Booked for 2009 !

[kevin harrison]

I have booked Star Premier with First Choice for September 2009 !! flying from Nottingham. The only downer is they only fly from EMA on Tuesdays, but I can deal with that because....

We are going back !!

 

[crabbie1]

Great news kevin I am still pondering about flights for next august.How much did you pay?Best I have found was indirect with BMI for £576 adult and £469 child.Still hoping may go down a bit though.

 

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Yay great news

 

[Snowy-girls]

Excellent news Kev,happy planning .x.

 

[Cyrano]

Great news

 

[kevin harrison]

Great news kevin I am still pondering about flights for next august.How much did you pay?Best I have found was indirect with BMI for £576 adult and £469 child.Still hoping may go down a bit though.

£650 per person for Star Class Premium seating. Booked as a flydrive, worked out cheaper than just booking flights. The problem is my wife is scared of flying and will not entertain flying in economy with it's far tighter spaces.

Flew with First Choice previously and would say it's easily comparable to Virgin's PE, the fact I can get a plane 20 miles from my house is a huge bonus.

 

[burt]

Did you book ionline Kev or in TA, i have tried a few dates in August and keep getting not available.

 

[T16GEM]

Congrats great news!

 

[kevin harrison]

Did you book ionline Kev or in TA, i have tried a few dates in August and keep getting not available.

I went into First Choice and asked. They seemed unaware that there was nothing showing online. I also had the same problem.

 

[diberry]

Hi Kevin! Just read your post with great interest! We've booked with First Choice from East Midlands for next August and it cost us £851 per person (including extra legroom in standard.) I've also separately booked a rental car with Alamo (£200) making it £951 per person so your flydrive at £650 per person in Star Class Premium is obviously a lot lot cheaper!!
I just rang FC to ask if I could amend my booking to flydrive and they said it wasn't possible. Have you got any idea how I can do it please because it's a lot cheaper than anything I found. It might even be cheaper to cancel my booking and book a flydrive instead. Any ideas would be gratefully received!!

 

[kevin harrison]

Hi Kevin! Just read your post with great interest! We've booked with First Choice from East Midlands for next August and it cost us £851 per person (including extra legroom in standard.) I've also separately booked a rental car with Alamo (£200) making it £951 per person so your flydrive at £650 per person in Star Class Premium is obviously a lot lot cheaper!!
I just rang FC to ask if I could amend my booking to flydrive and they said it wasn't possible. Have you got any idea how I can do it please because it's a lot cheaper than anything I found. It might even be cheaper to cancel my booking and book a flydrive instead. Any ideas would be gratefully received!!

It depends on what deposit you paid, if you paid £100 like me, then cancel.

If it was me, I'd go back and say I was missold, say you asked about fly drive and you were told they were not available, when clearly they were. Be strong with them - they'll back down.

 

[diberry]

Thanks Kevin. I actually had to pay in full and am wondering if I'd lose the lot if I cancel - the "small print" isn't clear. I've emailed them to clarify. I will be extremely stroppy with them if they say it can't be changed as there's nothing online about flydrives!!! Do you think I'd have more success by going into the FC place at Castle Meadow in person?

 

[kevin harrison]

Thanks Kevin. I actually had to pay in full and am wondering if I'd lose the lot if I cancel - the "small print" isn't clear. I've emailed them to clarify. I will be extremely stroppy with them if they say it can't be changed as there's nothing online about flydrives!!! Do you think I'd have more success by going into the FC place at Castle Meadow in person?

Go into Castle Meadow and speak to the manageress - A lovely blonde lady, whose name escapes me. Explain that you wanted a fly drive, but none were and still are not showing online and that you were told they are not available yet, and are not available until the new brochure is out - then tell her that you know people that have booked flydrives. When she has a look, I think they'll swap for you.

 

[diberry]

Thanks Kevin, you're an absolute star!! On their website it says:"Lowest prices guaranteed. Our lowest holiday prices are always online so you can book with confidence". I'd really love to save a few hundred quid per person as you can imagine! I really appreciate your help.

 

[Giddy Kipper]

Will be very interested to know the outcome of this...we are also looking for decent priced flights in August ...flying from East midlands would be ideal...

 

[Clare D]

After reading Verity's TR I think we are going to try First Choice for the convenience. Problem is next year we are flying to Chicago for a family wedding first and it isn't worth us flying to Orlando and then onto Chicago return - Heathrow it will have to be (Manchester is more expensive).
Great deal though Kevin

 

[diberry]

Go into Castle Meadow and speak to the manageress - A lovely blonde lady, whose name escapes me. Explain that you wanted a fly drive, but none were and still are not showing online and that you were told they are not available yet, and are not available until the new brochure is out - then tell her that you know people that have booked flydrives. When she has a look, I think they'll swap for you.

Just to let you know what's happened about this. (This could be a long post!!)
I went to the First Choice Hypermarket in Nottingham yesterday and spoke to the manageress who said she could do nothing about online bookings as it was totally separate from the shops. This seems weird to me as it's the same company! I came home and rang FC which proved to be a very long process! I was on the phone for 29 minutes and was transferred to 7 (yes, SEVEN!!!) different people and was put on hold each time!! Eventually I was delighted to be told that they would cancel my existing booking free of charge as long as I went back to the FC shop before close of business today and booked a fly drive instead. So DH & I went back to the FC shop today and were told that the flydrive prices for August would cost £1040 per person which is more than the flights only booking I've already got + a rental car booked direct with Alamo. The fact that we have to go in August (DH is a teacher) obviously makes the whole thing a lot more expensive!! So essentially I haven't saved any money but I am happy that I followed it up and found out all the ins and outs!! Strangely the brochure for Nov 2008 - October 2009 is in the shop but you can still only book flydrives online up to April 2009! However we have got free dining so I can't complain. Thanks again for your help Kevin!

 

[Nii Lamptey]

Just to let you know what's happened about this. (This could be a long post!!)
I went to the First Choice Hypermarket in Nottingham yesterday and spoke to the manageress who said she could do nothing about online bookings as it was totally separate from the shops. This seems weird to me as it's the same company! I came home and rang FC which proved to be a very long process! I was on the phone for 29 minutes and was transferred to 7 (yes, SEVEN!!!) different people and was put on hold each time!! Eventually I was delighted to be told that they would cancel my existing booking free of charge as long as I went back to the FC shop before close of business today and booked a fly drive instead. So DH & I went back to the FC shop today and were told that the flydrive prices for August would cost £1040 per person which is more than the flights only booking I've already got + a rental car booked direct with Alamo. The fact that we have to go in August (DH is a teacher) obviously makes the whole thing a lot more expensive!! So essentially I haven't saved any money but I am happy that I followed it up and found out all the ins and outs!! Strangely the brochure for Nov 2008 - October 2009 is in the shop but you can still only book flydrives online up to April 2009! However we have got free dining so I can't complain. Thanks again for your help Kevin!

You can book flight only online with FC for £700 pp in August

 

[Cinderella2006]

You can book flight only online with FC for £700 pp in August

working out at 865.00 for us excluding tax

 

[diberry]

You can book flight only online with FC for £700 pp in August

Our £851 includes £70 per person extra legroom (DH is 6'1") and you have to pay £30 for each piece of checked-in luggage which I think is sneaky because who goes to Florida without a suitcase????? The price showing up today is £700.47 per person but then you have to add £87.53 taxes plus £30 for each suitcase making it £818 per person as a basic price.