0:00:02 > 0:00:05We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:05 > 0:00:07when it comes to your holidays?
0:00:07 > 0:00:10The amount of money that it's cost is just astronomical.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13It wasn't just the money, it was their attitude.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Whether it is a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:16 > 0:00:19a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,
0:00:19 > 0:00:24we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28Your stories, your money, this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Hello, a huge welcome to Rip-Off Britain, where this week,
0:00:34 > 0:00:36we're on the marvellous island of Tenerife,
0:00:36 > 0:00:39looking into one of the topics that you probably contact us about
0:00:39 > 0:00:42more than anything else - that of holidays.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45Of course, they're supposed to be fun.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47But, as you know, they don't always go to plan, do they?
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Too true! And, of course, what makes that so much worse
0:00:50 > 0:00:54is that the average holiday, these days, does not come cheap.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57In fact, aside from what you're going to spend on your home
0:00:57 > 0:00:59and your car, the bill that you'll get for your summer break
0:00:59 > 0:01:02is likely to be your biggest outlay of the year.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06So it is pretty important that you can rely on what you're told about
0:01:06 > 0:01:09where you're going and what you're going to get when you get there.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Sadly, as we'll hear during the programme,
0:01:11 > 0:01:14it seems that what it said in the brochure or on the website
0:01:14 > 0:01:18when you booked isn't always exactly what you end up with.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21So, as we look into some of your travel disasters,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23we'll also find out what you can do
0:01:23 > 0:01:27when you feel that you've not had what you were promised.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Coming up, a five-star luxury break
0:01:29 > 0:01:32that ended up with the guests begging to leave.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Usually, I don't want to come home from my holidays.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38On this occasion, I couldn't wait to get back on that plane.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41And caught on camera - the holiday coach drivers risking
0:01:41 > 0:01:45passengers' lives by not keeping their eyes on the road.
0:01:45 > 0:01:46I was just horrified.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49Using a mobile phone with 50-odd people on board -
0:01:49 > 0:01:53makes you wonder how worried he is about our safety.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56I think, these days, when we book a holiday, most of us have got used
0:01:56 > 0:02:01to the fact that a tour operator may well just embellish the details
0:02:01 > 0:02:05of a location a bit to make it seem more exciting, more special.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The one thing that we ought to be able to rely on is that
0:02:08 > 0:02:12the destination is where it says it is,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15especially if that's the reason why you booked the holiday in the first place.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18But the couple we're about to meet not only ended up
0:02:18 > 0:02:21where they didn't expect to be, it was even more surprising,
0:02:21 > 0:02:25because the name of the holiday was actually rather specific.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28The Amazon, the world's mightiest river,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31stretching around 4,000 miles through seven countries
0:02:31 > 0:02:35and home to an extraordinary variety of birds and wildlife.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40And that was a key part of the appeal for retired teachers
0:02:40 > 0:02:43and keen photographers Richard and Denise Winston
0:02:43 > 0:02:48when they were looking for somewhere extra special to celebrate Richard's 65th birthday.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50We decided to go to the Amazon,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52because it's somewhere I've always wanted to go.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55Ecuador is full of birds, full of wildlife.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58They saw an advert for a seven-night cruise
0:02:58 > 0:03:00called Into The Amazon, which seemed perfect.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03On the headline in the brochure it talked about a seven-night cruise
0:03:03 > 0:03:07along the Amazon River, with an abundance of wildlife.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10So it seemed like an ideal holiday for us.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14The holiday was with one of the most trusted names in the business,
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Saga, which specialises in travel for the over 50s
0:03:17 > 0:03:21and with whom they had had several good trips before.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Fellow retirees Sue and Bob Furlong from the New Forest
0:03:25 > 0:03:29were equally attracted to a week sailing the legendary river.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32I think I was looking forward to the fact
0:03:32 > 0:03:35that it was off the beaten track.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40It was going into a territory that could be quite daunting,
0:03:40 > 0:03:47quite exciting, quite adventurous for a couple of our age.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52And the brochure-speak that Saga used certainly promised a very special holiday.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06So both couples excitedly set off on their great Amazon adventure.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Altogether, there were 12 British travellers on this particular Saga trip
0:04:10 > 0:04:13and they all flew down to join their home for the next week -
0:04:13 > 0:04:14the Manatee Explorer.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17And, at first, all seemed shipshape.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19But not for long.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22When we got to the boat, we were shown to our cabins
0:04:22 > 0:04:26and then we had a briefing, I believe, in the evening, and that,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30if I remember rightly, was the first time it really dawned on me
0:04:30 > 0:04:34that, actually, we weren't going to the Amazon River at all.
0:04:34 > 0:04:40Because we were shown a map on the screen and it showed the Napo River.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44I felt pretty disappointed, because the whole attraction, for me,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48was the Amazon. As it says clearly in the brochure,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52"Enjoy the tranquillity and the wildlife of the world's greatest river."
