0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you who has left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:05when it comes to your holidays
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12I thought it was a joke, I really did. I started laughing.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14I said, "You cannot be serious."
0:00:14 > 0:00:17They were saying it was not their fault.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20It was unbelievable. I can't even explain.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23So, whether it's a deliberate rip-off,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26a simple mistake or a catch in the small print,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32Your stories, your money.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain
0:00:37 > 0:00:39from the beautiful island of Tenerife
0:00:39 > 0:00:42and it's wonderful for us to be sitting by the sea
0:00:42 > 0:00:44with the waves crashing. It's gorgeous.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48And today we're bringing you a classic crop of holiday disasters
0:00:48 > 0:00:50with one thing in common.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Each of them involved a monumental letdown
0:00:52 > 0:00:54which really did leave the people involved
0:00:54 > 0:00:58feeling that they simply didn't get what they paid for originally.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00For instance, you've planned ahead,
0:01:00 > 0:01:02you've chosen your resort or your hotel
0:01:02 > 0:01:04because they really do seem to fit the bill,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08only you arrive and find that it does nothing of the kind.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Clearly, you're going to feel thoroughly hacked off,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13especially if your lasting memories of that trip
0:01:13 > 0:01:16are going to be that you spent the whole time having to complain.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19I know, and it's going to make things even worse
0:01:19 > 0:01:22if your complaints appear to fall on deaf ears.
0:01:22 > 0:01:23All of the people we'll be meeting
0:01:23 > 0:01:26certainly feel that's what happened to them.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30Now, no-one expects every aspect of a trip to always go smoothly
0:01:30 > 0:01:33but these people would argue that it wasn't minor issues
0:01:33 > 0:01:37that left them so upset, but really fundamental problems
0:01:37 > 0:01:39which left their holidays in tatters.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Coming up, how dreams of a holiday haven in Gran Canaria
0:01:43 > 0:01:46turned into this noisy nightmare.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47DRILLING
0:01:47 > 0:01:51We were greeted by the sounds of jackhammers.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Electric saws, drilling.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57And the big names accused of getting things seriously wrong
0:01:57 > 0:01:59for travellers with disabilities.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02I was really upset, the family were upset.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04We just didn't know what to do.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10When we get almost identical letters from people
0:02:10 > 0:02:13who don't know each other, in fact, have never met each other,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16but who've all experienced exactly the same problem,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19you can bet that it makes us sit up and take notice,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22especially when they've got video footage
0:02:22 > 0:02:26that proves just how bad things really were.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29But one of the things that really stands out about this next tale,
0:02:29 > 0:02:31apart from, as you will see,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33what they had to put up with every morning, noon and night,
0:02:33 > 0:02:36is the fact that, while the people that we've heard from
0:02:36 > 0:02:41all went through the same thing at the same time in the same place,
0:02:41 > 0:02:44they did not all get the same response
0:02:44 > 0:02:47from the holiday company concerned.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51"Dear Rip-Off Britain..."
0:02:51 > 0:02:52"We don't know where to begin
0:02:52 > 0:02:54"regarding our recent horror holiday."
0:02:54 > 0:02:57"Dear Rip-Off Britain, I returned from the holiday from hell."
0:02:57 > 0:03:00"You can only imagine our horror when I was awoken at 7.45
0:03:00 > 0:03:04"on the Monday morning to the sound of up to 10 to 12 jackhammers."
0:03:04 > 0:03:08"We did not anticipate that we would suffer two whole weeks
0:03:08 > 0:03:11"of a craned jackhammer, drilling
0:03:11 > 0:03:14"and disc cutters relentlessly carrying out work."
0:03:14 > 0:03:17"I understand that other people on the same holiday and hotel
0:03:17 > 0:03:20"have already e-mailed you and I thought I would do the same."
