ring you back so it cost the customers money every time, you ring to recifly something they have done. I have always travel Thomas cook and I so wish I had stayed with them,I will never ever use these again. All this bad customers services and we haven't even left the country yet, please wish us luck for our holiday

Ian Reeves, Mark Godbold and Sally Smith found this review useful

NO HONEYMOON - NO COMPASSION ABOUT A LOST LOVED ONE

Last October my wife made me the proudest man by agreeing to marry me and in doing so our Honeymoon was set, we booked with Thomson the Sensatori resort in Mexico as my wife had fallen in love with this place.
We were about to have devastating news, my wife lost her mum to cancer - a battle she had fought bravely for over a year. The end came quite sudden, bastard cancer eh! We were due to fly out on our Honeymoon but of course this event eclipsed everything as you can imagine.
Going through events with Thompson and our insurer AXA, since October has been nothing but a complete nightmare. Zero compassion. Thomson would not move our holiday but rather agreed to pay us a credit (we lost a third of the cost) towards a new Honeymoon. AXA insurance, well that's a completely new story and we all know about these slimey creatures. Thomson have taken over 4 months to action any sort of credit and indeed show any interest in our affairs, you would think someone would want to help after all that we have been through?? Nope, not even today as i write this do they want a bar of it. Preferring to hang up on me multiple times (trust me I'm not an angry person), but it is truly unbelievable that they can operate like this.
Needless to say, upon reading my story please do and try to use another operator. There are plenty out there and good ones I'm sure but Thomson should not be trusted.
A truly awful story I hope happens to no-one else.
Best Regards
Andrew

Sally Smith found this review useful

happy to take your money - we know that feeling only to well!

Recently booked a holiday to Cape Verde with Thomson. The hotel was selected after the brochure specified a room with two double beds, important because our 17 year old son was travelling with us. After paying our money in full we soon learnt that the room configuration was incorrect. We contacted Thomson explaining that a sofa bed was not acceptable and we wanted a full refund. They responded by telling us that the room change was extremely minor and the only resolution available was a hotel change or change in holiday destination. We have never taken our holidays with a tour operator in the past and after this experience we won't be doing it in the future.

Credit where it's due

My wife and I go on Thomson cruises every year, and have done for several years now, and I can honestly say we have never had a problem with any of them.

It's all too easy to review a company when things go wrong, but fewer people review when things go right.

THOMSONS - Please don't anyone downgrade if asked to do so!!

Im having an extremely hard time with Thomsons Airline (TUI). On our recent flight back from Florida myself and my partner were asked to downgrade to economy to accomodate a family of three (including one child) to enable them to sit together. There were enough seats in the cabin for everyone but due to poor planning from Thomsons the family was unable to sit together. We originally said no to the downgrade but the cabin crew were persistent and asked us to look at the seats in economy. We were told that we would get a "full refund" and we agreed on this basis.
On return home, we have been refunded only a fraction of the cost of a one way premium upgrade each. We paid £398 additional for the two of us to travel in Premium Economy (round trip). They have deducted £65.00 of that in tax. We have received £134.00 in total from Thomsons for downgrading at their request on the return leg of the journey. At no time was we ever told on the flight that tax would be deducted and, indeed, if we had known we would never have agreed to downgrade.
The words the cabin crew said to us were "full refund".
After two complaint letters to Thomsons they have failed to answer any of many questions raised by us in correspondence. They have said that they are not going to refund any more and that is the end of the matter.
Furthermore, they have provided no explanation as to why the EC regulations do not apply in this case (I queried whether it was an involuntary class change as I found the regulations online). They have provided no explanation as to what a "full refund" is. Thomsons have not offered any explanation as to why the situation arose or why it was not resolved before boarding. They have not told us why we were asked to downgrade and not anyone else.
Myself and my partner downgraded as a matter of goodwill and now we have been totally disregarded by Thomson.

Now, I am a member of a very large and well known disney forum. I posted my plight on the forum and I have obtained a massive amount of support from the community. My post has been viewed by over 8,000 members of the forum and has over 200 responses from members. As another resort I posted my disgust at the total lack of customer care from Thomsons on the Thomson Holidays facebook page. I have had a staggering response of over 135 comments all expressing their agreement with me and the fact that we should at least get what was promised on that flight that day. Thomsons replies to my complaint on the facebook page have caused outrage.
Despite all of this Thomsons are still washing their hands of the situation.
I would just like to get what we were promised.


