Shame on Thomson flight seat booking

Just rang Thomson to pay final balance of next cruise in Caribbean and instead of taking my payment, all the operator from the call centre was interested in was trying blackmail us into paying for seats on the aircraft, that if we didn't we would be split up, sorry but so be it, nobody puts a gun to our heads, another money making gimmick!

This nonsense seems to be more and more common - it's time punters who are exposed to this practice complained to ABTA etc.

I doubt they are explicitly saying you'll be split up if you don't pay the extra fees - just "suggesting" the possibility if you don't, which effectively is tantamount to the same.

For real? A formal complaint is in order!

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WE have been Thomson customers on numerous holidays for many years but we have noticed a sea change in their approach and customer service is suffering. The cash cow is now everything and certainly for us regulars it is damaging their image. With the upsurge of many independent companies it is a dangerous game

Last year,for my special birthday,I took my family to Mexico(8 adults).I was pestered to book seats but the extra cost for 8 people was just too much.

I took the chance that at least some of us would sit near each other.

No such luck we were all over the place.My wife and I sat at an isle seat with the other seat 3 seats over in the center isle.It was our wedding aniversary on that day and upon hearing that the couple in between very kindly changed seats so that we could be together.Whilst talking to them they told us that they had not booked their seats and were given them at check in.Thomson look to have punished me for not paying the extra money.

I have my suspicion that couples are deliberately separated to "encourage" them to prebook seats in future. Thomson isn't the only company doing this but it's a bad practice

We use Thomson flights about 3 times a year and never pay for seats, but check in on line as soon as it opens 7 days prior. We've never been separated other than opposite aisle seats which we prefer.

To be honest we wouldn't mind if we were apart, especially on short flights, as we often end up chatting to our neighbours anyway.

There is not much difference between seats and you get one anyway. Everybody is in the same metal tube for a few hours so I don't see the necessity to worry about it.

Paying for a seat (twice) is a nice earner for airlines. On top of that their T&Cs can deny you your choice anyway - 'for operational reasons'.

Take your point on seating but we always book seats for long haul. We are off to Barbados in January and there are two Thomson flights there that morning. The early flight is a dreamlike with a 3 4 3 seating configuration the one we are on a 767 with a 2 4 2 seating plan. We*re delighted with that as we can have two seats together and nobody next to us. For short flights we usually take a chance

Fully agree with your thinking.

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We use Thomson flights about 3 times a year and never pay for seats, but check in on line as soon as it opens 7 days prior. We've never been separated other than opposite aisle seats which we prefer.

I thought Thomsons allocated unreserved seats (both ways) to remaining customers at the point when the 7 day window for online access to print off boarding passes opened ?

We had no option to choose on our recent flight end of September.

Take your point on seating but we always book seats for long haul. We are off to Barbados in January and there are two Thomson flights there that morning. The early flight is a dreamlike with a 3 4 3 seating configuration the one we are on a 767 with a 2 4 2 seating plan. We*re delighted with that as we can have two seats together and nobody next to us. For short flights we usually take a chance

The changes in Thomson over the years are definitely not an improvement. I don't know who is making the decisions but they are alienating customers with their really bad customer service and constant pressure to purchase extras. From the time you book and most the time on board it's sell, sell, sell.

We took a break from Thomson for a time but recently booked another cruise with them as we had enjoyed cruising with them in the past. Since we booked our cruise the itinerary has changed, the flight times have changed and now we have been informed by email in a very underhand way that our flight will not now be on the Dreamliner.

The new brochure again shows that there are fewer flights from Scotland to some destinations in particular re-positioning cruises.

Thomson will be losing many more loyal passengers to FO and Cruise & Maritime in the future if they continue to treat customers from the north in this way with huge flight supplements and less choice.

Fuming !!!:mad:

Just had a call from Thomson asking me to consider upgrading to extra legroom seats on the aircraft (for a flight to Alicante)- she said these are usually £150 each but I can offer you a discount to £30 per person!

I was so annoyed- I said I had been flying with Thomson for over 50 years and the cost of extra legroom seats has NEVER EVER been £150! What a brazen lie!

I thought Thomsons allocated unreserved seats (both ways) to remaining customers at the point when the 7 day window for online access to print off boarding passes opened ?

 

We had no option to choose on our recent flight end of September.

Agreed, but they do give you the option to change if there are vacant seats, not that we've ever opted for change.

Obviously if it's a full flight that won't happen, especially such as a cruise only flight. Some of our local airport Thomson flight seats are vacant because people don't book them until during that final week, I.e. they are flight only and not part of a holiday package.

