Flight upgrade

[gizzie4]

We got a call yesterday as expected, offering us a flight upgrade, with more legroom free drinks and a better meal choice, for £199 each. We declined as we thought £400 would be better spent on other nice things. Was it a good offer?

More leg room would have been nice, but i think it is a bit too expensive.

[WeeCountyMan]

but i think it is a bit too expensive.

 

More like a major league rip off - and that's being polite !!!

 

What are extra legroom seats on their own ?

 

Thomsons have got a brass neck really - on one hand they complain (rightly) when customers drink too much on flights and cause a nuisance - then they offer what is tantamount to a "drink as much as you can" deal.

[CRUISIN LINDA]

The legroom on long haul flights is fine. DH is 6ft tall and he is OK.

 

The meal is OK too.

 

As for drinks, when we went on Fred Olsen and Princess Caribbean cruises we got free drinks anyway on a Thomson or Thomas Cook flight. This year DH thought we would get the same as we were going on a Thomson cruise, but sadly no :(:(

[Julessmiles]

Rip off !! x

[gizzie4]

More like a major league rip off - and that's being polite !!!

 

What are extra legroom seats on their own ?

 

Thomsons have got a brass neck really - on one hand they complain (rightly) when customers drink too much on flights and cause a nuisance - then they offer what is tantamount to a "drink as much as you can" deal.

 

I agree we thought it was a bit of a rip off! like you say extra legroom seats on their own are not that expensive, as we are not alcoholics until we board :D

couldn't see the point of paying that sort of money, when it is unlikely we could even drink half the amount they are asking. :eek:

[hgt]

I've booked my own flight from Manchester to Paphos as when playing with the Thomson website, I found Thomson were charging approx £300 each for the flight. Only £170 with EasyJet, and the extra legroom upgrade..... just £6 with EasyJet - bargain!!!!

[Dreamgirl1957]

Sounds like they were offereing premium seats , these are usually at the front in a sep area behind a curtain i think, bit like first class if on BA etc but not if you know what i mean.

Its not like a short haul flight when there are only a few extra leg room seats dotted about there will be quite a lot up in the posh bit and this is the usual price. They've obviously not got thenm sold so trying to hard sell them. The seat pitch in a normal seat should be more than ok, i agree complete waste of money unless they are much much cheaper!! When you check in if there are any left you may be able to upgrade for a cheaper rate but sometimes they wont reduce them at all. Then again some late bookers will def get them for free. Ive sold lots of late deals in the past, long haul where these Premium seats were inc free.

[geomagot]

Ive sold lots of late deals in the past, long haul where these Premium seats were inc free.

 

They should give these free upgrades to early bookers...or returning customers:mad:

[geomagot]

also annoying that Thomsons keep the 1st 3/4 rows of seats for people that turn up late?

 

oftentimes these seats are left empty while everyone else is crammed in from the back down, you can move about the cabin but its like a rugby scrum to get to the front ones......why cant they just reserve the ones at the back for late comers? theres an exit at the back, you can board the aircraft from the back if you have mobility issues just the same as the front????

 

you should be able to book the 1st rows if you are paying a premium for seats together....its simple logic?? don’t they realise, everyone wants the front 5 rows?? then you have to sit and spit feathers while you watch some unorganised family turn up half a hour late and get them!!!

 

Rant over!!

[Jakanne1]

Sounds like they were offereing premium seats , these are usually at the front in a sep area behind a curtain i think, bit like first class if on BA etc but not if you know what i mean.

Its not like a short haul flight when there are only a few extra leg room seats dotted about there will be quite a lot up in the posh bit and this is the usual price. They've obviously not got thenm sold so trying to hard sell them. The seat pitch in a normal seat should be more than ok, i agree complete waste of money unless they are much much cheaper!! When you check in if there are any left you may be able to upgrade for a cheaper rate but sometimes they wont reduce them at all. Then again some late bookers will def get them for free. Ive sold lots of late deals in the past, long haul where these Premium seats were inc free.

 

I paid £69 each at check in for premium seats to go to Mexico but only for the outward flight. There were quite a lot of seats to chose from.

 

It was useful for the experience but it was certainly not as good as BA Business class never mind first class. Food was marginally better, drinks were free but they stopped serving them 2 hours early because they said they had run out, (there was quite a party atmosphere) a lot of the toilets on the plane were out of order so people from the rest of the plane were standing in the space our side of the curtain waiting for the loo.

 

On the way back if it is a night flight and you have to drive home then you would probably not want to drink alcohol.

 

IMO if you have to pay the full price it is not worth it as the long haul seats have plenty of leg room. I would rather spend it on excursions or in the duty free. :rolleyes:

[Jakanne1]

also annoying that Thomsons keep the 1st 3/4 rows of seats for people that turn up late?

 

oftentimes these seats are left empty while everyone else is crammed in from the back down, you can move about the cabin but its like a rugby scrum to get to the front ones......why cant they just reserve the ones at the back for late comers? theres an exit at the back, you can board the aircraft from the back if you have mobility issues just the same as the front????