I am just posting this to draw attention to the awful treatment that we have received from Thomsons. They are happy to take your money but are unwilling to give it back when they are in the wrong!

Ian Reeves and Sally Smith found this review useful

Lots of choice and great value

We always check out the online prices and then go to our local Thomsons to book as we prefer the personal service. Never any quibbles about mathcing the online price and we have more change to add notes and other options - such as a quite room etc.

Room for Improvement

Was very impressed when I booked my first holiday with Thomson as I could manage my booking on-line and pay off my holiday month by month. When I used Thomson the following year for a cruise, they said that I couldn't use this facility in the same way for a cruise holiday. Think they need to have a word with their IT department. We've found out since that we could have saved £800 off our holiday if we'd have booked it with them just a couple of months before sailing rather than 12 months before. So in future, we'll just put the money in our savings account and look for short notice holidays

Using thompson to find a holiday now

I am currently using thompson to fins a family holiday they are very good and easy to use website

really good saved us at the end of the holiday

the company help us book travel and enjoy and then help us get out of alot of bother really like this and respect them for there efforts much appreciated and will be book with use again

My preferred airline company

love their Tui aircraft. staff are friendly and there is plenty of leg room for me ( 6' 2"). They are value for money, infact 90% of the time when you fully cost them out they have always been cheaper than the crooks at Ryanair.
Just hope they keep the extra leg room their tui / tomfly aircraft have and they upgrade their firstchoice lines to the same standard.

good for budget holidays

Very good for short budget holidays

Thomson Cruises are brill'

Been on 2 Thomson cruises so far (Thomson Spirit) and loved them so much that we've just booked the Thomson Dream for a 2 week cruise in 2013.

Good all inclusive packages, more variety needed though!

Good package holidays, more destinations would be nice though.

Happy as larry

For a low cost holiday I've found thomson always to be very helpful. Even the foreign reps are very nice. Excellent accomodation and good quality planes.

Always use

I have book 2 holidays over the past 2 years with Thomson I use my local branch in Reading, Berkshire They are really really help-ful and full of knowlege its always a pleasent expierence and when your at the airport, in the air and in the country you have flown too they cannot be faulted. they will always do there best for prices also but remember you get what you pay for.
(Janet and Pam Thank you)

Comprehensive Website

Found to be more expensive than other Holiday websites.

Denise found this review useful

Perfection

What a fanastic bunch of people so helpful and freindly couldn't do enought for you, We went in not to sure where we wanted to go and told them what we wanted and how much we had for a budget and they got us a fantastic deal and a great holiday

Good

Good averts and offers

FAMILY HOLIDAYS I DONT THINK SO

I KNOW YOU ARE IN THE PEOPLE BUSINESS BUT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SWIM IN A POOL THAT SOME CHILD HAS POOED
IN IS DISGUSTING AND THEN WHEN WE GET ILL YOU DONT EVEN HELP IN THE COST OF GETTING US HOME
WE WILL NEVER BOOK WITH YOU EVER!!!

brilliant

thomson is number 1

Flights for the masses

Dirty planes, food during flights are now extra -not that they were good before either...
In general, flights and trips are not worth the money, especially the 5* hotels that don't live up to expectation.
Travelling with passengers from NCL was a horrible experience.
We'll avoid it in the future.

go on holiday with these every year

go on holiday with these every year - ive only ever had one bad hotel but straight away they moved me and the family. good customer service.

unsafe accomodation, poor complaints system

I cannot recommend Thomson for families. We were placed in unsafe accommodation that had been burgled the night before. There were screws being used as security bolts and the alarm was broken. Raised it ay the time and nothing was done. Their attitude towards the complaint on return was awful, they just assumed I wanted money, and gave politician answers to questions I raised. As an example, I asked about how they assess security of villas, particularly after a break in, and the reply was, this is an internal process and they aren't obliged to share this information with me! If you want a company that cares about your families safety - don't use Thomson or a TUI company.

Underhand charges

Went into Thomson's Burton on Trent to exchange holiday money, was asked by staff if i wanted the money buy back guarantee at £3.95, i declined this as i am going on holiday again in 4 months therefore would save unused money however when got home found out by looking at the receipt that she had ignored me and included this £3.95 charge anyway, went back to complain and was told they automatically include regardless but still charge for it. What a rip off!!!
AVOID THOMSON's, ripping off customers when these days i would make sense to keep customers happy so they go back.
This is the second bad experience i have had with them, beat them in county court a few years ago for a bad holiday

good service

We used them once only for all inclusive honeymoon in Italy and it was great! No complaints, good hotel, meals, customer service. More expensive than booking through Expedia though

snootyjade found this review useful

Honeymoon Disaster

Young out of college, got married, booked my honeymoon with them. I was suggested the wrong resort by the agent - completely unsuitable.