We fly on 22 Jan and had paid to choose seats for the long haul flight, and the seats we wanted were chosen on the Dreamliner.

We later found out that Birmingham flights to Barbados between late December and March 17 were now on 767, so went into a TA to see what was happening about booked seats. She brought the plan up, and we were lucky enough to find 2 seats across the aisle that would be ok for us. We have had no notification from Thomson to date to say that the plane had changed so we no longer had the seats we booked.

Gill

You've hit the nail on the head with Thomson - their PR is appalling. They don't seem to realise this is the 21st century! That does not fit well with the grey brigade = we like to know all the details before we go and maybe one day they will discover the internet. We have been back from our last cruise for seven weeks and are still waiting for our excursion refund. This week in frustration I have been trying the Thomson Cares desk on Twitter, a 24 hour service I understand, to try to solve the matter but half a dozen emails have elicited nothing more than they cannot seem to liaise with the after sales department. Surely it is just down the corridor. Think John Cleese must be the boss! Never mind, let's go sailing in January and maybe their letter will be on the mat when we get back ! The Celebration crew apart from reception were lovely and I am sure these will be too.

Partly due to all this nonsense we have decided to give Thomson a miss this Winter for the first time in 6 years.... Usually we would have a fortnight down in the Caribbean and/or a week around the Canaries.

I say partly as we have done most ports including Havana, Mexico and Panama, Columbia ect at least once, others like St Marrtin and St Kitts two or three times. Barbados and Montego bay 4 or 5 times.We just need a bit of change of scene.

Anyway this year we have booked a bucket list trip starting in NZ up the West coast of Aus a bit of Indonesia finishing in Singapore on Norwegian. TBH not that much more expensive that having a balcony cabin on Thomson once the all inclusive is factored in which is was included anyway. 19 days as opposed to 14 as well, with a couple of days in Auckland at the start and Singers at the end, hotels included.

But the point I am putting this here guess what. We fly down/back with Singapore Airlines where as soon as we got the documentation through we were able to go on their website and pre-book our seats for the 3 flights at no extra charge.

Thomson please take note. You need to keep up with the competition not stiff your customers for every penny you can.

That sounds like a fantastic trip hope all goes well. Unfortunately it looks like all the airlines will be charging as BA have just implemented a reservation charge hope I am wrong!!!

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I don't think you are:-(

BA charge £21 for middle block seats and more for the outer block let alone those with extra legroom. By the time we've paid for 2 segments each way because we need to fly first to Heathrow it costs a fortune.

Partly due to all this nonsense we have decided to give Thomson a miss this Winter for the first time in 6 years.... Usually we would have a fortnight down in the Caribbean and/or a week around the Canaries.

 

I say partly as we have done most ports including Havana, Mexico and Panama, Columbia ect at least once, others like St Marrtin and St Kitts two or three times. Barbados and Montego bay 4 or 5 times.We just need a bit of change of scene.

 

Anyway this year we have booked a bucket list trip starting in NZ up the West coast of Aus a bit of Indonesia finishing in Singapore on Norwegian. TBH not that much more expensive that having a balcony cabin on Thomson once the all inclusive is factored in which is was included anyway. 19 days as opposed to 14 as well, with a couple of days in Auckland at the start and Singers at the end, hotels included.

 

But the point I am putting this here guess what. We fly down/back with Singapore Airlines where as soon as we got the documentation through we were able to go on their website and pre-book our seats for the 3 flights at no extra charge.

 

Thomson please take note. You need to keep up with the competition not stiff your customers for every penny you can.

What a great trip. There are lots of fantastic deals out there with great itineraries and often at less cost than the Thomson's same old same old.

Singapore Airlines are excellent as are Emirates who also provide first class service and do not charge for booking seats.

Have a great time.

Major League airlines like Emirates and Singapore are not in competition with Thomsons, or vice versa, they are on a much higher plane (no pun intended) etc.

Major League airlines like Emirates and Singapore are not in competition with Thomsons, or vice versa, they are on a much higher plane (no pun intended) etc.

Thomson are a budget airline but we have flown Emirates to Dubai cheaper than I have seen some Thomson's flight only prices to Palma from Glasgow.

Anyone thinking of doing the Dubai and the Emirates cruises this season should consider booking cruise only and flights with Emirates and adding a few extra days in Dubai for a much better experience.

In the last couple of days the supplement for premium seats on flights to Barbados have gone up from £300 to £400

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