0:00:02 > 0:00:06GLORIA: We asked you who has left you feeling ripped off when it comes to your holidays
0:00:06 > 0:00:09and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11This can't be happening.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14It's a nightmare. Wake me up from it, please.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19It was just a shambles, that's the best way to say it.
0:00:19 > 0:00:20It was just a shambles.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23ANGELA: So, whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:23 > 0:00:25a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,
0:00:25 > 0:00:30we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34JULIA: Your stories, your money, this is Rip Off Britain.
0:00:36 > 0:00:40Hello and a huge welcome to Rip Off Britain where for this series,
0:00:40 > 0:00:42we're on the very sunny island of Tenerife
0:00:42 > 0:00:45and investigating a whole range of problems
0:00:45 > 0:00:46that you've told us about.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Ones that you've had while you've been on holiday.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52One of the biggest gripes you write to us about is when you've had no
0:00:52 > 0:00:56choice but to make a change of some sort, or even cancel your plans and
0:00:56 > 0:00:59you've been hit with a big old charge for the privilege.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Now that can be the case whether you've made very simple mistakes,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06say at the time of your booking, or at the other end of the scale,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10if you can no longer actually go on holiday at all because someone very
0:01:10 > 0:01:12close to you has fallen seriously ill
0:01:12 > 0:01:15and now needs urgent medical treatment.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Now either way to get penalised, or worse still, to actually lose
0:01:19 > 0:01:23the money that you've paid altogether, can seem not just harsh
0:01:23 > 0:01:25but rather unfair, don't you think?
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I'd call it a double blow.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30So why is it so difficult to amend or cancel a holiday
0:01:30 > 0:01:33without being hit by some kind of extra cost?
0:01:33 > 0:01:35That's something you've been asking us for years
0:01:35 > 0:01:37and now it seems that the regulators, too,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40are starting to question the way we're treated
0:01:40 > 0:01:42if we need to change our holiday plans.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Let's see if your experiences can help make up their minds.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51Coming up... Why even after the most devastating diagnosis,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54you may not be able to cancel your holiday without losing your cash.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57But could there be a way to fight back?
0:01:57 > 0:02:01I couldn't understand why a company should behave like that to somebody
0:02:01 > 0:02:04with a genuine illness
0:02:04 > 0:02:08and traumatic stage of their life that they're going through.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14And they spotted a mistake with their flights just minutes after booking,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17so how did this family end up with such a whopping charge to change them?
0:02:17 > 0:02:21So simply he said to me,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24"That will be ?900 to change."
0:02:24 > 0:02:29And at that point, I cannot tell you what I was thinking and feeling,
0:02:29 > 0:02:30because I was in so much shock.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Now although we can sometimes bag a bargain at the very last minute,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41often some of the best holiday deals can be found a long time in advance.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Indeed, it's not unheard of for some people to plan and pay
0:02:45 > 0:02:49for a particular trip up to two years beforehand.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53But, you know, a lot can happen in that time and all of life's great
0:02:53 > 0:02:58unpredictable events can mean that through circumstances beyond anybody's control,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00you're no longer able to take that
0:03:00 > 0:03:03long-awaited and hard saved for time away.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Of course, the trouble is that holidays aren't something
0:03:05 > 0:03:09you can just get out of, cancel and then get your money back,
0:03:09 > 0:03:13which can seem especially inflexible if there's still plenty of time for
0:03:13 > 0:03:15the company you booked with to resell your seats,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17or your cabin, to somebody else.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22The open seas.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26An endless horizon, and the luxury of a modern cruise ship.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30More of us than ever are choosing to take to the ocean waves
0:03:30 > 0:03:35with not far off two million Brits going on a cruise in 2015.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38And when many ships now boast casinos, health spas,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40cinemas and even theatres,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44cruise ships are now floating cities of luxury and extravagance.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48It was exactly that sort of indulgence that Harry and Kay Smith
0:03:48 > 0:03:50from Bolton were looking forward to
0:03:50 > 0:03:52when they booked flights to South Africa
0:03:52 > 0:03:54and a cruise from there as part of
0:03:54 > 0:03:57what would be a holiday of a lifetime.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59That's a good one, isn't it?