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Three letters from three different couples, but just one complaint.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27They all had the same disastrous stay
0:03:27 > 0:03:31at a hotel on the island of Gran Canaria in May, 2016.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36Tony and Phil from Stockport, Andy and Stephen from Yorkshire
0:03:36 > 0:03:39and Carl and Brian from Gloucester had all timed their holidays
0:03:39 > 0:03:43to coincide with the annual Gay Pride celebrations
0:03:43 > 0:03:46in the popular resort of Maspalomas.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50And Tony and Phil even took Tony's 79-year-old mother with them.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53It was the only holiday we got during the year,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56so we'd been saving up. Mum, who is, like, 79,
0:03:56 > 0:03:59always came away with us cos she felt safer being with us,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03so we just wanted to have a really nice, relaxing holiday.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Meanwhile, Andy and Stephen - big fans of Gran Canaria -
0:04:06 > 0:04:10had been planning this trip for quite some time.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12We were excited. We'd booked it a year in advance.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16We were expecting, you know, fun, frolics,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19as much as you could eat food and drink,
0:04:19 > 0:04:21and just good times with good friends.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26As for Carl and Brian, getting away from it all should have been
0:04:26 > 0:04:30just what they needed to put a few difficult months behind them.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33We hadn't been away for two years before this holiday,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- so it had been quite a big window. - Yeah.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39We'd also had a personal bereavement the year before.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44A close friend had died, so it was really a way of getting away
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and just unwinding, really, which we needed to do.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51And the place that seemed to match everyone's requirements
0:04:51 > 0:04:55was the all-inclusive Servatur Waikiki hotel.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58With a huge pool, a range of restaurants
0:04:58 > 0:05:02and the beach just ten minutes away, there was something for everyone.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04But just days before they were due to fly out,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06TUI, the holiday group that owns the companies
0:05:06 > 0:05:10with which they'd all booked - First Choice and Thomson -
0:05:10 > 0:05:12got in touch with some bad news.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14"Dear Mr Bailey,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17"thank you for choosing to book your holiday with us."
0:05:17 > 0:05:20"The Riu Hotel next door to Servatur Waikiki
0:05:20 > 0:05:22"is undergoing a refurbishment project..."
0:05:22 > 0:05:25"Which will be ongoing during your stay."
0:05:25 > 0:05:27"And although most of the work is not visible,
0:05:27 > 0:05:31"work is likely to be audible from certain public areas..."
0:05:31 > 0:05:35"Including the pool terrace and from some balconies."
0:05:35 > 0:05:38"Hotel management will continue to do all they can to ensure
0:05:38 > 0:05:42"that this will not seriously impact your holiday enjoyment."
0:05:44 > 0:05:46Though the Servatur Waikiki hotel itself
0:05:46 > 0:05:49wasn't undergoing any refurbishments,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52the Riu hotel next door was.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55But, reassured by TUI's letter, the couples were confident
0:05:55 > 0:05:58that any disruption would be kept to a minimum.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02After reading the e-mail, I had no reservations or concerns
0:06:02 > 0:06:05about going to the hotel and proceeding with the holiday.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07We thought, "It's not going to be that bad.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09"There's no point in sort of rushing around to change plans."
0:06:13 > 0:06:16So they all jetted off, relatively unconcerned.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18But the following morning,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22it wasn't to the gentle sounds of the sunny resort that they woke.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25DRILLING
0:06:25 > 0:06:28We were greeted by the sounds of jackhammers.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30DRILLING
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- Electric saws, drilling. - Dust was flying over.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35There were lorries going in.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37There were sparks flying from the building.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- It was disheartening.- It looked like a bombsite. We felt like going home.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47We started to think, "Is it a bad mistake staying here?"
0:06:47 > 0:06:50It was just a joke. The whole thing was a joke.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53The noise they suffered began before breakfast
0:06:53 > 0:06:55and continued all day and into the night.
0:06:55 > 0:07:00So, it's ten past eight at night and this is what's going on.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03LOUD DRILLING
0:07:04 > 0:07:07All three couples complained to the rep in the resort
0:07:07 > 0:07:10about the noise but were told the only thing they could do
0:07:10 > 0:07:14was raise a formal complaint when they got back to the UK
0:07:14 > 0:07:17because, although they also asked to change hotels,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19with such a big event going on,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23available accommodation elsewhere was very thin on the ground.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25So they had no choice but to sit it out
0:07:25 > 0:07:28and enjoy what they could of their holiday,
0:07:28 > 0:07:30which wasn't easy for any of them.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Tony's elderly mum found what she'd hoped would be
0:07:32 > 0:07:36a relaxing break particularly upsetting.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39To see my mum in tears... Mum's not really that...
