Airtours SunDeal - description of poor travel experiences

Complaints.com received the following consumer message on February 11, 2003:

From: David HOPCROFT [Email User] RE: Airtours SunDeal - description of poor travel experiences

The behaviour of the tour operator Airtours over what they currently describe as a SunDeal leaves me with little confidence in the parent company MyTravel. Following complaints made over the holiday Airtours have insisted that “The Airtours brochure forms no part of your contract with us”. That will come as a surprise to many who book having only been shown the brochure with their Terms and conditions printed. They further assert that “The holiday provided was as per our contract”. What follows is the essence of our experience, claimed by the Airtours as a holiday as per their contract !! I would be like to make contact with others who have had similar experiences. TRAVEL AGENT: GOING PLACES On November 2002 we visited a branch of Going Places at 48 Market Street, Crewe and spoke with the Travel Adviser. My wife requested a 14 day half board package at an hotel to cover the Christmas and New Year period, making it perfectly clear that she wanted half board at an hotel because she wanted to be with other people, not in a self-catering unit, where there would be events organised for the Christmas and New Year period. We both indicated an interest in Portugal or Spain. The Travel Adviser indicated that she could provide a deal in the Algarve area of Portugal that met these requirements, which would provide ‘3A’Half Board with ‘3A’ accommodation. We discussed the venue further since it was indicated this was ‘Accommodation on Arrival’. The brochure for ‘Airtours’ Wintersun (Nov 2002-April 2003) was shown to us and the Hotels in this area were shown as examples of what we could expect. We were clearly told that the accommodation would be in one of those hotels or possibly another hotel of the same standard or better. We left the Travel Agent for about a period of 1 hour to discuss the offer, returning to confirm our requirements and feeling assured that our requirements had been met. These were: a) Accommodation in a hotel providing half board b) A place where events would take place over the Christmas and New Year period c) We would not be allocated self-catering accommodation. TRAVEL: MYTRAVEL AIRWAYS On December 22nd we arrived at Manchester Airport to start our holiday. Despite arriving within the specified time we found the check-in situation with MyTravel to be utter chaos. Desks had not been allocated for specific flights and there were large numbers of passengers attempting to check-in. When we entered the aircraft we discovered we had been allocated seats against a bulkhead. My knees were jammed against the seat in front, permitting almost no movement. By the time the plane landed I was suffering severe cramp in my calf muscles and lower back pain. It was impossible for me to carry out any suggested exercises in a satisfactory way and the journey was one of severe discomfort. I required treatment with diclofenac before I could continue with the journey. On the return journey from Faro airport it was necessary to transport passengers by bus to the aircraft. The desks were simply opened up and a general rush took place. There was no provision made to load those with special needs first, or those with children. There was no organized loading pattern in seats that would have assisted the process of boarding. As a direct result of this chaos the pilot missed the allocated slot and passengers wasted an half hour whilst the plane sat on the tarmac. I can only assume that a lack of organization and a general melee are a part of any journey with MyTravel and that provision is not made for those with special needs or with children. It is not the standard that we expected Are these the standards that MyTravel expects passengers to cope with ? Well clearly, since they claim “The holiday provided was as per our contract”. HOLIDAY : AIRTOURS When we landed at Faro Airport we discovered the same lack of organisation. Large numbers of passengers for Airtours holidays were trying to discover from Airtours representatives where they were staying and where the transport for transfer was. The lists for passengers from each plane were with individuals who carried no means of identification ensuring a general melee. Having found the correct person I was given a sheet of paper indicating the destination. This indicated that we would be staying at ‘Club Alvorferias’. On the reverse of this sheet had been printed a series of terms that were described as a ‘Late Deal Holiday Charter’. This claimed to incorporate Sundeals. These conditions had not been presented to us before arrival, they differ from those in the brochure and they are clearly part of a new and different contract which Airtours was attempting to impose on us. A roundabout route dropping people off at various establishments increased the transfer time. We arrived at the destination of ‘Club Alvorferias’ and it was immediately apparent that we had not been placed at an hotel but in self-catering accommodation. In