0:03:59 > 0:04:02There were lots of reasons why they were desperate to get out there.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07We'd lived in South Africa for 25 years before.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Secondly, our youngest son, Mark,
0:04:10 > 0:04:15was recovering from a fairly severe spinal operation.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Last but not least, I had never seen our great-granddaughter.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Well, the couple booked their trip through a company called
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Infinity Cruises.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28It was to begin with flights to Johannesburg where they would
0:04:28 > 0:04:31spend a few weeks with family before heading to Cape Town
0:04:31 > 0:04:33to embark on that cruise to Venice.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36All of that came with a big price tag.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40It was ?4,298 in total,
0:04:40 > 0:04:43but the couple felt that every penny was worth it.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45The family, when we said we were coming out,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48were absolutely over the moon.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50They were so excited and we were so looking forward to it.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53We'd saved our money, we'd retired,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56we wanted to have something to remember.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58It was a one-off.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01We'll never be able to afford this kind of money again.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06But it was soon after they had booked and paid for the holiday
0:05:06 > 0:05:10that Kay received some life-changing news from her doctor.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13She said, "I'm sorry, it's cancer."
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And I just started shaking.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19The tears rolled down my eyes and I thought,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22"Oh, my God, I've got to tell my husband,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24"I've got to phone him and tell him."
0:05:24 > 0:05:28And I just sat there
0:05:28 > 0:05:31and I phoned him and I told him on the phone and he...
0:05:32 > 0:05:37He just said, "Oh, God, not my baby, please, not my baby."
0:05:40 > 0:05:42As you might imagine, it was devastating news
0:05:42 > 0:05:46and while Kay hoped she might still be able to take her holiday,
0:05:46 > 0:05:48it was immediately clear that that wouldn't be possible.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55The consultant said, "If you've got anything planned, unplan it."
0:05:55 > 0:06:00I said, "Can I not put the chemo off for a month or so until I come back
0:06:00 > 0:06:02"off this trip, because, you know,
0:06:02 > 0:06:07"we've just paid out all this money for this holiday of a lifetime,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10"to South Africa to our family" and she said, "No, I'm sorry,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12"you're not going to be able to get on a plane."
0:06:12 > 0:06:17It was even more than a double blow, we couldn't spend time with my son,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21who was emotionally and physically ill
0:06:21 > 0:06:26and suffering and having to come to terms with major dramas
0:06:26 > 0:06:31in his life, I couldn't be supportive of him.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33I wasn't going to see the family.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41As the trip was still a full three months away,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Harry immediately called Infinity Cruises,
0:06:44 > 0:06:48confident that the company would cancel the holiday and refund the money.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51He even sent medical evidence to prove the diagnosis.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54I had told them what had happened.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56They were very sympathetic
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and I just assumed that this was part of the process
0:06:59 > 0:07:01of getting reimbursed.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07But Infinity Cruises told the couple that they wouldn't get back
0:07:07 > 0:07:11any of the ?4,298 they had paid in.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Because in line with its terms and conditions,
0:07:13 > 0:07:17it stated clearly that there are no refunds.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20She said, "Have you read the small print, the terms and conditions?"
0:07:20 > 0:07:22I said, "What do you mean?"
0:07:22 > 0:07:25"Well, I'm sorry, it clearly states that if you cancel...
0:07:27 > 0:07:28"..you don't get your money back."
0:07:28 > 0:07:31And I couldn't get my head round this.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32Making money like that...
0:07:34 > 0:07:37..out of somebody's tragedy, I couldn't...
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I couldn't envisage anybody doing this.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45I couldn't understand why a company should behave like that to somebody
0:07:45 > 0:07:48with a genuine illness
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and traumatic stage of their life that they're going through.
0:07:51 > 0:07:56Infinity Cruises told Harry that the only way to get his money back would
0:07:56 > 0:07:59be to make a claim on his travel insurance.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02But Harry, of course, hadn't yet taken a policy out.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04He'd planned to do that nearer the trip.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07So in a desperate bid not to lose his cash,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11he suggested that a family member could take the trip in their place,
0:08:11 > 0:08:14but the company said the holiday was not transferable.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18We could have brought family from South Africa
0:08:18 > 0:08:21and gave them a trip of a lifetime if we could have changed the names.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25We could have brought our granddaughter and great-granddaughter over.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26They could have had the cabin.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Why could we not change names?