0:04:52 > 0:04:57I felt quite cheated. Sue and Bob were equally upset.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00The biggest disappointment was the fact that
0:05:00 > 0:05:03I actually really wanted to go to the Amazon. It was quite a shock.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07I felt we were trapped, actually, on a boat,
0:05:07 > 0:05:12going where they were telling us that they were taking us.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15But we weren't going where we wanted to go.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Not only were they not on the Amazon itself,
0:05:17 > 0:05:20but their itinerary didn't go to plan, either.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24They were starting to feel like they'd been sold down the river.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28On the third day of the cruise, we were told that we couldn't do
0:05:28 > 0:05:30the excursion for that morning
0:05:30 > 0:05:34because the motorised canoe was being used to go back to Coca,
0:05:34 > 0:05:38two hours away, to pick up another group of passengers.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42But at least they still had a real highlight to look forward to -
0:05:42 > 0:05:44a trip to see the area's unique pink dolphins.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47Or so they hoped.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Until their boat ran into trouble,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53getting stuck on the sandbanks, leaving only one engine working.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57When we got stuck on the boat, there was a huge effort by the crew,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01I have to say, to try and get it off, and it wouldn't budge.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05They used the motorised canoe to try and push it off and that didn't work.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07And we went to bed still stuck.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13The trip to see the pink dolphins was cancelled, but it had been
0:06:13 > 0:06:17one of the main attractions of this cruise for the nature-loving Brits,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20so when it didn't happen, it felt like the final straw.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24When we got stuck on the sandbank, it changed the complete itinerary.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27In fact, it pretty well cancelled the second half of it.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31The lowest point, for me, I think,
0:06:31 > 0:06:37was not going to the Peruvian border and not seeing the dolphins.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Pink dolphins, that's something so totally different
0:06:41 > 0:06:47and you could sort of say, "That was part of the Amazon trip,"
0:06:47 > 0:06:49even if we weren't on the Amazon.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53By now, all they wanted to do was go home.
0:06:53 > 0:06:54It was a shame.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57It was a holiday we'd both really looked forward to,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59a really exciting holiday.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02I felt almost embarrassed to tell people, because they knew it was
0:07:02 > 0:07:06an expensive holiday and they were going to be asking me all about it.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08But they were determined to turn their disappointment
0:07:08 > 0:07:12into action and, on that long journey home, the group resolved
0:07:12 > 0:07:16to send a joint complaint to Saga, making plain their frustrations
0:07:16 > 0:07:20about an Amazon cruise that didn't actually cruise the Amazon.
0:07:20 > 0:07:28My biggest beef with Saga is the blatant misrepresentation of the trip.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32I just cannot believe that they can say a cruise down the Amazon -
0:07:32 > 0:07:36down the Amazon - not in the Amazon region or a tributary,
0:07:36 > 0:07:38but a cruise down the Amazon.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40But, to their surprise, initially, Saga was adamant
0:07:40 > 0:07:44that the wording used to sell the cruise had been accurate.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Richard spoke on the phone to their customer-services team.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51They were quite happy that their description was perfectly OK,
0:07:51 > 0:07:54that when they said "an Amazon river cruise",
0:07:54 > 0:08:00what they meant was a cruise along one of the rivers in the Amazon Basin.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04This is despite the fact that the heading in the brochure is,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06"Experience the tranquillity
0:08:06 > 0:08:10"and abundant wildlife of the world's greatest river."
0:08:10 > 0:08:13The world's greatest river is not the Napo.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17So that, we felt, was not right.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19So, the group battled on.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24We wrote back again and said that this can't be right, this is not the case.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27They originally offered us ?90 compensation.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31In fact, they called it a "goodwill gesture"
0:08:31 > 0:08:33for the time we lost on the boat
0:08:33 > 0:08:37because of the motorised canoe - nothing to do with the sand bar.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39But that didn't satisfy the group.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43They wanted Saga to acknowledge they they'd sold an Amazon cruise
0:08:43 > 0:08:45that had not cruised the Amazon
0:08:45 > 0:08:47and, finally, the company did agree that the wording
0:08:47 > 0:08:51they had used to describe the trip could have been misinterpreted.
0:08:51 > 0:08:56Our latest response to this, after four months
0:08:56 > 0:09:03and probably four letters backwards and forwards and one or two e-mails,
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Saga have, at last, admitted
0:09:05 > 0:09:09that the brochure description, they put it, could be misread.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12And the icing on the cake -
0:09:12 > 0:09:17Saga has now upped their offer of compensation to ?590 per person.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21But for Richard, it was always about more than getting some money back.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26My satisfaction is in knowing that they've actually admitted that the brochure is wrong.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30That's the main thing for me.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34When we spoke to Saga, they told us they'd had excellent feedback on this holiday
0:09:34 > 0:09:36over the last six years,
0:09:36 > 0:09:39but they accept...
0:09:39 > 0:09:43They point out, though, that the itinerary sent to all passengers in advance...
0:09:47 > 0:09:52..and that when calling customers who are yet to travel on this holiday,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55all indicated they were aware they were travelling to Ecuador
0:09:55 > 0:09:58on the River Napo, which is in the Amazon Basin,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01rather than on the river itself.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Nevertheless, they have given the customers on this particular tour
0:10:05 > 0:10:08a goodwill payment to reflect that the holiday did not go as hoped.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12The company added that while...
0:10:22 > 0:10:27Meanwhile, Richard and Denise have since enjoyed another holiday with Saga,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30but they say that they are now a lot more sceptical
0:10:30 > 0:10:33about what they see in any holiday company's brochure.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37I think it made me very wary of booking another holiday
0:10:37 > 0:10:39and being very, very careful and making sure I looked,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42found out what was going to happen.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Now, if you're holidaying in the UK, with flights and trains often being quite expensive,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54taking a coach can by far and away be the cheapest way
0:10:54 > 0:10:56to get to your chosen destination.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00It may not be the most luxurious option, but, you know, nine million Brits
0:11:00 > 0:11:04go on some kind of coach trip every year and you can understand why.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Someone else does the driving, no arguments with your partner,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08somebody worries about the traffic for you
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and gets you there without taking a wrong turn.