0:07:39 > 0:07:42She doesn't show her emotions, but she was in bits over it,
0:07:42 > 0:07:44which had us quite tearful.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47We brought all three couples together for the first time
0:07:47 > 0:07:50to try and recreate a bit of the holiday atmosphere
0:07:50 > 0:07:53that they say they missed out on
0:07:53 > 0:07:56and, of course, to compare notes about their trip.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58DRILLING
0:07:58 > 0:08:02That's just one of many films that I took and even then,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- you can't really appreciate how loud it was to actually be there.- No.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- That was all day long.- Yeah. - Nonstop, two weeks.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11It was the vibrations as well.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15- The shocking aspect, there wasn't even a break all day.- No.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17DRILLING
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Yeah, by the pool as well. You can hear it even on this little phone.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26- It's atrocious. - I was going insane with it.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30After struggling to relax during the day,
0:08:30 > 0:08:33the only chance of getting some peace and quiet was at night,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36but with the building work continuing into the evening,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38that, too, was proving impossible.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- Did you wear your earplugs? - We weren't given earplugs.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44We were given orange earplugs with a little note -
0:08:44 > 0:08:47complementary earplugs - when we arrived.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49- We got one each. - I thought, "What are these for?"
0:08:49 > 0:08:52There was one point when I wanted to go home
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and I said to Stephen, "Can we not look at flights to go home?"
0:08:55 > 0:08:56And they were too expensive.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00We did feel a bit desperate, didn't we, really, at the beginning,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03because we felt like we'd been cheated out of the holiday.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05What's more, even though the couples paid
0:09:05 > 0:09:08for all-inclusive accommodation,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12they all say they ended up going out for meals to escape the noise,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15defeating the object of the all-inclusive package
0:09:15 > 0:09:17for which they'd prepaid.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20As soon as they all arrived home,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22the three couples all sent complaints
0:09:22 > 0:09:26to the holiday company TUI which, of course,
0:09:26 > 0:09:27though not directly responsible
0:09:27 > 0:09:29for the works at the neighbouring hotel,
0:09:29 > 0:09:33had assured them it would try and limit the disruption.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37And whilst they each had identical holiday experiences,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39the same can't be said of the way the company's responded
0:09:39 > 0:09:42to their individual complaints.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Andy and Stephen have been sent
0:09:44 > 0:09:46a voucher for £130 to spend on a future holiday
0:09:46 > 0:09:50with the company but, for the moment, they are still undecided
0:09:50 > 0:09:54about what to do and feel that their complaint is still open.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55But Tony and Phil have received
0:09:55 > 0:09:59£282 off their next holiday with the company
0:09:59 > 0:10:01and they, too, are considering what to do next.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05While Carl and Brian, well, they've said no to their offer
0:10:05 > 0:10:08of a £139 voucher.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Well, when we contacted TUI,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14the company told us it's sorry that these customers were unhappy
0:10:14 > 0:10:18with their holiday but it relies on its hotel partners to advise
0:10:18 > 0:10:20on any maintenance work and it...
0:10:24 > 0:10:26..for customers. It reiterated that,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30as the situation did impact on guests more than had been advised,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32it has offered a gesture of goodwill
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and apologised for the inconvenience caused.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38We also got in touch with the ClubHotel Riu Papayas,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41the one that was responsible for the works.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43It insisted the project...