0:08:29 > 0:08:30What does it matter to anybody?
0:08:30 > 0:08:32It's a piece of paper.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Harry and Kay believed that the company would easily be able to
0:08:37 > 0:08:40resell the holiday and therefore wouldn't lose any money,
0:08:40 > 0:08:43but Infinity Cruises was not prepared to budge.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46I said to them, "What happens if you resell them?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48"Who gets the money?"
0:08:48 > 0:08:50"We keep the money."
0:08:50 > 0:08:51He said, "We keep the money."
0:08:51 > 0:08:53I said, "How can you...?
0:08:54 > 0:08:57"This is immoral. How do you sleep at night?
0:08:57 > 0:09:00"How can you possibly do this?"
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Infinity says that once a holiday is cancelled,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06the various elements are sent back to the suppliers and therefore,
0:09:06 > 0:09:09the company itself does incur cancellation costs
0:09:09 > 0:09:12and it was reiterated that the staff who dealt with Harry
0:09:12 > 0:09:15were sticking to the company's terms and conditions.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18But Harry firmly believes he didn't receive those terms
0:09:18 > 0:09:21and conditions until after he had paid and although the company
0:09:21 > 0:09:24has made it clear that the terms and conditions are available to view
0:09:24 > 0:09:26online at any time,
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Harry didn't look at these at the time of booking.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35But it's not at all unusual for travel companies to refuse
0:09:35 > 0:09:37to refund the cost of a holiday that's been cancelled,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39even when that's because of ill-health,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41or some other life-changing event.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47That is usually stated very clearly in the terms and conditions
0:09:47 > 0:09:50and the reason, of course, is that if the company can't resell the trip
0:09:50 > 0:09:53in whatever time is available, it could end up out of pocket.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00Well, something very similar happened to this man,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Rip Off Britain viewer John Cartwright from Rutland.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05He's a retired barrister,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07and once a lawyer, always a lawyer.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10So, when he was told he wouldn't get a refund,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12it wasn't something he was prepared to accept.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16John had booked a trip to Hong Kong.
0:10:16 > 0:10:21He'd paid a ?1,178 deposit for the flights, but then,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24due to a serious heart problem, he was unable to fly.
0:10:24 > 0:10:31In my case, the tour operator had at least four months' notice
0:10:31 > 0:10:36before departure, so had plenty of time to resell the flights.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40And the hotelier probably found somebody else to sleep
0:10:40 > 0:10:41in the same room.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44John used his legal expertise.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48He referred to an Office of Fair Trading report from 2004,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51which says that if a customer cancels a trip,
0:10:51 > 0:10:56a holiday firm is entitled to retain some of the deposit or other payment,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00but only as much as is needed to cover its reasonable costs and losses
0:11:00 > 0:11:01caused by the cancellation.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Their loss amounted to ?76,
0:11:04 > 0:11:07so they refunded to me ?1,102.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10I felt vindicated, but I also felt angry,
0:11:10 > 0:11:14because by operating their scheme of telling people,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18"You're bound by our terms and conditions, you've got to forfeit the money you've paid",
0:11:18 > 0:11:23that smacks of profiteering out of somebody else's personal calamity.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28The travel company told us that high cancellation charges
0:11:28 > 0:11:31are usually imposed by suppliers,
0:11:31 > 0:11:35but are calculated so they represent a genuine pre-estimate
0:11:35 > 0:11:37of the overall loss to the business.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41However, it does recognise that from time to time, these costs
0:11:41 > 0:11:43are not a true reflection,
0:11:43 > 0:11:47and it's since introduced a more flexible approach to cancellations
0:11:47 > 0:11:50surrounding unforeseen circumstances.
0:11:50 > 0:11:51It said in John's case,
0:11:51 > 0:11:55after being successful in getting money back from its suppliers,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57it was able to offer him a suitable refund,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01but the company went on to say that most customers cancelling on medical
0:12:01 > 0:12:04grounds would seek a refund through their travel insurance.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11But for those of us without John's legal expertise,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15including Harry and Kay, this kind of battle isn't that easy,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18nor is it always clear where to turn next.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22So John has agreed to look at Harry and Kay's case,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26to see if he thinks that they too might be able to get at least some of their money back.