the course of the next few days it became clear that this was sub-standard accommodation with meals that would have been a disgrace to someone trying to trade as a roadside snack bar. We had been misled and deceived over our holiday and were treated in an appalling manner by the representatives of Airtours. On the return journey from Alvor to Faro the bus carrying passengers on the motorway experienced some difficulty with a loss of power. The advised procedure is for a vehicle to pull over to the hard shoulder and seek assistance. In this case the driver chose to consider trying to drive with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a mobile phone. He then proceeded to drive along the hard shoulder each time he came to a stretch of road with an incline. I do not consider these to be safe procedures with passengers on board. Does Airtours consider these to be safe procedures ? It was after all the ‘holiday as per our contract’, as Airtours claim. The accommodation was regarded as substandard for the following reasons: The towels in the bathroom were almost threadbare and two actually had large holes in them. A number of the window blinds did not work correctly and provided no barrier against traffic noise. Cleaning of the room amounted to a quick splash on the floor with a wet mop. The tiles on the floor were left wet and presented a hazard to health and safety. Bed linen was changed once, on the ninth day of the stay. No cleaning fluid or disinfectant was used in the bathroom which had a persistent unpleasant odour. There was little evidence of soundproofing and noise echoed around the stairwells disturbing sleep. For many visitors to access the snack bar meant walking up three flights of stairs and across a bridge open to the weather, a distance of some 150 metres. The facilities at the centre were minimal. The shop and kiosk were closed for winter, as was the snack bar by the pool and the only shop open on site was some 150 metres away. These appear to be standards that are fully acceptable to Airtours and regarded as 3A quality. Is this standard acceptable to Airtours ? Clearly it is the standard ‘as per our contract’ as Airtours claim. The snack bar on the site was being used as a restaurant in an attempt to provide food in the mornings and evenings. It was clearly unsuited for the purpose and understaffed. FOOD The service, hygiene and quality of the food were deplorable. The centre designated for eating functioned normally as a snack bar that provided the occasional meal in the evenings. This was clearly all it was suited for. Presented with over 150 to cater for the facility failed in every possible way. There were no areas in the snack bar that were reserved as non-smoking areas which spoiled the atmosphere. Does Airtours have a policy of avoiding the provision of non-smoking areas where food is being consumed ? On 22nd December the menu was presented almost 30 minutes after being seated. It took another 25 minutes before an order was taken. Having been seated for 20 minutes we drew the attention of a waiter and a waitress to the fact that we had no menu. We were ignored. A “buffet” style salad was placed on a table, the procedure being to serve yourself. However, the serving tongs were left in the trays of lettuce, tomatoes, onion and peppers, with no separate tray. This allowed the transfer of bacteria from unwashed hands and presented a considerable health hazard. The food was left uncovered for the duration of the meal times. Grilled ‘lamb’ chops were dry and had been ‘sitting’ for some length of time. We waited 38 minutes in an attempt to get a dessert served, reminded staff on three occasions. We eventually left without a dessert. A notice displayed on the wall indicated that we needed to book a Christmas lunch. Several ‘sitting times’ were indicated. On enquiry we were told the only time we could have lunch was at 12 noon, the other times were already fully booked. There was clearly no choice of time. Throughout the stay the fare at breakfast remained the same. Orange or pineapple juices which had been heavily diluted with water were presented. Cereal was presented in an open bowl and milk in large jugs. Given that the jugs were simply refilled, and that cereal was being put in bowls using hands when the utensils went astray, these represented further possibilities for the spread of disease and cannot be considered good hygiene. Bread rolls were presented with a thin slice of boiled bacon and a slice of processed cheese. The quality of the fare was at best very basic. More disturbing was that food laid out for breakfast on each table, (rolls, meat, cheese), was left on the table if not used when the table was re-laid. This food may well have been handled and to leave it showed a lack of concern over basic health and safety. On 23rd December soggy boiled potatoes were presented with a rather greasy piece of fried fish and tinned carrots. There were queues waiting to be seated, some parties waiting for as long as 40 minutes before being seated. Quite clearly there had been no planning and no provision made for the snack bar to cope with these numbers. On 