0:11:11 > 0:11:16But, as a passenger, you are relying on that person to be totally focused on the road ahead.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19So just wait till you hear what some drivers are up to on the road,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23and put yourself in the place of the passengers who caught them in the act.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30JULIA SOMERVILLE: This driver was on the M6 when he got out his phone and made a call.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32He couldn't have had full concentration on the road,
0:11:32 > 0:11:38because he only had one hand on the steering wheel...and doing a telephone call.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42And this one was reading as he sped towards Norwich.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45I was the only person who could actually see the driver.
0:11:45 > 0:11:50And I was quite concerned when he started bringing some paperwork out
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and putting on the steering wheel and reading it.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56And these weren't drivers for just any old company,
0:11:56 > 0:12:00they worked for two of the best-known names in the business.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Dawn Taylor booked her family trip to Blackpool
0:12:03 > 0:12:06with Britain's biggest coach holiday company, Shearings,
0:12:06 > 0:12:11whose website promises to help you make special memories.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15The five-day trip had been looked forward to eagerly by Dawn's granddaughter Chloe.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18She'd seen pictures of the Blackpool Tower
0:12:18 > 0:12:23and she'd seen pictures of the trams and she was looking forward to going up in the tower.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Chloe was really excited about her holiday.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29She kept seeing coaches, saying, "We're going on a big coach like that!"
0:12:29 > 0:12:32Sure enough, Blackpool lived up to Chloe's expectations,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36but on the coach heading home, they began to get behind schedule
0:12:36 > 0:12:40and it was then that the driver started using his mobile.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44Dawn couldn't believe what she was seeing. I was just horrified.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47But this particular driver had 50-odd people on board,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51and actually using a mobile phone with 50-odd people on board
0:12:51 > 0:12:54makes you wonder how worried he is about our safety.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Shocked at his behaviour,
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Dawn got out her camera and began to take photographs.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02As you can see clear on that one,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05no way is his hand on the steering wheel. He's only got one hand.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08And even Chloe said, "Tut-tut, no, that's wrong, that's naughty."
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Chloe was right.
0:13:10 > 0:13:15Using a mobile whilst driving isn't just naughty, it's against the law.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Dawn sent the photographs to Shearings, who told us...
0:13:25 > 0:13:28They added that the driver was temporarily suspended
0:13:28 > 0:13:32and following a full investigation was...
0:13:32 > 0:13:37But they say it was a isolated incident, due to the failure of hands-free technology,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and in view of his distinguished and otherwise excellent service record,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44they decided not to take any further action.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46Dawn also sent the photos to the police
0:13:46 > 0:13:48and, following an investigation,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52the driver has since pleaded guilty to using a mobile phone while driving
0:13:52 > 0:13:55and will appear in court later this month.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00Now, overall, there's no doubt that travelling by coach is a safe form of transport.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03In fact, some figures suggest it's ten times safer than being in a car.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08For a start, drivers need a special certificate to carry more than nine people
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and the training makes it crystal clear that a coach driver
0:14:11 > 0:14:15should not be on the phone or doing anything distracting while driving.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19But it does that seem in Dawn's case,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24and indeed others we've heard about, that training isn't always followed.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Lee Hedley still can't believe that the driver of the coach
0:14:27 > 0:14:31he was on - belonging to another big name, National Express -
0:14:31 > 0:14:36started to consult documents while hurtling down the motorway towards Norwich.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42I was astounded, astonished. I couldn't believe it.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45He's a professional driver and he was reading.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49He's putting people's lives at risk.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54The driver continued to read the same paperwork all through the journey.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57He was still reading as he was driving along the ring road
0:14:57 > 0:15:02and the ring road is very, very busy - both lanes, both ways.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03And he was still reading.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Lee reported what he'd seen to National Express,
0:15:08 > 0:15:09and when we contacted them,
0:15:09 > 0:15:13the company tells us that...
0:15:13 > 0:15:16adding that they run 17 million journeys a year...
0:15:19 > 0:15:22They've taken appropriate action to update their training procedures
0:15:22 > 0:15:26and the driver concerned no longer works for National Express.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30But are Lee and Dawn right to get so worked up
0:15:30 > 0:15:36about experienced coach drivers reading or talking on the phone while driving?
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Dr Nick Reed and his colleagues at the Transport Research Laboratory
0:15:40 > 0:15:43have researched how distractions, such as using a phone,
0:15:43 > 0:15:47even hands-free for talking or texting, can affect your driving.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Using a phone, whether hand-held or hands-free,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52does seem to cause a real problem.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55We think it increases the risk of collision by up to four times.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57In our studies, drivers were taking their eyes
0:15:57 > 0:16:00away from the road for as much as 50% of the time.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03And if it was taking them a minute to read or write the text message,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07their eyes were therefore away from the road for as much as 30 seconds.
0:16:07 > 0:16:08To put that to the test,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12we asked Lee to have a go in the lab's driving simulator
0:16:12 > 0:16:16to see just how distracting reading at the wheel can be.