0:10:49 > 0:10:53But if you find yourself in an unexpectedly noisy resort
0:10:53 > 0:10:56when you were expecting something altogether more peaceful,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59travel expert Simon Calder has this advice.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Various people, including ABTA, the travel association,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05have come up with guidelines about how,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08if there is a certain amount of disruption,
0:11:08 > 0:11:13then the holiday provider must offer alternative accommodation
0:11:13 > 0:11:15or even a full refund.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18The tour operators most certainly have a duty
0:11:18 > 0:11:23to make sure that you are given an enjoyable holiday
0:11:23 > 0:11:26and if there's just noise and dust and building work going on,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29then that's not going to be very enjoyable
0:11:29 > 0:11:31and they are going to have to sort it out.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36But for Tony and Phil, Carl and Brian, Andy and Stephen,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39while they know TUI itself wasn't to blame for the noise,
0:11:39 > 0:11:42they still feel let down by the way the company handled
0:11:42 > 0:11:46the situation and believe they should have been moved elsewhere,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49as soon as the extent of the problem became apparent.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53No human being should put another human being through that
0:11:53 > 0:11:58and expect them to pay for the displeasure of a holiday like that.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00The whole experience has left me disillusioned.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04It's left me feeling like I don't trust tour companies.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08You do put a huge amount of trust into these companies and, sadly,
0:12:08 > 0:12:12on this occasion, it's been a very big lesson that we've learnt
0:12:12 > 0:12:15and, no, I wouldn't be happy to book with Thomson again.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17DRILLING
0:12:20 > 0:12:22You often tell us that, for various reasons,
0:12:22 > 0:12:26the accommodation you booked didn't live up to expectations.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Maybe it didn't have the facilities you'd read about
0:12:28 > 0:12:30or it wasn't quite suitable for your needs.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34But if you or someone you're travelling with have a disability,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37not getting what you needed can have a huge impact on your holiday
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and for the family we're about to meet,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43it may even have put them off going away altogether.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Who was your favourite character, Phoebe? Can you remember?
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Phoebe, along with the rest of her family, loves Disneyland Paris -
0:12:50 > 0:12:55so much so, they've visited the theme park five times.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Oh, yeah.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02And in May, 2016, the family decided to take a sixth trip.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04- That was really good, that was, even in the wet.- Yeah.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07But, as the family has grown up, so have their requirements
0:13:07 > 0:13:09when it comes to where they're going to stay.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12That's especially the case for Phoebe,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20This year was really important that we got the accommodation right.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23Phoebe was getting bigger. She's harder to handle
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and we needed to make sure we could get in the cabin with a ramp
0:13:26 > 0:13:31and we needed to make sure she had a bed that we could do cares on.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33As well as access for the wheelchair,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Phoebe needs to have a single bed with access from all sides,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40so she can be lifted and cared for properly.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43So, keen to have everything confirmed before they left,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Amanda asked the travel agent they were using
0:13:46 > 0:13:49to check that this type of bed would be available.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52I requested what facilities were there
0:13:52 > 0:13:56and was told that we had four beds, two shower rooms
0:13:56 > 0:14:01a roll-in shower and then a ramp to go in, which was fantastic.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05A few days before they were due to travel,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08with everyone's excitement mounting, they went onto the Disney website
0:14:08 > 0:14:11to look for photos of the cabin they'd booked.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16But Amanda couldn't find details of the disabled accommodation.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18All she could see was the standard cabins,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21so she rang the resort direct to double-check
0:14:21 > 0:14:24that what she thought she was getting was definitely available.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30It then became apparent that it wasn't what we wanted.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34It was a bunk bed and a double bed. My whole world caved in.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36SQUEALING
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Though the room did have enough beds for everyone to sleep in,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42there wasn't the all-important single bed for Phoebe
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and, without it, Amanda feared they wouldn't be able to lift
0:14:45 > 0:14:48and properly care for her during their stay.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- Good girl.- Good girl.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54I was really upset, the family were upset.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56We just didn't know what to do.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Good girl.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Ah!
0:15:01 > 0:15:04The Disney rep confirmed that, though the travel agent had booked
0:15:04 > 0:15:08a disabled room, there weren't any images of the property online
0:15:08 > 0:15:10which, as far as Amanda was concerned,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13meant that neither she nor the agent had much chance
0:15:13 > 0:15:14of accurately working out
0:15:14 > 0:15:18if the accommodation was right for their particular needs.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Good girl, Honey.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Amanda and Sean felt they couldn't let the children down
0:15:25 > 0:15:28and went ahead with the trip.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30But, as Amanda had feared,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33the only bed that was remotely suitable for Phoebe
0:15:33 > 0:15:35was a pull-out bed in the living room
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and with it being so low down and against a wall,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41lifting and caring for Phoebe was a real struggle.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44It was really frustrating
0:15:44 > 0:15:47that we were having to do all these extra lifts
0:15:47 > 0:15:49that we were hoping to avoid.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52We were really, really upset and I went to reception
0:15:52 > 0:15:55and I was upset and did have a few tears.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00Although Disney has since refunded Amanda
0:16:00 > 0:16:03£600 of her £2,000 trip,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05it's not the money she's worried about.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07My main concern with Disney
0:16:07 > 0:16:09is the lack of information on their website,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13so when you're browsing as a customer with disabilities,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15there's absolutely no information on there at all,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17telling you what you will be getting.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Well, when we checked the Disneyland Paris website, as Amanda says,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26there were plenty of photos of the standard accommodation
0:16:26 > 0:16:29but no pictures, just a description, of the disabled rooms,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32which Amanda thinks isn't good enough.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34When we put that to Disney,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37it said it regrets any distress the family experienced,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41telling us it offered the refund of £600 as a gesture of goodwill
0:16:41 > 0:16:44after what it calls a "miscommunication"
0:16:44 > 0:16:46between Amanda and the travel agent.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48It went on to list all sorts of ways
0:16:48 > 0:16:50the park caters for disabled visitors.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54But on the accommodation front, it says it always recommends guests
0:16:54 > 0:16:58who want to discuss individual needs call its dedicated team in advance.