0:12:28 > 0:12:35I understand that you asked Infinity Travel what their losses, if any,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39amounted to, resulting from your cancellation?
0:12:39 > 0:12:43Well, what I said to them, John, was that
0:12:43 > 0:12:48I don't mind paying any reasonable costs incurred by the company,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52and I would expect to pay for administration costs, etc.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54A cancellation fee.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59For John, a crucial factor in Harry and Kay's case lies in exactly when
0:12:59 > 0:13:02the couple were made aware that if they cancelled their trip,
0:13:02 > 0:13:06for whatever reason, they wouldn't be entitled to any refund.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10You paid the money before you ever had a chance to see the terms
0:13:10 > 0:13:12and conditions, is that right?
0:13:12 > 0:13:14As far as I can recall, yes, yes.
0:13:14 > 0:13:19Well, if that is right, that's a very good start to your situation,
0:13:19 > 0:13:23because that means all of their terms and conditions are meaningless.
0:13:23 > 0:13:29Well, yeah. You have terms and conditions put before you at the point of sale.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33It's no good taking money off somebody and then telling you,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36"Oh, by the way, I didn't tell you, these are your terms and conditions,"
0:13:36 > 0:13:39because they've already got your money. Yeah.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43And though the terms and conditions are available on the company's
0:13:43 > 0:13:45website and in the brochure,
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Harry is adamant that the fact that the cruise was non-refundable wasn't
0:13:49 > 0:13:52made explicitly clear to him as he handed over his money,
0:13:52 > 0:13:57John's opinion is that Harry and Kay have a very strong case.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58I'm convinced,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02convinced that you will win your case and not only win the case,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05but you should get a big chunk of your money back.
0:14:05 > 0:14:06You may not get it all back.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09So you think we will get some back?
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Oh, yes. Oh, yeah, you will.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Thank you so much, John.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Thanks for your help and advice.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19Well, it seems John's not alone in arguing that some travel companies
0:14:19 > 0:14:22may not always treat customers who cancel fairly.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26The Competition and Markets Authority recently launched a campaign,
0:14:26 > 0:14:30to stop companies profiting from non-refundable deposits on goods
0:14:30 > 0:14:35such as holidays, in situations where it is possible to sell them on.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39And it's warned that companies who continue to breach consumer rights
0:14:39 > 0:14:43in this area could face action, including fines.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47But when we put Harry and Kay's case to Infinity Cruises,
0:14:47 > 0:14:51the company told us that though it sincerely apologises for the added
0:14:51 > 0:14:55anxiety this situation may have produced,
0:14:55 > 0:14:57it's acted entirely within the allowed constraints
0:14:57 > 0:15:00of the holiday and cancellation process.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03It accepts, however, that more could have been done to help the couple
0:15:03 > 0:15:06try and recoup the cost of their holiday.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Going on to explain that while the air fares had been
0:15:08 > 0:15:11paid in full and were non-refundable,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14the company had as yet only paid its supplier a deposit
0:15:14 > 0:15:16for the cruise element of the holiday.
0:15:16 > 0:15:23As such, it is able to give the couple a partial refund of ?1,634
0:15:23 > 0:15:25to cover that part of the trip,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29along with an additional ?115 as a goodwill gesture.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34That's a huge step in the right direction for Harry and Kay,
0:15:34 > 0:15:38and they're determined to fight on in the hope of getting all their money back.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41We've exhausted every other avenue,
0:15:41 > 0:15:46and we've given this company every opportunity to treat us fairly.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49And, so far, they haven't.
0:15:49 > 0:15:54So if we have to go to the court, then that's what we'll do.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Our travel expert Simon Calder has all the secrets
0:16:01 > 0:16:03to save you money on your travels.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07He's full of tips on everything from how to avoid the crowds
0:16:07 > 0:16:10to the best way to steer clear of those tourist traps.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15This time, Simon's exploring the Greek islands.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Greece acquired civilisation centuries before we did
0:16:19 > 0:16:23in Britain and it's still a highly civilised place to go on holiday.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26If you're after the simple pleasures of travel
0:16:26 > 0:16:30and enjoy shimmering blue seas and dazzling white villages,
0:16:30 > 0:16:34Simon says Greece definitely delivers.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37I first went island hopping in Greece 40 years ago
0:16:37 > 0:16:43and I've been exploring the mainland and islands ever since.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49After four decades of tireless research, these are my top tips.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53If you're after history as well as hedonism, then Simon recommends
0:16:53 > 0:16:58you focus on the three most popular islands - Creete, Corfu and Rhodes.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01On Crete, the largest Greek island of all,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04a local bus from the capital Heraklion will take you
0:17:04 > 0:17:08to Knossos, the power base of the Minoan civilisation.