 

you should be able to book the 1st rows if you are paying a premium for seats together....its simple logic?? don’t they realise, everyone wants the front 5 rows?? then you have to sit and spit feathers while you watch some unorganised family turn up half a hour late and get them!!!

 

Rant over!!

 

I've never noticed this. On my last flight (to Corfu) the front seats were reserved for disabled people who were 'loaded' on one of those lift vehicles into the door on the opposite side of the plane to the one where everyone else got on. I presume their families would be seated in the same area.

[geomagot]

row 1 is extra legroom at a premium, next 2 or 3 rows are never available to select if you have paid the fee....they keep them spare for people with low mobility, latecomers or anyone who complains (once they get on board) that they cannot sit together (basically because they have not paid for seats together) while everyone else gets what they have been given

 

OK I can understand those with low mobilty will need to be seated as close as poss to the doors...but there are doors at the back of the aircraft too?

 

if this happened on trains..... all you would have to do is make sure you were the last one on and they would hold a seat for you, while those that got there in good time would just have to stand:(

 

I doesn't make any sense!?

[Scarey Mary]

I've never noticed this. On my last flight (to Corfu) the front seats were reserved for disabled people who were 'loaded' on one of those lift vehicles into the door on the opposite side of the plane to the one where everyone else got on. I presume their families would be seated in the same area.

 

Hi Jackie

Yes they are reserved for disabled people.

That was me last year after my op. I was 'loaded' on and felt a bit like cargo:)

Unfortunately I didn't book special assistance as I could walk with my crutches and it wasn't until we got to airport(first time from Luton so didn't know) was advised there were 4 flights of stairs to go down:eek: so I became cargo:) Hubby thought it was hilarious until he found out he was to be loaded on too. It was def an experience.

Even worse I had pre booked seats at the back of the plane so the cabin staff had to hold everyone up while I was escorted down to the back.Ooops.:o Have to say though cabin staff were lovely.

[Julessmiles]

I've booked my own flight from Manchester to Paphos as when playing with the Thomson website, I found Thomson were charging approx £300 each for the flight. Only £170 with EasyJet, and the extra legroom upgrade..... just £6 with EasyJet - bargain!!!!

 

Much cheaper! I guess you have to find your own transfers to the ship then? The only problem you would have is if your flight was delayed for any reason, if you are flying as part of a package with Thomson, they will hold the ship for you whereas if you travel independantly they wouldn't :mad: I know when the ash crisis happened (which admittedly has not happened since), people on package holidays were treated much better than independant travellers - some people were even brought back to the UK on Thomson cruise ships from memory and those that couldn't get home were kept an extra week in the Red Sea - my parents were on the Celebration when all that happened!

[geomagot]

we were on the IE they sailed us home to falmouth....easy jet passengers were dropped off at the airport:eek:

[campolady]

We live in mainland Spain so have to arrange our own flights to meet the ship at Palma - no Thomson flights from Malaga to Mallorca.

 

We book flights for the day before we sail and stay in a hotel overnight just in case of delays as we know the ship will not wait for a non-Thomson flight. Costs a bit more for a nights accommodation but worth it for the peace of mind.

[Julessmiles]

we were on the IE they sailed us home to falmouth....easy jet passengers were dropped off at the airport:eek:

 

I knew Thomson had done something like that - just couldn't remember the ship. I'm sure there was another cruise line that had a brand new cruise ship that was also chartered to bring "package" people home too? What happend to the IE after that, did it have to sail back again- or was it the end of the season anyway? It was in April, I remember that much! Did you have a lot of extra Thomson passengers or was it just the people who were originally on the IE? That was a bit of a bonus for you - an extra few days cruising ;)

 

My parents were on the last flight out of Bristol airport - oblivious to all that was happening around them. When they arrived on the Celebration, a lot of the previous week's passengers had remained onboard - they were given the option of going to hotels in the Red Sea or another week's cruise; all paid for by Thomson (but not AI drinks of course!!)

 

A lot of people don't realise things like that & how good Thomson are when they moan about them - for whatever reason - they really do look after their customers!

[Julessmiles]

We live in mainland Spain so have to arrange our own flights to meet the ship at Palma - no Thomson flights from Malaga to Mallorca.

 

We book flights for the day before we sail and stay in a hotel overnight just in case of delays as we know the ship will not wait for a non-Thomson flight. Costs a bit more for a nights accommodation but worth it for the peace of mind.

 

I don't blame you - I would rather err on the side of caution; nice start to the holiday, too!:)

[Dreamgirl1957]

I knew Thomson had done something like that - just couldn't remember the ship. I'm sure there was another cruise line that had a brand new cruise ship that was also chartered to bring "package" people home too? What happend to the IE after that, did it have to sail back again- or was it the end of the season anyway? It was in April, I remember that much! Did you have a lot of extra Thomson passengers or was it just the people who were originally on the IE? That was a bit of a bonus for you - an extra few days cruising ;)

 

My parents were on the last flight out of Bristol airport - oblivious to all that was happening around them. When they arrived on the Celebration, a lot of the previous week's passengers had remained onboard - they were given the option of going to hotels in the Red Sea or another week's cruise; all paid for by Thomson (but not AI drinks of course!!)