0:16:16 > 0:16:20First, Nick monitors Lee's driving without distractions,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23but now things are going to get more tricky.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27This time, I'd like you to read this document
0:16:27 > 0:16:31when you get up to speed, and we'll monitor how your driving gets on. OK. OK?
0:16:32 > 0:16:34OK, Lee, could you start reading for me, please?
0:16:36 > 0:16:39As Lee continues to read, he's drifting from one side to the other.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42He nearly went into the hard shoulder there, had to make a sudden, jerky correction.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45His behaviour was very similar to what we see
0:16:45 > 0:16:46with a driver who is texting -
0:16:46 > 0:16:49reading or writing a text message whilst driving -
0:16:49 > 0:16:54that tendency to drift across the lane and, essentially, lose control of the vehicle.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57That didn't feel very comfortable.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00I found myself veering onto the hard shoulder
0:17:00 > 0:17:03and finding it very difficult to concentrate on the traffic in front
0:17:03 > 0:17:07and where I was positioned in the road.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10All this has reinforced Lee's concerns,
0:17:10 > 0:17:15and he and Dawn remain shocked by the behaviour of the drivers of the coaches they were on.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Until I'd been through the simulator today,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20I didn't know how much it affected you.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23I'm now angry that he actually put people's lives at risk.
0:17:23 > 0:17:24Do what I've done.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Take photos, try and approach the driver, tell the company
0:17:27 > 0:17:30and report it to the police, because it is a criminal offence.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Last summer, we opened up one of our pop-up shops,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43offering free advice to try and solve your problems on the spot.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46And though Liverpool shoppers called in
0:17:46 > 0:17:48with a range of issues for our experts to tackle,
0:17:48 > 0:17:51holidays were one of the things we heard about the most.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57Morning, everybody. Yay! Good morning.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Linda and Gareth Knott were keen to speak to our travel expert Simon Calder
0:18:03 > 0:18:06about a problem with their insurance.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09We'd booked a holiday in April 2012.
0:18:09 > 0:18:10We took out insurance.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Unfortunately, I became very ill and we had to cancel.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17When I tried to claim from the insurance company,
0:18:17 > 0:18:22they turned round and said that I couldn't have my money back, basically!
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Linda was initially told her claim was rejected
0:18:25 > 0:18:28because she hadn't declared a pre-existing condition,
0:18:28 > 0:18:29though she is adamant she had.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Hang on, hang on.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33If you declared any pre-existing medical conditions,
0:18:33 > 0:18:36which is exactly, of course, what you should do,
0:18:36 > 0:18:41and you paid them some money, then you are insured. Aren't you?!
0:18:41 > 0:18:45On this occasion, apparently not.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49Then they came back and said that it was because we weren't insured,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52we were only insured for the actual term of the holiday.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Sorry, the main reason I say to people whenever you book
0:18:55 > 0:18:58a holiday, for goodness' sake, make sure you've got insurance
0:18:58 > 0:19:01from that very second, because you never know what's going to happen.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04If I were in the holiday company's head office,
0:19:04 > 0:19:05I'd want to know about it,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09because that's not doing the reputation of my company any good at all.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12So, after visiting our shop, Linda did contact head office
0:19:12 > 0:19:16and the good news is, she's now been offered a full refund.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20Linda's over the moon with the result and delighted that Simon's advice
0:19:20 > 0:19:24gave her the confidence to keep going and win her money back.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Simon also ran some special workshops on the street,
0:19:29 > 0:19:31giving out advice like this invaluable nugget
0:19:31 > 0:19:35to avoid being caught out by rogue holiday websites.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Look for a phone number.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40If it's a scam, they won't want you phoning up the hotel.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44And there were plenty of you looking for answers to specific holiday queries.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Just advice about visas, really.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50We're just starting to book a holiday to Cambodia and Vietnam.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53Vietnam, get your visa in advance, and then, Cambodia,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56you just turn up and they give you a visa on the spot.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Our case was damaged in travel. Where do you stand on that?
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Actually, it's the airline's responsibility.
0:20:02 > 0:20:08They have a pretty strict duty of care under the Montreal Convention.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10You can find full details
0:20:10 > 0:20:15of all the advice Simon gave out on the day on our website.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24GLORIA HUNNIFORD: Still to come on Rip-Off Britain,
0:20:24 > 0:20:28the package holiday destination with huge flight delays on the way out
0:20:28 > 0:20:29and on the way back.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33In total, we were delayed for 67 hours.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Not only did it really ruin our holiday,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38we've had financial loss from it.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40If you're going on your holidays by plane,
0:20:40 > 0:20:43all the way to the airport, you'd be keeping your fingers crossed
0:20:43 > 0:20:47that you won't be delayed and that your flight will take off on time.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50But you may be interested to know that in the first eight months of last year,
0:20:50 > 0:20:56over 3,000 flights in and out of the UK were delayed by over three hours.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58So if that happens to you and you find yourself facing
0:20:58 > 0:21:03an unexpectedly long delay, what sort of compensation are you entitled to,
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and will your airline always pay out?