0:17:01 > 0:17:02But Amanda worries that,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05if things can go wrong with a big name like Disney,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07disabled guests are likely to run into problems
0:17:07 > 0:17:10with many other holiday companies too.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14The industry totally needs to be overhauled and really looked at.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17It needs to be detailed information,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20not just, "We offer disabled accommodation."
0:17:20 > 0:17:22We need so much more than that.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25And that's an opinion we know a lot of you share.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Many of you have e-mailed us over the last 12 months
0:17:29 > 0:17:30to say you've found it very difficult
0:17:30 > 0:17:33to get accurate or useful information
0:17:33 > 0:17:36about a resort's facilities for disabled people
0:17:36 > 0:17:37before you travelled.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41Like Karen and Brian Smart from Manchester.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44In 2012, Karen had a stroke.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46She's since had to learn to walk and talk again
0:17:46 > 0:17:49and needs a wheelchair to get about.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51There's no two ways about it,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54we've had it tough since Karen had her stroke.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58I was fine before, nothing wrong with me,
0:17:58 > 0:18:03and then I just had a stroke when I was in my sleep.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05It wasn't until early 2015
0:18:05 > 0:18:08that Karen felt well enough to go on holiday.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11The couple booked one for August that year
0:18:11 > 0:18:13through their local high street branch of Thomson.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16They felt they made it clear that Karen had disabilities
0:18:16 > 0:18:19and were reassured by the sales staff.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22When I asked her about accessibility needs, she said,
0:18:22 > 0:18:25"I can tell you it's a little bit hilly on Greece,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27"but everybody recognises the need
0:18:27 > 0:18:30"for accessibility requirements these days,
0:18:30 > 0:18:33"and so there'll be lifts and ramps."
0:18:33 > 0:18:37But that wasn't the experience that Karen and Brian say they had.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Photo number one shows the picture of the toilet.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43There's no grab rails in the bathroom at all.
0:18:43 > 0:18:48Number seven shows something like an eight-inch high kerb,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51which is the only possible way to get to the restaurant,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53impossible to get a wheelchair over.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56And number nine shows the stairway,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00the only means of access to the apartment
0:19:00 > 0:19:04that we were originally assigned and which we couldn't accept.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07Now, as this was the couple's first holiday
0:19:07 > 0:19:09since Karen became a wheelchair user,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11they accept that their lack of experience
0:19:11 > 0:19:13meant everything was a struggle.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17Even so, they firmly believe Thomson should have been more aware
0:19:17 > 0:19:19of a disabled traveller's needs.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21It just was not suitable,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and I feel that Thomson failed
0:19:25 > 0:19:30in recognising the disability needs
0:19:30 > 0:19:32for somebody at that resort.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36When we spoke to Thomson about Karen and Brian's experience,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39it said it was disappointed to hear that they were unhappy
0:19:39 > 0:19:41with their holiday experience.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43It said it had reviewed the booking
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and that its staff feel they clearly explained
0:19:46 > 0:19:49that not all their requirements could be guaranteed.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53But it did add that it would take their feedback on board
0:19:53 > 0:19:55to review its processes, as appropriate.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02But the couple say the whole experience
0:20:02 > 0:20:05has put them off attempting another trip.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Well, we wanted to help restore their confidence in travelling,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11so we asked former wheelchair rugby Paralympian Steve Brown,
0:20:11 > 0:20:15who's an avid traveller himself, to call in to help.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17I've had some terrible experiences travelling.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19I can't pretend I haven't.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23Despite setbacks, Steve goes abroad at least four times a year
0:20:23 > 0:20:25and a key part of his preparation
0:20:25 > 0:20:29is to listen to fellow disabled friends' holiday recommendations.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34What I do now is I spend an awful lot more time
0:20:34 > 0:20:37speaking to other people that have been in the same situation