 

 

A lot of people don't realise things like that & how good Thomson are when they moan about them - for whatever reason - they really do look after their customers!

 

 

Hi, the other ship was a new Celebrity one, cant rem which but my friend was bought home on it from her hols when the ash cloud crisis was on.:)

[geomagot]

I knew Thomson had done something like that - just couldn't remember the ship. I'm sure there was another cruise line that had a brand new cruise ship that was also chartered to bring "package" people home too? What happend to the IE after that, did it have to sail back again- or was it the end of the season anyway? It was in April, I remember that much! Did you have a lot of extra Thomson passengers or was it just the people who were originally on the IE? That was a bit of a bonus for you - an extra few days cruising ;)

 

My parents were on the last flight out of Bristol airport - oblivious to all that was happening around them. When they arrived on the Celebration, a lot of the previous week's passengers had remained onboard - they were given the option of going to hotels in the Red Sea or another week's cruise; all paid for by Thomson (but not AI drinks of course!!)

 

A lot of people don't realise things like that & how good Thomson are when they moan about them - for whatever reason - they really do look after their customers!

 

 

yep they really did look after us, we had an extra 4/5? days cruising with AI included, Thoms filled the ship to the rafters with guests from resorts in Tenerife and madeira then sailed for falmouth, where we were bussed to our original airports, then they bussed the following weeks guests to falmouth (from all over UK) and sailed back to canaries to continued the schedule

 

They picked up literally 100's of resort guests....I have no idea where they put them all.....no-one was moved from their cabins (other than the independents)

 

cant fault thoms here, they gave each of us a letter for insurance, but they looked after us so well there was nothing to claim for

 

They really were fantastic:cool:

[Jakanne1]

I was with Thomsons in an AI hotel in Mexico when we had the Ash Cloud. We had 4 extra days there at no extra cost. Others who had Thomson flights only (they had booked villas etc themselves) were brought to our hotel by taxi and had the AI food and drink as well at no extra cost.

 

A colleague who was on a Med cruise (not Thomson) was disembarked with DH and 2 boys at Venice and had to find their own way home. Still don't know whether she was even reimbursed for their flights.

 

My sister and DH on their way to Vietnam on their honeymoon were stuck in Paris for nearly a week and had to do all the re-arranging of their flight to Vietnam, internal flights and hotel bookings themselves as well as having the extra cost of hotel and food in Paris.

 

That is why we have stuck with Thomson since then. Good old Thomson. :):)

 

Didn't they use the Dream to bring people back from the Med? Thomson had just taken it over then.

[kruzseeka]

I was with Thomsons in an AI hotel in Mexico when we had the Ash Cloud. We had 4 extra days there at no extra cost. Others who had Thomson flights only (they had booked villas etc themselves) were brought to our hotel by taxi and had the AI food and drink as well at no extra cost.

 

A colleague who was on a Med cruise (not Thomson) was disembarked with DH and 2 boys at Venice and had to find their own way home. Still don't know whether she was even reimbursed for their flights.

 

My sister and DH on their way to Vietnam on their honeymoon were stuck in Paris for nearly a week and had to do all the re-arranging of their flight to Vietnam, internal flights and hotel bookings themselves as well as having the extra cost of hotel and food in Paris.

 

That is why we have stuck with Thomson since then. Good old Thomson. :):)

 

Didn't they use the Dream to bring people back from the Med? Thomson had just taken it over then.

Yes they did - and, I believe, not just their own customers. :) They got a lot of positive press and credit for that, sadly somewhat overshadowed when the Dream set off just afterwards for the Transatlantic and ran into all those plumbing problems thought to be conected to the accident in Sharm when she was still Costa. :(

[Dreamgirl1957]

All things considered you can't go far wrong with Thomson. I know they are not perfect but I think they are nearly there and far better than the competition in a lot of ways. They really do look after you when it counts ;););)

 

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[WeeCountyMan]

Thomas Cook were faultless when we were stranded in Malta due to volcanic ash drama in April 2010 - kept us in our 4 Star hotel at our normal board for 4 days and chartered an Air Malta flight to get us all home.

[gizzie4]

Sounds like they were offereing premium seats , these are usually at the front in a sep area behind a curtain i think, bit like first class if on BA etc but not if you know what i mean.

Its not like a short haul flight when there are only a few extra leg room seats dotted about there will be quite a lot up in the posh bit and this is the usual price. They've obviously not got thenm sold so trying to hard sell them. The seat pitch in a normal seat should be more than ok, i agree complete waste of money unless they are much much cheaper!! When you check in if there are any left you may be able to upgrade for a cheaper rate but sometimes they wont reduce them at all. Then again some late bookers will def get them for free. Ive sold lots of late deals in the past, long haul where these Premium seats were inc free.

Yes spoke to them today in the shop and she said they were in the premium seats, like a separate cabin. They can keep them!