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Can we trust Ski Holiday companies?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
PS

Mr Marmot wrote:

Maybe we would have had a contract with the hotel?


Got no idea about this stuff - what would that contract have looked like? Would you have been worse/better off?
What about the flight cancellation (assuming you would fly with a group of 17). Those can happen pretty late can't they? Any come back there?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Snowheads prototype Stormtrooper ski helmet
[img][/img]


eastendmyfreind, Howaboutthis Puzzled Puzzled This could really extend the seasonal helmet debate ......they're not cheap!! Actually just discovered they are Cool Cool
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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or wink

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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Mr Marmot, I do actually have sympathy and am glad you've not let it fester and have just got on with it and booked with someone else. It would be great if you and your party have such resolve that you continue to divert a lifetime's worth of ski and other holiday business away from TUI. They'll never know of course but it will give you some satisfaction everytime you walk into another hotel. And of course I really would like baggage allowances to be more generous then I could take more of my ridiculous quiver away with me (would still stick to the single pair of pants & 1 T shirt of course wink ). I've had aggravation on holidays myself (largely self inflicted) but can't say anything's ever ruined the experience and compared to some other suppliers of services (cable broadband, utilities, retail banks) find the travel industry remarkably low on my list of aggravation.
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Quote:

Also many in our group struggle to keep within the 20Kg baggage allowance especially when boots weighing 6Kg are included in that allowance.

Stop stuffing boots into your main bag then, and get a ski/board bag big enough for boots and skis together.

How much stuff are you taking on a week's holiday anyway? I could stick ski boots in my general bag, add everything I need for a week and still be under 20kg on it. Puzzled
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
20Kg? Luxury Cool. I have managed to fit in boots & all and be under the budget airlines' 15Kg allowance.

On the TO topic - anyone got experience of Neilson?

I haven't booked with a TO winter or summer for years, favouring DIY. Since the volcanic ash debacle, I have been giving it some thought for 2011's March trip to LDA as in the case of major disruption I'd be contending with just one body, not a whole string of different companies. The Neilson's Aalborg Hotel in LDA seems good value, including half board, flights & transfers. The only downside is it's an English establishment not a French one. On calculating the flight/transfer costs from Manchester/E Mids or Birmingham, I reckon I wouldn't get a flight & transfer under £200 once "optionals" like luggage, checkin, air to breathe etc are added on.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Lizzard, as can I. Although I don't need to any more.
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Lizzard, Butterfly, Hells Bells, I need lessons. Embarassed
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20Kg? Luxury Cool. I have managed to fit in boots & all and be under the budget airlines' 15Kg allowance.

On the TO topic - anyone got experience of Neilson?

I haven't booked with a TO winter or summer for years, favouring DIY. Since the volcanic ash debacle, I have been giving it some thought for 2011's March trip to LDA as in the case of major disruption I'd be contending with just one body, not a whole string of different companies. The Neilson's Aalborg Hotel in LDA seems good value, including half board, flights & transfers. The only downside is it's an English establishment not a French one. On calculating the flight/transfer costs from Manchester/E Mids or Birmingham, I reckon I wouldn't get a flight & transfer under £200 once "optionals" like luggage, checkin, air to breathe etc are added on.
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Mr Technique,
Quote:

Like walking into a restaurant, sitting down, and ordering fillet steak and chips. After half an hour, the waiter arrives with a bucket of fish heads, challenges you to prove that it is not "equivalent", offers you compensation of 20p, and tells you to Be Nice please! off with a kick up the back bottom.



Depends where you are - in China Fishheads are a delicacy and very nice too (get in early though and get the cheek before you're left with the stragely bits). Presentation does tend to be a bit better than a bucket though.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Butterfly wrote:
20Kg? Luxury Cool. I have managed to fit in boots & all and be under the budget airlines' 15Kg allowance.

On the TO topic - anyone got experience of Neilson?