0:21:07 > 0:21:09More than 350,000 of us
0:21:09 > 0:21:12headed to Mexico for our holidays in 2012,
0:21:12 > 0:21:16making it one of the most popular long-haul destinations
0:21:16 > 0:21:18for Brits seeking that winter sun.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21But Aly Lewis is just one of a number of people who've told us
0:21:21 > 0:21:24that getting there, and indeed getting back,
0:21:24 > 0:21:26proved surprisingly problematic.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32In total, we were delayed for 67 hours.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35Not only did it really ruin our holiday,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37we've had financial loss from it.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43It was 14 months ago that Aly, her husband Garton
0:21:43 > 0:21:47and neighbours Rob and Kate Haddon, swapped Bristol's November chill
0:21:47 > 0:21:50for the bustle and beaches of Cancun.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53Obviously, you don't go on holiday many times a year.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57We were looking forward to it immensely, it was two weeks after
0:21:57 > 0:22:01a very long, busy period at work for both myself and my husband.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04But the holiday, I'm afraid, did not get off to a good start.
0:22:04 > 0:22:08Less than an hour into the flight, one of the engines failed,
0:22:08 > 0:22:12forcing the pilot to turn the plane around and go back to Manchester.
0:22:12 > 0:22:13It was terrifying.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18You're stuck in a plane, however many thousands of feet up in the air.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23It was very worrying. The plane was deathly silence with the passengers.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27The plane landed safely and all the passengers went back to the terminal
0:22:27 > 0:22:31to wait for news on when they would be able to take off again.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35We sat there for... It must have been hours.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40As you do now, all of us had electronic devices and we were all online
0:22:40 > 0:22:42trying to find out when our flight was going to be rescheduled.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Aly discovered through the internet
0:22:45 > 0:22:48that their new flight wouldn't be taking off until the next morning.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52And after a further wait, they were put up in an airport hotel.
0:22:52 > 0:22:57But when the flight did take off, it was almost 26 hours behind schedule.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00When we arrived in Cancun, we'd already lost a day of our holiday,
0:23:00 > 0:23:04so we wanted to make the most of everything, had a fantastic time.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07The accommodation was faultless, it was brilliant.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12After two weeks in the sun, it was time for the group to go home.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15But when they got to the airport, their relaxed moods were shattered
0:23:15 > 0:23:18by the news their return flight was also delayed.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20But they knew the delay was serious
0:23:20 > 0:23:25when Thomas Cook moved all the passengers into nearby hotels for the night.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30When we arrived at the hotel we were due to stay at, we checked in,
0:23:30 > 0:23:37um, were just told, "Wait, we'll let you know, we'll communicate to you in the morning."
0:23:37 > 0:23:39But the flight didn't take off the following morning.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42In fact, it didn't take off at all that day.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Thomas Cook staff handed all the passengers a letter
0:23:45 > 0:23:49telling them that the delay was down to a dispute with the Mexican authorities
0:23:49 > 0:23:51and that they wouldn't be taking off
0:23:51 > 0:23:55until almost two days later than they originally planned.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00The two days that we were delayed were totally stressful.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04It wasn't as if we were able to have 48 hours lazing around on the beach,
0:24:04 > 0:24:09or enjoying the extra time there. It wasn't like that at all.
0:24:09 > 0:24:10As a self-employed chef,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Aly's husband Garton lost out on two days of work
0:24:13 > 0:24:18and Aly, Rob and Kate were forced to take extra leave from their jobs.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21And the hassle of having two lengthy delays on the same trip
0:24:21 > 0:24:24put a real dampener on the group's whole holiday.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Now, you could be forgiven for thinking that such long delays
0:24:28 > 0:24:32both on the way to and from Cancun are unusual.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34But from the e-mails you've been sending us,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37I'm afraid it seems that that is not necessarily the case.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Less than 24 hours later,
0:24:40 > 0:24:44as Aly and her party finally took off on their delayed flight to Cancun,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47newlyweds Kevin and Teresa Forrester were eagerly awaiting
0:24:47 > 0:24:50the flight that would take them on their honeymoon -
0:24:50 > 0:24:53also to Cancun and also with Thomas Cook.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57We like to get a bit of sun before the winter sets in in England.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02Mexico was the location, two weeks in the sun,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05so we were really looking forward to it.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07But after arriving at a hotel near Gatwick
0:25:07 > 0:25:09ready for their early-morning flight,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11the couple received a phone call from Thomas Cook.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Their flight would not now be taking off
0:25:13 > 0:25:17until a full day later than planned.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20We would be given a hotel bedroom to stay in.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Um, I think we had dinner, as well.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Dinner, breakfast and a room for the entire day,
0:25:26 > 0:25:32so, in effect, that was the first day we had lost of our honeymoon.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34Once they'd arrived in Mexico,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36their holiday was everything they'd hoped for.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39But at the end of the trip after they checked out,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43news started to filter through of a delay on their return journey, as well.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47There was a lady who was on her iPad
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and said that she'd got information come through
0:25:50 > 0:25:53to say that we were going to be delayed.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58So there was like a, "Hmm, here we go again," kind of thing.
0:25:58 > 0:26:03Thomas Cook told the couple that unavoidable operational circumstances had caused the delay
0:26:03 > 0:26:07and it would be a full 28 hours until the flight would take off.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12It's a long time. I mean, you can fly a plane around the world in 24 hours, 36 hours.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15You know, "Get us another plane."