The plane got delayed 12 hours on the way there and 8 hours on the way back. Their plane was faulty for the first delay. You'll find this incredible but they offered nothing to the passengers during this time of waiting.
We arrived to our resort at about 4 am rather than 4pm. On the way there, in the coach, the reps said that we must be at a meeting the next morning at 8am where we will get all the info about what we can do on holiday, otherwise we'll just miss it! I thought they must be joking but no...
During the 10 day holiday we approached them several times to get to do some of the activities advertised. They could not be bothered less to help. Got fobbed off for the first one - and was told that there aren't enough people for the second one. They said tough, treated us with utmost contempt - made us feel sorry for interrupting their relaxing time.

This 'holiday' happened about 6 years ago. I still remember it and will not forget easily... I have never walked within 100yards of their shops again and wouldn't be caught dead on one of their holidays. I'd rather make a bonfire in the back yard and burn the money!

Excellent customer service in the Uxbridge store

I have always preferred to book my holiday by going into my local Thomson shop, and the reason for this being is that the staff in the Uxbridge branch are so friendly, knowledgable and approachable.
Nothing is too much trouble for them, we even get tea & biscuits.
They are honest about which hotels/resorts will be suitable for our needs and do their best to get the best flights and deal for us.

As for Thomson as a whole, I have never experienced a problem with flights or accommodation. Found the resort staff very helpful and always in easy reach.

I am a Thomson FAN!!!

snootyjade found this review useful

Terrible customer service in shops

What dreadful service they offer in their shops. I booked a holiday believing they would see through any issues. Asked if my holiday was able to check in at airport day before and they told me to ring Thomson's Gatwick to get accurate information!!!!

Also went in to pay the balance and they took a small further deposit. Got home to get an email saying they wanted all the money that day.I had travelled 8 miles to do this and they had not got it right. Only when I rang them and insisted and insisted that they took payment by phone did they do so. They wanted me to go in again!!!

NEVER AGAIN

TERRIBLE HOLIDAY - ADULT ONLY ! NOT...

I booked a 10 night break for me and my husband in Greece.
A beautiful 5* location in Corfu, half board and a very local flight - the promise of an Adult Only Holiday - I quote from their brochure - "you will not see any children in or around the hotel".

Only problem - children! very noisy, badly behaved american children

How? I am still unsure, Thomson customer service has been terrible. I have rung on many occasions and left messages but no one has called back, bearing in mind that this holiday was in september 2011 - over 4 months ago - I am not impressed and are currently in contact with ABTA and will be taking this further.

How much?

It's amazing at one time I used this company to take my wife and two sons away for a two week sunshine holiday, today I couldn't even afford a week for my wife and I at these prices, way, way over the top especially from Scotland where we live.

Most Cramped Flight Ever and Thomson Lie

Flew to Sal Cape Verde from Manchester 6 hour fligt with short haul configuration 28 inch seat pitch. My disabled wife was told that if a bulkhead seat was available then we could sit there. There were 5 empty bulkhead seats and the crew who were abysmal refused the seats even though she offered to show the confirmation from Thomson themselves. Thomson are now the lowest money grabbing company that I could name. NEVER AGAIN WLL THOMSON GET THEIR HANDS ON OUR HARD EARNED CASH. i suggest that all people who are unhappy vote with their wallets and choose a company that really cares.

In a word - poor.

A company that has two computer systems which they refer to as the old and the new. The two systems don't talk to each other and the information on one contradicts the information on the other. If you telephone them and quote your Booking Reference you will be told that it is not one of their numbers! Apparently they have to enter two naughts before the number before their system will accept the number!! It really is very important to check all the details on any documentation they give you as mistakes do occur. You do have to return to their branch to collect your flight tickets because they do not trust first class mail or recorded delivery.

Great

Have booked many times for super holidays

snootyjade found this review useful

Never forgiven

Our holiday was cancelled, by Thomson, without a proper explanation and with very poor notice. The process to get our deposit returned was strangely a lot less slick than the process to take money from us in the first instance!

Brilliant, helpful...couldn't go without their help :)

My son is Autistic and needs much support throughout the airport and boarding and flying. Thomson staff are fantastic....we would be totally unable to holiday without the support they provide...thank you !! x

check in

Baggage charge for 1 kilo