0:17:08 > 0:17:09Corfu is closer to Britain
0:17:09 > 0:17:14and cheap to reach with plenty of low cost, high indulgence options.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17But far away from beach resorts like Kavos,
0:17:17 > 0:17:21you can find unspoiled coast and countryside.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24And finally Rhodes was transformed by the Knights of St John,
0:17:24 > 0:17:29whose Palace of the Grand Master dominates the old town.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Whichever island you choose,
0:17:31 > 0:17:35consider a cut-price alternative to the beachfront hotel.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Rent a room in town and use that as a base for exploring
0:17:39 > 0:17:43the rest of the island by cheap and cheerful public transport.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45For a picture perfect taste of the Greek islands,
0:17:45 > 0:17:50Simon reckons Kos is a must-see with so much more than just beaches.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53There, you can find cottages rising from the quayside
0:17:53 > 0:17:57to a pretty white church with a hilly hinterland draped in pine
0:17:57 > 0:18:00or go one step beyond Kos itself.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Take a ferry to nearby Patmos, where the reward
0:18:03 > 0:18:07is a pace of life turned down a couple of notches.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11And the final slice of Greece Simon recommends is its capital.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14To supercharge your Greek experience,
0:18:14 > 0:18:17add Athens to an island trip.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20The Greek capital was handsomely transformed for the Olympics
0:18:20 > 0:18:25in 2004 and is now one of my favourite European cities -
0:18:25 > 0:18:29the very definition of ancient and modern.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37These days, because booking online has become so simple,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40we have all become used to organising our travel and holiday
0:18:40 > 0:18:46around the clock, 24/7, which is fine, when everything goes to plan.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49But it may not be so good if you've got a query,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53or a problem, that has to be sorted out there and then.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Mary Mutimer is used to doing things in a hurry
0:18:55 > 0:18:58and to being rushed off her feet.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00With four children, her work as a paramedic
0:19:00 > 0:19:03and a husband who is in the same unpredictable job,
0:19:03 > 0:19:08she could always do with more hours in the day than there actually are.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Juggling work, home life,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13just keeping everything going is really difficult at times
0:19:13 > 0:19:19and for example, me and my partner probably get two days off every six weeks together.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21So time is precious to us.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25So, organising a family holiday to Orlando
0:19:25 > 0:19:28where her eldest daughter Gemma was studying,
0:19:28 > 0:19:32seemed set to provide a welcome opportunity to press pause
0:19:32 > 0:19:35for a while and spend some time relaxing.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40And in January 2016, Mary started hunting online for the best deal.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43When you do a search, lots of companies come up.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Some of them I had heard of and some of them I hadn't heard of.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50One of those companies she hadn't heard of was Omegaflightstore,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54a well-established online travel agent which has been offering
0:19:54 > 0:19:57flights on many international routes for 20 years.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00With the price quoted for all five return flights to Orlando coming in
0:20:00 > 0:20:06at ?2,045, more than ?350 under their budget,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08she couldn't believe her luck.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12At that time, I'll be honest, adrenaline was pumping,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15because I thought I had found a really good deal, this is it,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19we're going on this dream holiday, everything seemed to be going fine,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22found this fantastic price that fitted in with budget,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24booked it, felt on top of the world.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Keen to secure such a great price,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Mary hadn't wasted a second booking the flights
0:20:31 > 0:20:35and at 17:58, she got confirmation that payment had been taken.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39I was feeling so superchuffed with myself because I had found
0:20:39 > 0:20:41this bargain deal that was at least 50% cheaper
0:20:41 > 0:20:44than what a lot of people had been
0:20:44 > 0:20:46telling me that I would have to pay for a family of five.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51So, it was a case of crack the champagne out, toast all round,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53I was feeling really pleased with myself and excited
0:20:53 > 0:20:57that we were going to be going on this holiday of a lifetime.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59But the celebrations came to an abrupt halt,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02just a couple of minutes after they had begun.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04My oldest son, Jacob, he was like, "Mum,"
0:21:04 > 0:21:08and I thought something is terribly wrong here, what could it be?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11And that's when he announced to me that the flights I had just booked
0:21:11 > 0:21:14clashed with the exams that he had told me were in June,
0:21:14 > 0:21:16were in fact in May.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19I was absolutely devastated.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21However, I thought, "Well, that's OK,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25"I will just call them back and I will just change the flights."