I haven't booked with a TO winter or summer for years, favouring DIY. Since the volcanic ash debacle, I have been giving it some thought for 2011's March trip to LDA as in the case of major disruption I'd be contending with just one body, not a whole string of different companies. The Neilson's Aalborg Hotel in LDA seems good value, including half board, flights & transfers. The only downside is it's an English establishment not a French one. On calculating the flight/transfer costs from Manchester/E Mids or Birmingham, I reckon I wouldn't get a flight & transfer under £200 once "optionals" like luggage, checkin, air to breathe etc are added on.


Was there last year. Couldn't fault the Aalborg or Neilson staff really, all friendly helpful youngsters. Food perfectly fine, decent choice, wine list reasonably priced. We were pleasantly surprised. Rooms nice enough, bathrooms good. Good spacious ski room with individual locker per room. Nice bar/terrace area. Well placed as you know. It is not french of course but you can pop next door to the Melezes or be easily out to anywhere else. It is well placed if you need Cedric. There will be kids around as it is Neilson's flagship child care property I think. Are you thinking of it for C2C?
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Butterfly wrote:
20Kg? Luxury Cool. I have managed to fit in boots & all and be under the budget airlines' 15Kg allowance.

On the TO topic - anyone got experience of Neilson?



I used them two years ago for my trip yo the Ski Welt. They are part of Thomas Cook, and we have also used Thomas Cook group companies for summer holidays, and have used Thomascook airlines for the flight part of two DIY summer trips in the last 5 years, including Crete tis summer.

Never had a problem with them yet. They don't provide meals on the flights unless you pay, unlike TUI group, but on a European ski flight that isn't really an issue.

I spent a day skiing with the rep on my ski trip, but oterwise hardly saw the reps, so can't really comment on how good or otherwise they were.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Maggi Sorry to hear about your similar problems and hope you get something sorted.

All who have commented The crux of our particular problem seems to be that (some?) tour operators appear to offer accomodation to customers for which they have no guarantees of being able to provide. I would have thought this was one part of the package that they should be able to pretty well guarantee. As a non-expert in the travel industry, I imagined that the tour operator entered into a contract with the hotel owner to take an agreed number of rooms for agreed dates at an agreed price. I imagined the downside for the TO was having to shift the rooms and the upside was they got a good price. Obviously this is not the case and when the system fails the TO just tries to minimize his losses at the expense of disappointment and aggravation to his customer. I certainly don't think this scenario puts the package holiday in a good light.

For those who mentioned about the flights (also possibly transfers?) part of the package and that these can also go wrong. I agree, but again there are those elements that are absolutely beyond the control of the TO / airline / bus company but also those that are down to poor planning/lack of investment/profiteering etc etc. I do not have a problem with anything that fails due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, but, in my opinion the ability to secure the hotel room booking is not one of them.

When I travel independently, I certainly pay more for the room in the same hotel as the TO but I've noticed that I get the better rooms than the package tour travellers, I'm also seated in the better tables in the hotel restaurant (close to the windows) than the package tour travellers. Again, whilst not professing to be an expert in the matter, there is an implied contract between myself and the hotel for the room that is, almost certainly, covered by laws in that particular country. It seems on a package tour that I give up the rights to access to that sort of contract when I agree to the TO terms and conditions. As I've previously pointed out this gives a maximum of only £40 compensation and then only under very defined circumstances. No wonder the TO persist with practices that, I, at least find pretty poor.

When in a large group, the benefits of a package tour are very worthwhile. It's just a shame that the industry seems to operate on a shoestring, using pretty poor practices and sometimes with a very poor attitude to customer care.