0:26:15 > 0:26:19Any passenger flying in or out of the EU who suffered a delay
0:26:19 > 0:26:22of more than three hours can claim compensation,
0:26:22 > 0:26:23in some cases of up to ?500.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Unless, that is, the airline can prove the delay was caused
0:26:27 > 0:26:32by what they call extraordinary circumstances, which means, essentially,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34anything outside their control.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Well, Kevin and Teresa, and indeed Aly's group
0:26:37 > 0:26:41all felt they were entitled to compensation for the delays to their flights,
0:26:41 > 0:26:42so each couple wrote to Thomas Cook,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45but I'm afraid the reply was not what they wanted to hear.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50There was no compensation with regards to the European legislation
0:26:50 > 0:26:54because it was a technical problem out of their control.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56It's their airline,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59it's not out of their control, as far as I'm concerned.
0:26:59 > 0:27:05Meanwhile, in Bristol, Aly and her group received similar responses from Thomas Cook.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08They knew the delay on their outward flight could be classed
0:27:08 > 0:27:11as a technical fault. After all, one of the engines had failed.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14But they were surprised to hear the return delay being blamed
0:27:14 > 0:27:17on that, as well, when, at the time, passengers had been told
0:27:17 > 0:27:21it was because of a dispute with the Mexican authorities.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23But Thomas Cook said that both delays
0:27:23 > 0:27:26were due to extraordinary circumstances and, as a result,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28they would not be paying compensation.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36When we contacted the company about the delays to both sets of Cancun flights,
0:27:36 > 0:27:41they reiterated their apologies to all those affected and thanked them for their patience,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44saying that although they did investigate sourcing alternative aircraft,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48ultimately, it wouldn't have shortened those lengthy delays.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52They stress that they provided...
0:27:52 > 0:27:56..and that passengers were...
0:27:56 > 0:27:59But that as the delays resulted from an...
0:28:04 > 0:28:06..they do consider them to be extraordinary.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10So you may well ask what is an extraordinary circumstance
0:28:10 > 0:28:14and how extraordinary does it have to be for it to get an airline off the hook
0:28:14 > 0:28:17when it comes to paying out compensation?
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Well, apparently anything from unprecedented technical problems
0:28:20 > 0:28:24to terrorism, bad weather to staff strikes
0:28:24 > 0:28:27can officially be considered exceptional,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30meaning that the only way the passengers can get compensation
0:28:30 > 0:28:33is if they're covered in their travel insurance.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36But if you think that that means the odds are really stacked against you,
0:28:36 > 0:28:40don't panic, because the law over what compensation you're entitled to
0:28:40 > 0:28:42could be about to change.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47EU proposals to introduce new rules to make it clearer
0:28:47 > 0:28:51when compensation should and shouldn't apply are currently being considered.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54And it's hoped that they will clarify once and for all
0:28:54 > 0:28:58what the phrase "extraordinary circumstances" actually means.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01But whatever comes of that, it will be too late for Kevin and Teresa
0:29:01 > 0:29:06and Aly, all of whom feel that just because a delay is described
0:29:06 > 0:29:09as "extraordinary", it shouldn't mean that they end up out of pocket.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12We don't want the earth, yeah,
0:29:12 > 0:29:16we just want to be recognised as people that have lost out.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24ANGELA RIPPON: Spain remains the most popular holiday destination
0:29:24 > 0:29:26for the majority of Britons.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28Last year, 11 million of us went there
0:29:28 > 0:29:34and we helped their ailing economy by spending in excess of ?5 billion.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38Of course, most holidays are trouble-free, but, as in any country,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41there are always people who are ready to trick you out of your cash,
0:29:41 > 0:29:45so travel expert Simon Calder has come up with a few tips
0:29:45 > 0:29:48that hopefully will ensure that doesn't happen to you.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50JULIA SOMERVILLE: As in many countries,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53scammers in Spain can strike before you even get to the hotel.
0:29:53 > 0:29:57You're moving your belongings from the car to the hotel,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00or vice versa, or maybe you've just arrived at the airport
0:30:00 > 0:30:02and you're loading up your rental car.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05There's going to be somebody there, quite possibly,
0:30:05 > 0:30:07who's offering to help, or someone who's not offering to help
0:30:07 > 0:30:11but is keeping a very close eye on you for when your back is turned
0:30:11 > 0:30:13and they can make off with your valuables.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16If there's two of you, then it's easy to avoid.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Make sure that one of you does the heavy lifting
0:30:19 > 0:30:24and the other one keeps their eyes absolutely peeled on what's going on around you.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27If you're on your own, just seek help from the people in the hotel,
0:30:27 > 0:30:31but don't take your eye off your belongings for a minute.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35There are 47 species of shark in the Mediterranean,
0:30:35 > 0:30:39but 48 if you include those aggressive sales people
0:30:39 > 0:30:42who prey on holiday-makers as they relax by the sea.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Simon says don't be reeled in.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48Now, time-share, despite its dodgy reputation,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51does have some legitimate organisations.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54But they're nothing to do with the touts who bother you on the beach.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59Once you've signed up, they will be after you for more and more money.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03If you do want some time-share, then just go through the ordinary channels,
0:31:03 > 0:31:07but the beach is no place to sign up for anything.
0:31:07 > 0:31:12And here's a top tip to keep in mind when paying with plastic on holiday.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14Using your card in Spain or the rest of Europe
0:31:14 > 0:31:19can leave you wide open to an increasingly common, but unnecessary, charge.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21There you are in a hotel, a restaurant, a shop.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25You want to pay with plastic and they say, "A-ha, senora,
0:31:25 > 0:31:29"we can offer you the chance to pay in sterling.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31"You'll know what rate you have locked into."
