Weird experience trying to get a quote

[joolz1910]

I just phoned Total Florida for a quote and was told that I couldn't book flights for Oct 2012 yet. He actually laughed at me. I told him that I had quotes from other companies and he informed me that these flights did not exist yet. I was told that they were just guessing at prices and that he could do that too. He would not accept that I could pay now for Virgin flights for Oct 2012. He said that no packages were available either! I told him that Virgin were selling packages for 2012 and he said I would have to go to Virgin to book flights or a package and that it would make me 'tear my hair out.' His attitude was that other travel companies had 'weird ways of doing things'. I asked when he would be able to give me a quote for my dates and he replied ' a couple of months'. I don't think he wanted to sell me anything.

He was so rude and dismissive! Did I get the call centre oddball or is this other people's experience of this company?

 

[kristieuk]

I have never booked through them, but he is right in as much as the flights won't actually become available to book seats on until about 360 days before, that's why you can't book flight only until that time, even directly with the airline. You can book packages of course - through maybe Virgin or BA. Obviously they have some idea of where they will be fixing the prices of their own flights when schedules are finalised. It must be very hard for other companies to guess - I don't know if they have some agreement with the airlines in advance of a ballpark figure or not?

I am sorry he was rude to you though, no need for that

 

[orangetiggs]

flights are not out yet till later this year

packages through tour operators such as virgin holidays thomsons etc are always guarenteed a certain number of seats on the flights or in thomsons case the whole flight as its chartered

With virgin holidays its thier sister company that do the flights so they always know the flights etc but he is right in one way

The preview brochures have only just come out so he may not of known, it doesnt need him to be rude but in a way he is right

 

[joolz1910]

I realise that he's right and that technically the flights don't exist yet, but he was arguing that I couldn't book a fly-drive or a package yet, when you clearly can. He didn't offer me a quote of any kind, despite people on the Dibb having booked with them for Oct 2012.

I'm pretty certain that I'm going to wait for prices in April and see if they come down a bit. I can't afford £3500 for flight only for 5 of us.