I've noticed that many posters on snowheads are happy with the existing situation and feel that, generally, the TO provide a satisfactory package. That being the case then I shouldn't expect any changes anytime in the future. As a democracy this is perfectly right although it leaves me disappointed and confused. Puzzled

I suppose we are all getting more used to being shafted by the big organisations and their poor service. Just don't get me started on the banks, the local council, the police etc etc wink


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Fri 24-09-10 9:17; edited 3 times in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Mr Marmot, fantastic post, couldn't agree more.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Lizzard wrote:
Quote:

Also many in our group struggle to keep within the 20Kg baggage allowance especially when boots weighing 6Kg are included in that allowance.

Stop stuffing boots into your main bag then, and get a ski/board bag big enough for boots and skis together.

How much stuff are you taking on a week's holiday anyway? I could stick ski boots in my general bag, add everything I need for a week and still be under 20kg on it. Puzzled


Lizzard Since you asked, I'm the architypal 'all the gear - no idea' skier!

Firstly, I have one of those hard-shell ski cases that has wheels. Fantastic protection and ease of use but can't take boots. I know that one, at least, airline insists that ski carriage is for one pair of skis only and a maximum weight of 10Kg. A pair of boots and skis might exceed this anyway. There are so many different rules for different airlines it is hard to know what you can and can't do and also what you might get away with. The last thing I want is to stand at the check-in being told that I have exceeded the limts and it'll cost me an extra £50 each way! I specifically remember on a Crystal (spit!) holiday last year the regulations were that a bootbag was an additional bit of ski-carriage (over and above the skis) otherwise boots could be included into 20K allowance.

Secondly, I have helmet, goggles , gloves (and spares) I restrict myself to one set of outerwear (oh the embarrassment of wearing the same set all week!) but copious amount of base-layers to suit any conditions. A clean pair of ski socks for every day plus spares.

Lastly, I have morning and eveningwear to suit every possible occasion with fresh underwear for every day ( a luxury for some, I know!) Including outfits to impress the locals when making my moves on the dancefloor in the clubs each evening. Add to this camcorders, cameras, gps and associated batteries and chargers along with personal hygiene equipment including seven different mostuirisers, after-shaves, beard trimmer, two litres of Just for men, headache pills, earplugs and a gross of condoms (I always bring these back)you can see that 20Kg is just not enough!!!!!

p.s Just off to the Caribbean for a week, so I now can't reply to any of your excellent posts until my return


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 24-09-10 9:56; edited 2 times in total
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Mr Marmot, Laughing Laughing Laughing
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Mr Marmot, you could do a season on that lot. (Though you'd still bring all the condoms back.) Laughing

Board bags are the way forward for ski transport - skis and boots easily. In fact I can get skis, board and boots for each activity in mine.
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Quote:

On the TO topic - anyone got experience of Neilson?


Went with them last season to La Plagne and can't fault them. Accommodation exactly what we wanted and as advertised, and an excellent rep. When the brown stuff hit the whirly thing at the end of the week due to a certain Icelandic volcano they responded very quickly to sort out an extra nights accomodation (free of charge) and arranged transport home on coaches on the Sunday. They also coughed up £18 per person per extra day to cover additional food expenses (although that did require a reminder e-mail after 6 weeks, but I didn't mind as the cheque arrived 2 days later!).

20+ hours on a coach/ferry is not the most relaxing homeward trip with 3 young children, but Neilson did the best they could for us so would definitely recommend.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Mr Marmot, You've hit the bullseye:


The bottom line is that there is no mutual long term benefit in transacting business/booking holidays etc with businesses that are not profitable.

Everyone one wants the best possible deal, the ultimate bargain, however most of the time this really isn’t good as it increases the risk that hotels, airlines, tour operators etc become insolvent/go bust at short notice.

If you have a reliable mechanic servicing your family car, fixing the brakes etc do you really want the cheapest deal with second hand tubes, re-furbed discs etc? Probably not, likewise your trusty plumber –no point in calling him out for the catastrophic leak when he’s insolvent: The same applies over the long term to all providers; so in social and economic terms everyone is ultimately better off paying an “economic” more than the minimum as it facilitates and supports investment, jobs, and enduring long terms relationships.