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Well, that sounds tempting, except that the rate
0:31:34 > 0:31:39they use will be to their advantage and your considerable disadvantage.
0:31:39 > 0:31:40Stick to euros.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49The classic example of every traveller's worst nightmare -
0:31:49 > 0:31:53you book a holiday destination based on the recommendation
0:31:53 > 0:31:56and description of a travel operator.
0:31:56 > 0:32:01Only, when you get there, you find that things are not quite as they were painted.
0:32:01 > 0:32:02So, picture the scene.
0:32:02 > 0:32:08You've just spent thousands on a five-star resort that promises relaxation.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Fair dos, that's exactly what you should expect to find.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15However, when you get there, there are hordes of people partying,
0:32:15 > 0:32:20and, according to some of the furious guests that we've been talking to,
0:32:20 > 0:32:24quite a few of them are doing a lot worse.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Don't try and run too fast, you're getting ahead of the ball.
0:32:27 > 0:32:33Tony Walton from Doncaster has a busy job as a sales manager and then, come the weekends,
0:32:33 > 0:32:37he uses all the energy that's left coaching kids at five-a-side.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41So you can't blame him for wanting a bit of peace and quiet with his family
0:32:41 > 0:32:42during his precious weeks off.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46As a family, we all want to relax.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49Every three years, we take an extensive luxury holiday
0:32:49 > 0:32:53that we'll travel long haul and really enjoy ourselves.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56So, last summer, for that special trip,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59they decided to head back to a destination and hotel
0:32:59 > 0:33:00they had been to before -
0:33:00 > 0:33:04the five-star, all-inclusive Riu Merengue in the Dominican Republic,
0:33:04 > 0:33:09which, as these sunny website photos show, looks like a holiday-maker's dream.
0:33:09 > 0:33:13Well, this was the third time to this hotel. We'd always enjoyed it.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17I really enjoyed the Dominican. It's a fabulous place to go to.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20The sun's perfect, the temperature's perfect,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23and, usually, the people you meet there are fantastic.
0:33:23 > 0:33:28So Tony and his family had no hesitation in forking out a hefty ?8,000
0:33:28 > 0:33:32for what was set to be a big family celebration.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34It was my wife's birthday
0:33:34 > 0:33:37and, also, my brother-in-law's tenth wedding anniversary.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39Ten years ago, he got married at the same hotel
0:33:39 > 0:33:42and we wanted to go back and celebrate in the same place.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44It's quite an expensive, luxury holiday.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47We had to save up for this for a few years.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51But based on past experience, it would be worth it.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55As you can see, the hotel looks like a tranquil, tropical haven,
0:33:55 > 0:34:00and the Thomson Holidays website used words like "retreat" and "relaxation".
0:34:00 > 0:34:05I expected from the holiday the same as what we'd had in previous years.
0:34:05 > 0:34:10We booked not to be overcrowded and really enjoy ourselves
0:34:10 > 0:34:15and relax and come back refreshed, ready for going back to work.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18But disappointment began as soon as they checked in.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22The room itself was a little shabby.
0:34:22 > 0:34:29You know, cracked windows, really, I suppose, showing signs of age.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32But it was when they turned in for their first night's sleep
0:34:32 > 0:34:36that the problems really started.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37A lot of shouting outside.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41Somebody playing basketball against the side of the bedroom I'm in
0:34:41 > 0:34:44and, er, this was four o'clock in the morning.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47And over the next few days, things got gradually worse.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50More and more new guests were arriving
0:34:50 > 0:34:54and the behaviour of some of them left a lot to be desired.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58As time progressed, we could see more and more people arriving,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01but they became very loud in the night.
0:35:01 > 0:35:06Around the pool area, very noisy, sometimes drunk, et cetera.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10It was obviously a very dirty area, with cups of drink, et cetera,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13just left around, food left at the side of the pool,
0:35:13 > 0:35:17people weeing and pooing around the pool area -
0:35:17 > 0:35:20even next to my sunbed at times.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22The hotel was getting overwhelmed
0:35:22 > 0:35:26and didn't seem able to cope with the sheer numbers.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29The new arrivals appeared to be large parties of Dominicans -
0:35:29 > 0:35:32locals determined to have a very different
0:35:32 > 0:35:34and much rowdier kind of holiday
0:35:34 > 0:35:37than the relaxed five-star break for which Tony had forked out.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40And, as if the noise wasn't bad enough,
0:35:40 > 0:35:44the crowds led to quite a problem in the hotel's buffet restaurants.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50You had no chance of getting to the food, whatsoever. Everybody saw it.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54You'd get to a counter, you'd go for some ice cream, as an example,
0:35:54 > 0:35:59the ice-cream containers were being taken out by the people - just taking the whole lot.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03You'd go and queue up a pizza. Before you actually got your piece of pizza,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06somebody would lean across to you, grab the whole pizza
0:36:06 > 0:36:07and take it away for their table.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11Coming down to breakfast and finding nothing left to eat
0:36:11 > 0:36:13was the final straw for Tony.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16He made his feelings plain to the local Thomson rep,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19who suggested that if he wanted to escape the mayhem,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22the family should take the excursions out of the hotel -
0:36:22 > 0:36:26excursions that Thomson would charge for, that is.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29I don't find that acceptable, personally,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31because you've gone there, you've booked that holiday,
0:36:31 > 0:36:36you'd booked that resort to enjoy all the facilities and the quiet areas that you can find.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39But those quiet areas were few and far between.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43To Tony, the hotel facilities that had cost the family ?8,000
0:36:43 > 0:36:49were becoming more like a busy station at rush hour than a five-star retreat.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52He wanted the whole family moved to a different hotel.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56So I said, "My family are upset, they want to go on a holiday,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59"they're not enjoying their holiday, we need to move and I need an answer."