0:20:37 > 0:20:40and hearing that from the horse's mouth,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44rather than the travel agent's, has got so much more weight for me.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49If somebody else with my disability, in a wheelchair, says that,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51- then I'm going to go with it. - That is a very valid point.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54- Yeah, make it a bit better, wouldn't it?- Mm.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56But if your friends can't help,
0:20:56 > 0:21:01there are other ways of finding out about disabled-friendly resorts.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03Another point is that, on the internet,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06there's hundreds of websites
0:21:06 > 0:21:08designed purely with disability in mind
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and travel with different disabilities.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14And that is something that I use an awful lot.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Steve says it's not just the hotel that needs checking up on.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21He calls ahead to make sure of every single stage of the holiday.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25The travel is no less important than the accommodation.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30Making sure that things like taxis, meet and greet and, of course,
0:21:30 > 0:21:36the airports are all accessible and as easy as possible for you.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Steve hopes his advice will go at least some way
0:21:38 > 0:21:42towards encouraging Karen and Brian to go away again.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47What it has made me think about is to not do the package holiday
0:21:47 > 0:21:51but to organise flights ourself,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55to organise, um, accommodation
0:21:55 > 0:21:57and to do it all ourselves.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Steve believes the extra effort and calls
0:21:59 > 0:22:02that he typically puts into planning a trip is worth it
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and, indeed, it's the best way to be confident
0:22:05 > 0:22:07you'll get the facilities you need.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10Happy holiday hunting, Karen!
0:22:10 > 0:22:13'It really upsets me and I suppose it frustrates me, really,'
0:22:13 > 0:22:16that people, good people like Brian and Karen,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18don't have good holiday experiences,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20holiday experiences that they deserve,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22despite having their disabilities,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26and I just hope that they try again and give it another go.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28And, though not entirely convinced,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Karen and Brian are definitely coming round to the idea.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34It was very useful meeting Steve today
0:22:34 > 0:22:37because he's given us a whole different way
0:22:37 > 0:22:39of looking at travelling abroad.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42I've always just thought, you know,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46you speak to the travel agent and the travel agent sorts it.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49But, having heard Steve's experiences,
0:22:49 > 0:22:52it makes sense for us, specifically,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55to do it ourselves.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09For us, the best part of our annual Rip-Off Britain pop-up shop
0:23:09 > 0:23:12is that we get to meet so many of you in person.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15- Just recognised you.- Did you? - Yeah, I said, "She's off the telly."
0:23:15 > 0:23:19And we hope the best part for you is having the chance
0:23:19 > 0:23:22to get on-the-spot advice from our top experts.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24You can say, "Oi, that's not what I booked."
0:23:24 > 0:23:27One of the most common holiday complaints you tell us about
0:23:27 > 0:23:30is flight delays. They can ruin any holiday,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33so it's understandable that you might want compensation
0:23:33 > 0:23:36to make up for the time spent waiting around at airports
0:23:36 > 0:23:38instead of lounging on a beach.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Well, John Evans certainly does.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43He spent a whole day waiting for his flight home
0:23:43 > 0:23:47and, as he told Simon Calder, he wants a refund.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50I was in Australia having a holiday and I wasn't feeling very well,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52so I decided to come back early,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55so I paid an additional 865 Australian,
0:23:55 > 0:24:00about £440 at the time, to catch an earlier flight.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Everything was fine until John went
0:24:02 > 0:24:04to catch his connection in Kuala Lumpur.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07There was no flight there at 10 o'clock, no plane,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and we didn't get on till about midnight and then we sat there
0:24:10 > 0:24:12for at least three hours till we took off
0:24:12 > 0:24:14without a drink or anything.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16In the end, I was 17 hours late
0:24:16 > 0:24:21and I didn't pay 865 to get home 17 hours late.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23If John had been flying within Europe,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25he'd be entitled to compensation for any flight
0:24:25 > 0:24:29delayed for more than three hours, provided the airline was at fault.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32But, as he was outside Europe, those rules don't apply.