There is no free lunch.
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Mr Marmot, Laughing

Fantastic post. Keep fighting your corner wink
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

I've noticed that many posters on snowheads are happy with the existing situation and feel that, generally, the TO provide a satisfactory package. That being the case then I shouldn't expect any changes anytime in the future. As a democracy this is perfectly right although it leaves me disappointed and confused.


Some SH also just like to take a contrary view - almost without fail, you'll soon learn to recognise them Toofy Grin
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After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Slight drift, but I know of people who have had wedding parties for >100people cancelled by the hotel with less than a weeks notice due to the business going under....and a lot of money had exchanged hands in those circumstances.....and for the Bride and Groom, I dare say it meant a lot more to them than losing a holiday with several months notice.

To conclude, I blame hotels, not TO's. Where's Boredsurfing to fight the corner for an entire industry?
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The Voice of Reason, it happened to my sister-in-law
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Wedding Insurance!!!! When else would you organise/buy something for about £10-20k and not insure it?
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Shimmy Alcott, Didn't say they lost any money, just said that the inconvenience of losing a venue for >100 people with less than a weeks notice on top of what is already a pretty emotional time is probably somewhat more stress inducing than losing a ski holiday for 17 people with 4 months notice......

well, that and the fact that it is clearly all Boredsurfing's fault. I notice he hasn't shown his face to defend his fellow hoteliers. I can only assume this means he is thinking up devious new strategies to get us to part with our hard earned.... Twisted Evil
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Shimmy Alcott, why would you spend 20k on getting married? Shocked
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Lizzard, Why wouldn't you spend 20k on getting married? Horses for courses and all that.....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Mr Marmot wrote:
Our half-board/flights ski holiday in February 2011 for a group of 17 at the Hotel Savoy, Meribel has just been cancelled by Crystal Ski


"If" you can "prove" they didn't have a contract to supply the accommodation to prospective customers then you “may” have a claim – not restricted to £40, regardless of what it says in their T&C’s.

Eg.
Dear #####
We booked a holiday to ####, departing on ### with your company.
You accepted our deposit for the holiday on ###. It now transpires that you had no right to advertise this hotel within your publicity material or to enter into a contract of sale for any package tour which included the accommodation booked.
As you will be fully aware The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, Clause 5, item 2 specifically forbids the advertising of the package you sold to us.
You will also be aware that the provision of accommodation formed an intrinsic part of the package we booked and so is not unconnected to the provision of the holiday and so you are not protected Clause 15, item 2, section B of the regulations.
Your failure to supply the holiday, as booked blah blah blah.

But, as you almost certainly couldn’t prove they didn’t have either a contract or an agreement of some form with the hotel, it may have been an idea to accept the alternatives offered and take the difference in costs (between that booked and that taken) in cash – see Regs, Clause 13, item 2, section B.

Or read last section ?

Anniepen wrote:
The week before the final balance was due, Crystal cancelled as they said there was "insufficient demand" for that resort!
We spent MONTHS on our return, trying to drag some form of compensation out of Crystal


Dead simple that one. You were not entitled under law for a refund from the TO. If you got one it was the TO's decision and they were just being nice.
See
The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992
Clause 13, Para 3, item A.

Mr Marmot wrote:
Fatbob, Of course we agreed to the terms and conditions of trading at the time of booking.

Of course everyone does, or you can't book the holiday.
BUT
The T&C’s are not enforcable unless they comply with the TO Regulations. This applies to all packages sold after 31st December 1992.


SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote:
same here, just had my return fights canncelled 4 days before flying.

This is meant to be a simple one (see Regulation (EC) 261/2004) but, best bet rather than trying to sue an airline would be just to move on and forget it. Unless you’re “really” up for it, then good luck.

Shimmy Alcott wrote:
Mis-sold a holiday by First Choice sales person who said the creche was nearby.

