Travelling with TCD

[nuttytart]

I wish I had read this board before I booked with this company. All the complaints listed are what I have already experienced with them and their "I don't care" attitude is most annoying.

I have today drafted a letter stating that I want my booking with them to be trouble free after reading the comments on this board.

Let's see what I get back.

It seems that there are only a minority of people who actually like this company and the majority get a lot of grief for wanting to get what they paid for and not what TCD thinks they should have.

Once I have received my reply from them, I will let you know exactly what my trouble are with them so anyone else out there doesn't have to go thru them too.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

I'm booked with TCD for our holiday this August. I did have a bit of hassle making the booking (we wanted their Sunshine First upgraded seats, but not TCD's accommodation) but in the end it all worked out. We're now looking forward to our holiday, including our flights.

I think TCD offers terrific value for money, and because their prices are cheaper than other operators I'm prepared to put up with a little bit of extra hassle when booking with them. As a budget carrier they probably won't have large customer services teams, flexible booking systems which cater for every customer's needs, spare cpacity with their planes in case of technical faults, etc, etc. I think all this needs to be remembered when booking with them. If I wanted high levels of service from a scheduled airline I should expect to pay those prices. If I want a budget price I have to expect a no-frills service.

Regards

Rob

 

[mkingdon]

I have a similar tale and view to Rob.

I had some issues making the booking, as I didn't want something "off the page", but I got there in the end.

However, I'm sure I got the best price I could in the market, and for my trip that was an essential consideration.

As Rob says, TCD are well known for keen prices but not for great service. Virgin and others, it could be argued, are known for the opposite, so we have to make a choice as customers I think.

I hope things work out for you. I've travelled with TCD around five times now, and I can honestly say I've never had a major problem.

Craig

 

[nuttytart]

Ok here goes.

They stitched us up well and trully with the car hire. They are not cheap IMHO. We are a group of 8 (4 A and 4 C) but no kids discounts offered. Their Blackpool office barely can cope with the phones. Although we didn't specifically ask for villa location, they allocated it. I am happy with what they have allocated and the cost of this said villa is £590 inc pool heating at peak easter time and it a 4 bed exec. I am now convinced that on landing at Sanford, I will be told that I have got something totally different that fits the price bracket.

I refuse to pay £69 to reserve my seats which they cannot guarantee. My family can afford it but the other 1 cannot but they wont allow 1/2 the booking to get allocated seating and not the other half. Same goes for travelling in their so-called "Sunshine First". My kids get travel sickness which can also trigger an asthma attack but they don't care about that. So I am having to arrange to get to Gatwick at dawn so that at least we can (4 of us) sit together in the middle aisle. Knowing how they like to do the whole group and not half, I am expecting them to even refuse to let me check in without the other family.

We are one of those families who do not take their kids out of school during term time for holidays. And having gone there the last time during July/August, we thought we would do Easter as the weather is better. This will be our 8th trip there and take my word for TCD are not the cheapest.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

In my experience all of the charter airlines would have exactly the same restrictions for your requests as TCD. The no-frills airlines are just not setup to handle the individual requests of every passenger. If you think TCD are not the cheapest I'm a little confused as to why you booked with them. Surely you woluld have been happier with another airline that was either cheaper or offered better customer service?

Regards

Rob

 

[nuttytart]

Hi Rob,

My hands were tied as the people we are travelling with are both teachers and could only travel during school holidays too. I was happy to wait and book Easter 2005 but they wanted to go 2004. At the time all flights were sold out except for TCD. I really didn't join any of the boards until Jan 2004 to discover that they are a very shrewd company. If you consider paying £730 for a child fare cheap then there is something wrong there.

I could of gotten an indirect flight, but I said earlier, my kids get air sick and it would make it a nightmare if I had to change planes too.

Besides its a done deal now. I am being a pessimist (sp?). I am hoping that it will be fine.

Thanks for you input and I will let you know when they reply to my letter regarding booking 1/2 the seats.

 

[Hilary]

Hello nuttytart, and welcome to the DIS boards!

I have never used TCD, so can only comment as an observer, but it seems that a lot of your gripes with the way TCD have treated your booking are to do with the fact that you would prefer the group to be treated as two separate families, and TCD are unwilling to do this. I think you'd find that the scheduled carriers would probably be exactly the same and want you all to book, check-in and sit together as one booking, if that's what you have made - one booking.

I am expecting them to even refuse to let me check in without the other family.

Whichever travel company / airline we have travelled with, we have always been told that the whole party must be present at check-in.

I hope it all works out well for you, and that you have a fabulous trip (We'll be there over Easter too)

 

[nuttytart]

Thank you Hilary for you kind words.

I just want to make sure that my kids are next to me in case they get sick or get an asthma attack. It is also in TCD's interest that they be next to me. SO you would think that they would try to take my £69 (which I am willing to pay be it reluctantly) and ensure that we are sitting together.

However if they want to make things awkward then my kids will be the kids from hell if they get sick on the plane whilst sitting next to some very nice strangers and ruin their holidays too.

That is what it making me angry and annoyed with these people more than anything else.

 

[mkingdon]

nuttytart,

I would say just get to the airport early and tell the check in staff what you need and why you need it. You may well be together anyway.

I totally understand how things like this can leave a bad taste in your mouth, and booking holidays (especially for an extended group) can be really stressful.

Whoever you go book with rest assured you will have a fantastic time and want to go back!!!

Best Wishes

Craig

 

[EvertonCJ]

We went with TCD in August, 2003 because their prices were the most competitive. I agree with the person who says that once they have your money they do not seem to care. The main thing that upset us, was that we ordered all our attraction tickets through them as the brochure stated that we would get tickets and not vouchers. When I rang up TCD to ask why, I received a totally apathetic answer and was told that if I wanted tickets I would need to send in more money. The outward flight was 8 hours late and when we got on the plane, our 2 children could not see the films as we were sat in the middle 4 seats. We are going back to Florida in August, 2004 and booked with Virgin in September, 2003. At the time I also rang TCD to see how prices compared and Virgin were actually £200 cheaper ( we are staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort ). We would not travel with TCD again as customer care seems to be non existent.

 

[nuttytart]

Everton you are so reassuring.

I do agree with you that nobody can beat Virgin. I am a big fan of theirs. However this time I am going to have to grin and bear it and put up with it.

They have told me that I need to get to the airport to check in early. As they are unable to book my part of seating, they will try and sit the entire family together if I kick up enough fuss at check and show them the Asthma medication.

Here I was willing to pay the damn £69 for the seats and they don't want it. THey want to make things difficult for everyone.

 

[Claire44]

We have been with TCD twice and haven't had any complaints at all - both times we have paid a lot less than we would have with other operators for the same holiday. This time though we found airtours cheaper but only because we managed to get a free child place.

With regards to booking for 2 families - we did this last year with TCD. I booked for both families but made 2 separate bookings and asked them to link the booking numbers together which they did, we were sat together on the plane but were able to check in separately and had adjoining hotel rooms. I know you wouldn't be able to do this with a villa booking but it may help anyone who is staying in a hotel.