0:21:25 > 0:21:27But that wasn't to be.
0:21:28 > 0:21:33Mary called Omegaflightstore 22 minutes after receiving her confirmation e-mail
0:21:33 > 0:21:35at 20 past six.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38But all she got through to was a recorded message.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40I still didn't panic at this point,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44because I truly believed that it would be something that I could just sort out.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Their answerphone message said they were open at nine o'clock
0:21:47 > 0:21:50the next morning and I thought, "That's OK,
0:21:50 > 0:21:52"I will just give them a ring in the morning."
0:21:52 > 0:21:57Mary booked the following morning off work to sort it all out
0:21:57 > 0:21:59and when 9am came around,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01she was straight on the phone to Omegaflightstore.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05When I explained to Omega Flights what had happened,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07and that I had booked at literally two minutes to six and then their
0:22:07 > 0:22:11office was shut and I needed to change the dates,
0:22:11 > 0:22:13I was pretty much met with,
0:22:13 > 0:22:15"Yes, no problem, that will be absolutely fine.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18"Let's see what we can do." I thought this is going well.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Having checked the terms and conditions on the company's website
0:22:21 > 0:22:23the night before, Mary was prepared
0:22:23 > 0:22:28to be charged a ?30 per person admin fee to change the flight details.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32But she wasn't ready for what she was told instead.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37So simply he said to me, "That will be ?900 to change."
0:22:37 > 0:22:42And at that point, I cannot tell you what I was thinking and feeling,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44because I was in so much shock.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47So I said to him, "That's not right.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50"I booked these at two minutes to six, your office was shut."
0:22:50 > 0:22:54But the operator was adamant that Mary had missed the deadline
0:22:54 > 0:22:59by which the details could be changed for that ?30 per person fee.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02And as a result, the cost had rocketed.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06He started to talk at me some facts and figures about, well,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09if you had changed it by midnight, it would have been OK.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12I said, "Well, your office was shut at six o'clock, I couldn't do that.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15"I phoned you, you were closed, there was no other way of contacting you."
0:23:15 > 0:23:18But Omegaflightstore would not budge,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21insisting the only way she could change the flights
0:23:21 > 0:23:24was by paying that further ?900.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29They said, this ?900, was ?180 per person,
0:23:29 > 0:23:33?30 that they were charging for the detail change, name change,
0:23:33 > 0:23:39flight change, and ?150 per person which was some flight
0:23:39 > 0:23:43void cancellation charge, which was nowhere on their
0:23:43 > 0:23:45website at the time that I had seen the day before.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Mary says Omegaflightstore told her that the ?900 was for fees
0:23:51 > 0:23:55charged by the airlines, but when she contacted both Delta and Virgin,
0:23:55 > 0:23:58the companies with whom she was due to fly,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00they told her that wasn't the case and in fact,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03if she had booked directly with either of them,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06she would have had a 24-hour cooling off period during which she would
0:24:06 > 0:24:10have been able to cancel or change her flight free of charge!
0:24:10 > 0:24:13So, if the charges weren't being made by the airline,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Mary couldn't understand what on earth they were for!
0:24:18 > 0:24:20It was like talking to a brick wall,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24there was just absolutely no give whatsoever and they just kept saying,
0:24:24 > 0:24:26"Sorry, madam, it's not the case, this is procedure,
0:24:26 > 0:24:30"this is policy," and it seemed to make absolutely no difference whatsoever,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34that we were saying, "I've just spoken to Virgin,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38"they have told us that they do not impose this ?150 per person charge,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40"so where has it come from?"
