Quite a few flights consolidate their routings. I suppose it depends on a couple of things. At the time of booking was the agent aware of the flight having a touch down at Gatwick? Had the Tour Operator made it clear that the flight departed Manchester and touched down at Gatwick?
Flight Schedules can change and I would presume that the contract allows an operator or airline to alter the flight path and arrangements as long as it’s within a certain time scale.
I would presume that the Tour Operator is honouring it’s contract as it is delivering a holiday from Manchester to The Maldives.
I would hope that the client would be thinking of the end destination and hopefully a fantastic holiday rather than a very slight inconvenience of a consolidated flight and routing.

Report this comment

Sorry Darren, in your post you state that the flight is Via Gatwick ? Reading your post I am pre-suming that the flight is originating from Manchester and has a touch down at Gatwick.
Is This not the case then?

Report this comment

In that Case Darren, yes it is important to state the facts correctly in the first place:-). the difference being that depending on the Tour Operators booking conditions that the client would have accepted different circumstances would be in place. Most changes made by tour operators are deemed as minor changes. However if the tour operator considers them a significant change such as a a change of accommodation to that of a lower category and/ or price, a change of flight times of more than 12 hours, a change of UK departure airport ( as this now seems to be the case? as Darrren has re-stated) or a significant change of resort area.

It could be possible that depending on the Tour Operators terms of conditions that Kim could be entitled to one of the following.
In the case of a SIGNIFICANT CHANGE before departure the operator could provide three alternatives.
1. alternative travel arrangements of equivalent or of very closely similar standard and price if available.
2. alternative travel arrangements of a lower standard together with a refund of ther difference in price or
3. cancel your holiday with a full refund of all monies paid.
In all 3 cases, minimum compensation could be paid usually from £20per person up to £50.00 per person depending on the time notified and unless the change occurs as a result of circumstances beyond the tour operators control.

I would still like you Darren to clarify that this flight is a change of UK airport from Manchester Darren as it’s fairly unusual, whereas consolidaing flights from Manchester and touching down to collect more passengers, refueling etc is more common place?

Report this comment

As I thought Darren, VIA Gatwick is a different scenario to changing the departure airport. It is however important though that this information should be made available to the client before they make the booking and enter into a contract.
There are far too many incidents that often occur with tour operators and unfortunatly Darren it’s those that book DIY that can come unstuck and find they have no one to help them. I hope in this case, that Kim gets things sorted out and am sure that Travel Counsellors will be trying to sort out with Thomas Cook. At least Kim has a respectable and reliable Company that she has booked with and a person to turn too

Report this comment

Just to give you an update. Travel Counsellors have called me today and offered to put me on the Gatwick Flight at no extra cost – this is what I asked for. I just did not want to sit on a plane for 3 hours whilst it went from Manchester to Gatwick. Am pleased with the outcome and pleased with the service of Travel Counsellors Head Office for sorting it out for me.

Thanks to Darren for all your help.

Report this comment

Can you help…? ‘Flight Only’ booked for 8 pax 2 being small children. We choose a flight time that is convenient for us all (9:30am). I have received a letter to say they have amended the flight time to 6.00am. This would mean getting the little ones up and out of the house by 2.00am instead of 5.30am. Which intern would mean a bad flight experience for all the other passengers (tired children!!) Am I on a lost cause asking them to find us a more suitable flight time, can you advise please?

Report this comment