0:24:32 > 0:24:37But Simon thinks there could be a simpler way to resolve this.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41- Just a quick question. Did you book through a travel agent?- Yes.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45- OK, have you told them about what happened?- Actually, no.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Well, can I suggest that you do? Here's why.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50If it's a good, reputable travel agent...
0:24:50 > 0:24:52- Is it one you've used before? - Oh, definitely.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Good travel agents, which have relationships with airlines,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59will probably, I hope, take your side and say,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03"We're going to call the airline on your behalf."
0:25:03 > 0:25:04And they'll phone up and say,
0:25:04 > 0:25:08"We've got this customer, loyal man, been with us for years.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11"You messed him around, you charged a change fee.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13"Do you mind refunding him?"
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Now, I can't guarantee that's going to work,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17but a good agent will always be fighting your corner,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21- so try your agent first and let us know what happens.- I will do.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- Thank you for your help.- OK, nice to see.- Thanks for taking the time.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Meanwhile, another complaint we hear all the time
0:25:27 > 0:25:31is about the hugely inflated prices that families are charged
0:25:31 > 0:25:33to travel during the school holidays.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36A lot of you feel really cheesed off about that one.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Holiday companies do take advantage of school holidays
0:25:39 > 0:25:42- and they do hike the prices up. - But what business are you in?
0:25:42 > 0:25:47- I'm in the brewery business.- Ah, OK, so you will be used to the idea
0:25:47 > 0:25:50that actually you make lots of your money over Christmas,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52so it's the same with the holiday companies.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54They make all their money during the school holidays.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Most of the year, they're losing a fortune.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59But our beer prices don't change according to the season.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Right, but you sell a lot more of it at Christmas.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Consumer, absolutely, will drink more.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07Ah, OK, but that's because it's different.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11The supply of holidays is fixed
0:26:11 > 0:26:14because there's only a certain number of planes,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16there's only a certain number of hotel rooms
0:26:16 > 0:26:19so, therefore, you can make extra beer for Christmas
0:26:19 > 0:26:22and you can keep selling it at the same price.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26The holiday companies can't suddenly quadruple the number of holidays.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Everything is sort of finite, so, therefore, they put the prices up.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32It's the way that the market works.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35That's your opinion.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37It's not my opinion, it's a true fact!
0:26:37 > 0:26:41Mm, looks like they're going to have to agree to disagree on that one.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52then get in touch with us via our Facebook page,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54BBC Rip Off Britain,
0:26:54 > 0:26:59our website, bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain
0:26:59 > 0:27:01or e-mail us at...
0:27:03 > 0:27:07Or if you want to send us a letter, our new address is...
0:27:20 > 0:27:22I have to say, you can't help feeling sorry
0:27:22 > 0:27:24for the people we've heard from today
0:27:24 > 0:27:27and you can really understand why they were left feeling aggrieved,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29not least because as far as they're concerned,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32all the problems they faced could, perhaps, have been resolved
0:27:32 > 0:27:35or at least raised before they'd got to their destination.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Because, of course, once they'd got there, in some cases,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40it was way too late to do much about it.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44So, our heartfelt thanks to everyone who shared their story with us today
0:27:44 > 0:27:47because, I think we've all learnt so much from them.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49Holidays are such an important time.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51We spend months looking forward to them
0:27:51 > 0:27:53and it really is a crushing disappointment
0:27:53 > 0:27:56when they don't live up to expectations
0:27:56 > 0:28:00or, indeed, when they don't deliver what you thought you had paid for.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02And I think holiday companies sometimes lose sight of that
0:28:02 > 0:28:05when they're dealing with their customers' complaints.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I mean, loss of enjoyment is hard to quantify,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10but it probably puts you right off
0:28:10 > 0:28:12rebooking with the same people again,
0:28:12 > 0:28:15so you'd think it was in everyone's interest
0:28:15 > 0:28:17to get things properly resolved.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Well, that's all from us for today
0:28:19 > 0:28:21but we'll be looking into more of your stories very soon.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24- Until then, from the three of us, goodbye.- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.