Tui and Jet2holidays charging thousands more to rebook the same holidays next year
TUI and Jet2holidays have been accused of charging holidaymakers thousands of pounds to rebook trips that were cancelled due to coronavirus.
Customers who chose to waive their refunds in favour of a credit note from the companies now face forking extra to rearrange the holiday for 2021, .
Tui is offering customers an extra 20 per cent credit if customers opt for a voucher while Jet2holidays is slashing up to £100 off the price of a new booking.
But for some, the price hikes outweigh the incentives.
Consumer group Which? spoke to one Tui customer who was forced to fork out an extra £1,050 for a trip to Lanzarote because the agent was slow to return the paperwork needed to rebook the holiday.
While she waited for her credit note, she watched the price of the holiday creep upwards by 42 per cent.
The travel agent put this down to the "many variables to take into account when setting holiday pricing".
Tui is advising customers rebook holidays as soon as possible.
A second customer who spoke to Which? told of how she was stung with £165 per person extra for moving her booking from June 2020 to May 2021, despite being told it would be free.
Jill Kensley booked her holiday through a Tui store so wasn't able to make the adjustments online.
Due to lockdown, the branch has been closed down so she was left with no choice but to go through the customer services team over the phone.
In total, she paid £1,312 more than if she'd accepted the refund and made a new booking.
Tui said that when customers receive expert advice from an agent over the phone or in branch, the price of the package is higher than on the website.
What to do if you are offered a credit note
Which? is encouraging holidaymakers to take credit notes if it suits their circumstances, particularly as this might help keep the ailing travel industry alive.
But the consumer group warns that your refund could be at risk if you opt for an alternative to cash and the firm enters administration.
You also need to check your provider's terms and conditions carefully.
Revolver's Martyn James says: "If a firm goes bust then usually your vouchers or credit notes die with them. But there's usually a bit of advance notice, which sometimes means you can get in quickly for a refund or use them (where possible) to buy a holiday."
If you get a cash refund, your money is safe, but be aware that firms are struggling to pay customers within the legal time frames, with some having to wait months for their money back.
If you're still waiting, you may also be at risk if the business fails.
James adds: "You will lose out unless they are members of a scheme that might offer refunds in these circumstances. You can apply to join a (long) list of creditors but it's unlikely you'd get much if anything."
Another Tui customer paid £1,158 for a holiday to Menorca due to depart on May 30, but which was later cancelled.
But the same holiday on the same dates in 2021 costs £991.30 more than the original booking.
The travel agent pointed out that price hike was down to the end of May 2021 being the start of the school half-term, unlike this year.
Also the discounts used to book the original holiday this year can't be carried over to trips booked for next year, which Tui say also explains the price hike.
Similarly, Jet2holiday customers have also complained that the travel agent has pushed up prices when it comes to rebooking trips.
One customer told Which? that the agent charged her an extra £2,180 to move her cancelled family holiday from May 2020 to the same time next year.
Another said she decided to claim a refund after being quoted an extra 50 per cent to rebook the cancelled holiday to Tenerife for almost the same dates next year.
What to do if you're being overcharged to rebook your holiday
UNFORTUNATELY, there's nothing that says a company can't charge you more to book a flight or holiday later in the year.
If you're considering rebooking, check online to see how much you would be charged as a new customer.
Do this in an incognito browser so you get a genuinely new price.
If the travel company tries to charge you more for the same holiday or flight, point out the price they you've found online and ask them why there's a difference.
If they're not prepared to offer the lower price, you should be able to ask for a refund for your cancelled holiday arrangements.
If you think you are being treated unfairly make sure you complain.
You can escalate complaints either through Alternative Dispute Resolution schemes for flights or ABTA for package holidays.
A Tui spokesperson told The Sun that its teams have been "working tirelessly to ensure prices for holidays in 2021 are similar".
It added that Which?'s comparisons weren't all like-for-like holidays and slammed the research as "misleading".
A spokesperson said: "We pride ourselves on being able to offer our customers great holidays for great prices and will continue to do so.
"There are many variables to take into account when looking at holiday pricing, and these can contribute to price fluctuations, especially when promotional offers have been use.
"Our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure prices for holidays in 2021 are similar, for example this week the cost of a holiday in August 2021 has an increase of just 6 per cent compared to August 2020."
A Jet2holidays spokesperson told The Sun that the price hikes are down to supply and demand - and unsurprisingly holidays for summer 2021 are proving popular.
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A spokesperson said said: "Our pricing, as is common practice in the travel industry, is based on the principle of supply and demand so as supply reduces, a consequence is that some prices increase.
"It is also important to note that a number of our input costs have increased too.
"We are continuing to work around the clock to look after customers, and to provide them with a great choice of flights and holidays for Summer 20, Winter 20 and Summer 21."
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