0:36:59 > 0:37:02There were other people coming along at this time
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and complaining about similar sorts of things.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07So, more and more people gathered -
0:37:07 > 0:37:10around 60 or 70 people by about two in the afternoon.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12As the crowd grew,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16the harassed rep sought advice from head office back home.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Tony got an answer, but not the one he wanted to hear.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24She got a call from the UK that said we had to pay...
0:37:24 > 0:37:28I think it was ?1,800 or so to move hotel.
0:37:28 > 0:37:29And I said to her, basically,
0:37:29 > 0:37:31"You've not listened to what I'm saying.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34"I'm saying I want to move hotel and I want what I paid for.
0:37:34 > 0:37:35"It will not cost me anything."
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Eventually, there was a breakthrough,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42though only, it seemed, because even more people were about to descend
0:37:42 > 0:37:44on the already struggling Riu Merengue.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46She said that we would move hotel.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51There was an influx of visitors coming to the hotel,
0:37:51 > 0:37:552,200 people coming into the hotel over a two-day period,
0:37:55 > 0:37:58and she would have us out of the hotel by that point.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02My holiday was ruined, so moving to the second hotel,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06although it was nice, and nice to get away,
0:38:06 > 0:38:09it still didn't make up for what we'd booked.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12It didn't have what I paid for.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15I've never been so glad to get back in the UK in all my life.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17I usually don't want to come home from my holidays,
0:38:17 > 0:38:19and on this occasion,
0:38:19 > 0:38:23I just couldn't wait get back on that plane and head back to the UK.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Back home, Tony hoped that Thomson would properly compensate them
0:38:27 > 0:38:29for the way that the holiday had turned out.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33But the company offered less than ?200 each
0:38:33 > 0:38:36and insisted that that was all he was getting.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38So Tony feels he has no choice
0:38:38 > 0:38:40but to pursue Thomson through the courts,
0:38:40 > 0:38:44along with other disappointed holiday-makers making similar claims,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47also complaining about hygiene and alleged illness.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53When we contacted Thomson, the company told us it is...
0:38:55 > 0:39:00But as the case is now subject to legal proceedings, it would be...
0:39:00 > 0:39:03We also contacted the hotel directly.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Though confirming that they were aware of the complaints and...
0:39:11 > 0:39:13..they are satisfied that they took...
0:39:14 > 0:39:17But again, they would not comment further,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19due to the legal proceedings.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24Meanwhile, Tony is determined to carry on with the fight.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27My holiday was ruined. I didn't have a holiday.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32I didn't enjoy saving up for three years to enjoy a holiday.
0:39:32 > 0:39:38It just got washed away. I didn't enjoy one minute of that holiday.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Here at Rip-Off Britain, we are always ready to investigate
0:39:48 > 0:39:52more of your stories, and not just about holidays.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Confused over your bills?
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Trying to wade through never-ending small print?
0:39:58 > 0:39:59When they sit you down to sign up for things,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02they don't really give you the chance at the time
0:40:02 > 0:40:03to read through all of that small print.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09These people have ripped me off, well and truly.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13Or you might have a cautionary tale of your own,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16and want to share the mistakes you've made with us
0:40:16 > 0:40:18so that others don't do the same.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Whatever has left you feeling ripped off, we want to hear from you.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26You can write to us at...
0:40:32 > 0:40:33Or send us an e-mail to...
0:40:35 > 0:40:38The team here is ready and waiting to look into your stories,
0:40:38 > 0:40:40so please do get in touch.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Well, as we've been hearing, when the reality of a holiday
0:40:44 > 0:40:47doesn't quite match up to your expectations,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51whether that's because it's to do with the accommodation or the travel,
0:40:51 > 0:40:53well, it might just be as a result of the way
0:40:53 > 0:40:56in which things were actually described in the first place.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00So you really cannot necessarily take anything on a website
0:41:00 > 0:41:02or in a brochure at face value, can you?
0:41:02 > 0:41:04And that's good advice,
0:41:04 > 0:41:06because sometimes you might want to take some of it
0:41:06 > 0:41:09with a decent pinch of salt. But at least these days,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12that's not the only information you've got access to.
0:41:12 > 0:41:13You can always go online
0:41:13 > 0:41:16and do a bit of research to check out in detail -
0:41:16 > 0:41:18this is the important bit -
0:41:18 > 0:41:21what you are booking before you hand over any cash.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23I'm afraid that is where we have to leave you for today.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25We will be back,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28investigating even more of your stories again very soon.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30But until then, we're going to have to say goodbye
0:41:30 > 0:41:32to this lovely island of Tenerife, aren't we?
0:41:32 > 0:41:36With the sound of the waves, what could be better? Goodbye. Bye.