You’re not going to like this. Nowt you can do. Sorry.
I’m not saying you’re not morally right, but when did morality have anything to do with what lawyers get up to.

admin wrote:
So if Jivebaby wants to start his list then he's quite welcome to and in the context that it has been described, I see no particular problem with it except

Big mistake.
That fact that you have moderators on your forum (you know this better than me) means that you are responsible as the publisher.
Google and the like get away with it by using outside organisations to monitor their forums, you don’t, so you’ll be liable.


Shimmy Alcott wrote:
Snowjet had acted as an agent and booked us on a TO flight (flight only) but the TO did not tell their passengers of the changes.

Legally it should not be allowed.

What shouldn’t be allowed. Asking clients to turn up at the time they have been informed the flight will depart.
Or should they have tried to contact a large number of people with the proviso that they probably wouldn’t be able to contact everyone. Hmmmm, lots of people booked onto the same flight with different departure times.
I was on a flight from Italy last week – we got on, got told there was 2 hours delay, 15 mins later off we flew. Things change all the time.

fatbob wrote:
Lets be absolutely clear larger TOs can't really care about customer loyalty

Of course they do.

Mr Marmot wrote:
My purpose in recounting our woes is to highlight what little protection holidaymakers have and how little the tour operators care about their customers, and to warn other customers of what could happen to them.

Hmmmm, pinch of salt please.
If you choose to act as a small scale tour operator (17 pax) then you need to not only accept it when things go right but also be able to provide solutions when things go wrong.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

What shouldn’t be allowed. Asking clients to turn up at the time they have been informed the flight will depart.



TO knowing DAYS in advance that they can not fulfill the clients booking as they dont have a qualified pilot for that airport, yet dont inform the customer. This was DAYS in advance. You telling me the operators cant use the phone/email/text/telephone/post to contact their customers? Of course they can. But they dont bother.

Yes things change all the time. Sometimes we have a member of staff off due to sickness - we try all avenues to contact the patient to let them know we have to change their appointment. You will probably argue we are small scale so its easy to just contact a few dozen patients. Well our staffing is also small scale and yet we still manage.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi to all snowHead's. Ain't life awful. I booked a flight with ### and it took off without me. I have called them and they said that they had being trying to contact me but couldn't. I want to some compensation.

Hi to all snowHead's. Ain't life awful. I booked a flight with ### and I got a call to say the flight time had been changed, so I turned up at the new time only to find it had gone without me. I want to some compensation.

Hi to all snowHead's. Ain't life awful. I booked a flight with ### and they called to say the time had changed but I had already made arrangements for ### and ### and ### and now I have to change these arrangements. I want to some compensation.

etc
etc
etc

Scheduled flight time alterations are one thing, ad-hoc phone calls are another.

**************************

Hi little boy, is your mummy or daddy there.
No
Can you tell them the fight number ABC1234/424 had been diverted from Gandask airport to Reykjavik and the new departure time in 09:35hrs and not the original 11:53hr.
OK
Thank you.

Mummy, mummy a man called and said flight was original and 1234hrs Reykdasnk.


Madeye-Smiley
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:

Mis-sold a holiday by First Choice sales person who said the creche was nearby.

You’re not going to like this. Nowt you can do. Sorry.
I’m not saying you’re not morally right, but when did morality have anything to do with what lawyers get up to.



Why should it have anything to do with laywers? I book a holiday on the information I am given by their sales person (which turns out to be lies). Holiday company can either a) apologise and try to rectify the situation with me so at least I know the TO as a whole is good (and just had one bad apple of staff) or b) it can tell me - well you haven't got a leg to stand on legally (as I cant prove he said it) so we're not going to do anything about it

First Choice chose the latter option - thus I have not booked with TUI since.