0:24:41 > 0:24:43With their pleas falling on deaf ears,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47Mary and Paul felt they had no choice but to pay the extra fees
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Omega Flights was demanding,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52after scraping the money together with help from relatives.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55We borrowed the money off Paul's parents,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58very bitterly paid this ?900.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00I was absolutely devastated.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Now in the US, there is special legislation in place
0:25:04 > 0:25:08to protect consumers from falling foul of what can be
0:25:08 > 0:25:11confusing cancellation and amendment policies.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13The rules there say that any American airline,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16or indeed any flight departing from the US,
0:25:16 > 0:25:20must either offer a 24-hour hold guaranteeing your fare
0:25:20 > 0:25:25before purchase, or a 24-hour risk-free cancellation
0:25:25 > 0:25:27entitling the customer to a full refund.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31But here in the UK, consumers have no such protection.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35And as a result, different airlines have different policies and charges,
0:25:35 > 0:25:39if you want to make an immediate change to a booking.
0:25:39 > 0:25:44For example, BA and Virgin both have a 24-hour cooling off period,
0:25:44 > 0:25:47allowing flights to be cancelled, or rebooked.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51Although Virgin advises that if the flight was booked through an agent,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54it's the agent that should be contacted for a refund.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Thomas Cook doesn't operate a 24-hour grace period
0:25:57 > 0:26:02and its charges for flight changes range from ?35 to ?50 per person.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05But that's a long way from the ?150 per person
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Omegaflightstore charged Mary.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11But when we spoke to Omegaflightstore,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14it insisted it acted in line with fair rules,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18telling us that by the time Mary spoke to the company,
0:26:18 > 0:26:21it was already too late to avoid incurring a charge,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25because their 24-hour cooling off period applies
0:26:25 > 0:26:28from a minute past midnight to a minute to midnight,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30the same day of purchase,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33rather than 24 hours across two days.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36It says the need to get changes made by six o'clock the same day
0:26:36 > 0:26:39is clearly stated in its website.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Omega goes on to say it does not compromise its customer satisfaction
0:26:43 > 0:26:44under any circumstances.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48And while it says a negotiation with Delta resulted in the airline
0:26:48 > 0:26:51agreeing to cancel the flights for a full refund,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Mary preferred to change the date rather than cancel altogether,
0:26:55 > 0:26:59so the company had no choice but to apply the rules
0:26:59 > 0:27:03of charging ?150 per person, plus a ?30 administration fee.
0:27:06 > 0:27:11But Mary is adamant that she was never offered the option of a refund.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13I have never dealt with a company like that before
0:27:13 > 0:27:16and we're a modern-day family that buy on the internet,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19book things through search sites,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21just absolutely shocking in this day and age,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25it seems backwards to me that an office shuts at 6pm.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28There are a lot of companies now that are 24/7
0:27:28 > 0:27:29and you can speak to them, you know,
0:27:29 > 0:27:3324 hours a day, seven days a week, all year round. It's ridiculous.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:27:45 > 0:27:50then get in touch with us via our Facebook page BBC Rip Off Britain,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54our website, bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57or e-mail us.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Or if you want to send us a letter, then our new address is...
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Well, the question of refunds on a holiday booking is one that we know
0:28:18 > 0:28:21a lot of you feel very strongly about.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24And you've made it crystal clear in your e-mails and letters
0:28:24 > 0:28:28that the way you think some companies handle this just isn't right.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32Now obviously we do appreciate that there is usually some cost involved
0:28:32 > 0:28:35in either amending or cancelling a booking, but it's very easy,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39I think, to understand why so many people feel that to lose
0:28:39 > 0:28:41the whole cost of the holiday,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44even when the company has then gone on and been able to resell it
0:28:44 > 0:28:47to someone else, does not feel entirely fair.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49And I have to say, I agree with them.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51For now, though, we're out of time,
0:28:51 > 0:28:55so we hope you never need to cancel any of your holiday plans
0:28:55 > 0:28:57and that everything goes without a hitch.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00And remember, if it doesn't, you know what to do,
0:29:00 > 0:29:01let us know about it.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04We'll see you again very soon, but until then, from all of us, goodbye.
0:29:04 > 0:29:05Bye. Bye.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Join us live, and follow the world's wildest animals...