It's a bit of a no-brainer to me. £15k of hols booked with them that year, about £8k the previous two years. Nothing since then. Not only shoite Customer Service/Care but also shoite business sense.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Shimmy Alcott wrote:
Why should it have anything to do with laywers? .

100% agree with you, it shouldn't.
You did right though. If you're not happy with a certain company then use someone else.

OMG - we're agreeing Shocked
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Quote:

fatbob wrote:
Lets be absolutely clear larger TOs can't really care about customer loyalty

Of course they do.


Not really. They know perfectly well that their market is very largely price-driven, and as soon as the punter finds something similar for a fiver less he will be off. They make the appropriate noises about valuing your business, but there's little practical reason why they should.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Unfortunate situation but these things happen and tour ops have to package many different elements months in advance of departure. I feel for them as so many on this site expect tour ops not to make any money and yet take all the risks. Hotel got sold and they could no longer offer the holiday, hard situation for you as the consumer but sometimes these things happen. Lizzard, have you proof for what you claim? you state that they offer properties that they don't actually have on their books? I don't think so. Hoteliers selling up and leaving the new owner not to honour advance bookings is quite common - it happens with diy as well as packages. packages offer far more security than DIY as he operator takes more of the risk and so this should be reflected in the margin. On this occasion nothing underhand has occured it's just an unfortunate situation.


Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Fri 24-09-10 12:53; edited 1 time in total
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^ Let's consider some basic segmentation

1 People who year after year stay in the same resort at the same property as long as you have that property they'll stay with you
2 People who believe you are the best operator for their needs, maybe you've established some specific point of differentation - nannies, guiding etc or they simply believe that going with XXX or whoever makes them a cut above the herd.
3 People who pore over the brochures or tinternet in advance and choose the best all round offering from those available in the week they want to go.
4 People who try to get the most for the least possible price, late bookers, deal doers etc
5 People who may go TO if it suits but are perfectly willing to go DIY if they don't like the look of anything.


I'll bet that 3+4+5 vastly outweigh the 1+2 so loyalty can't be a major factor. Its obviously better to move as many people from 3 & 4 into the 1 &2 category but larger TOs don't really invest in those customer relationships enough to make it realistic strategy. So I stand by my original proposition. Obviously small and niche operators may rely heavily on word of mouth or repeat business due to smaller marketing budgets so it becomes more important for them.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Mr Marmot wrote:
I've noticed that many posters on snowheads are happy with the existing situation and feel that, generally, the TO provide a satisfactory package.


I you mean by "the existing situation" people getting screwed over by TO's I don't see anyone saying they're happy with that. That's life, and life ain't perfect. Like others I'm more concerned on the day to day shoite than what might happen once or twice a year.

And on the whole, yes TO's do offer a "satisfactory package", that's why they're popular. I do however sometimes have sympathy for what they have to put up with. If I'd got to say which was generally more irksome on a trip, the efforts of the TO or the constant whining of customers with overblown expectations, it would be the latter.

Anyway, glad you've got alternative arrangements sorted. At least Crystal informed you early enough, giving you several months grace to do so. wink
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:

Lizzard, have you proof for what you claim? you state that they offer properties that they don't actually have on their books? I don't think so.

Suit yourself, but I have seen properties advertised in early booking brochures which I know very well (from the contractors themselves) have been contracted to other operators. I spent more than 10 years working for TOs, remember.

You've also seen Whitters, another former TO employee tell you that:
Quote:

Regarding Crystal offering the holiday without a contract with the hotel itself, this is fairly standard practise particularly in the early booking brochure



I've got no particular reason to lie to you, and I can't imagine Whitters does either.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Shimmy Alcott wrote:
Wedding Insurance!!!! When else would you organise/buy something for about £10-20k and not insure it?


I'm not sure such a thing existed in 1987 . They weren't financially affected though, they just had nowhere to hold either the wedding or the reception, with three days to go.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Hells Bells, ah, probably wasnt. What a nightmare! Three days!
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