24th December the main course appeared on the menu as spaghetti bolognaise. The spaghetti was served with mince in a tomato sauce with no vegetables. Late arrivals to the sitting got boiled spaghetti with mince, there being no further sauce. The spaghetti was served cold. The tuna alternative was overcooked and close to incineration. The first food arrived at the table 32 minutes after ordering. On 25th December the first food arrived 57 minutes after ordering. The sausage meat served with the main course was raw in the centre, presenting a health hazard. Upon enquiring for a glass of water, a price was quoted. On 26th December the first food arrived 34 minutes after ordering. The chicken peri-peri consisted of the poorest of cuts. A dessert described as ‘marble cake’ turned out to be a piece of chocolate sponge. On 28th December the first food arrived 31 minutes after ordering. On 29th December the first food arrived 40 minutes after ordering. The swordfish was raw and clearly undercooked, a health hazard. On 30th December a ‘seafood paella’ turned out to be boiled rice floating in enough liquid for shrimps to swim in. From 31st December onwards my wife did not eat at the snack bar having suffered severe gastro-enteritus which we believe was contracted from contaminated food served at the snack bar. The illness was so severe that she required hospital treatment. On January 3rd a chicken soup was served that had bones in. Four were removed from the bowl I was served, including two that were between two and three centimetres long. Other guests were also complaining of bones in the soup. On January 4th a ‘chicken curry’ was served. This consisted of cold boiled rice and pieces of chicken (complete with bones) mixed with a paste of what I assume was curry powder and water. There were no vegetables with this meal. Are these the standards of health and safety that Airtours regards as acceptable ? Is this standard of catering the standard which conforms to a 3A rating with Airtours ? AIRTOURS REPRESENTATIVES I was shocked and felt insulted by the attitude of the representatives of Airtours at Alvorferias. When we arrived a letter of welcome was handed out. There was no signature or name of a representative. A second letter, also with an Airtours heading, was unsigned. A ‘business card’ for the Customer Service Representative was given us. There was no name on the card. On Monday 23rd December we went to the meeting organised by Airtours for 10:00 a.m. Before entering the meeting we encountered the Representative *****. Upon hearing our comments about the food, the restaurant and the accommodation she told us: 1. She had heard no complaints, we were the first to say anything. 2. She considered the food here was excellent. 3. She told us that she often ate at the facility. When we entered the meeting we asked if anyone had complained since we had been told nobody had complained. There were some angry comments. It appeared almost every group had made verbal complaints before entering the meeting. The representative had clearly lied to us. In the two weeks we were there the representative was never seen in the facility that provided food. Given the number of complaints it was no surprise to find a representative attempting to talk out time at the Welcome Meeting, having announced they had to go on to another venue. Much of the talk was not useful information but blatant advertising for local tours and car hire firms. Very little time was left for complaints. No mention has been made of any procedure to complain and both representatives were clearly annoyed when I asked for the appropriate forms and informed two other parties they could make a written complaint at this point. It was clear from the responses ( ‘We don’t have any forms’, then amended to ‘We don’t have forms with us’) that the representatives may have received a degree of training that assisted in preventing written complaints. Our written complaint indicated dissatisfaction with accommodation, food and hygiene. We made a verbal request for a transfer to a venue that provided the standard that we had booked. I anticipated some discussion but instead the representative ****** merely moved to another group to get their written complaints. After three or four complaints had been written down the representatives left. Many others who wished to file a written complaint were not given the opportunity. In the evening we met for the second time with the representative ****. He attempted to persuade us that the accommodation we had was Airtours idea of 3A Half Board and that we should have expected this. Three parties were present and all contested this. The representative informed us that if we moved the accommodation might be worse. Can Airtours explain clearly what they regard as the minimum acceptable as 3A Half Board given the state of the accommodation and the nature of the food ? It clearly must be worse than the situation described in this letter if one of their own representatives indicates it could be so. They are claiming “THE HOLIDAY WE PROVIDED WAS AS PER OUR CONTRACT. At this point the representative, *****, brought over a scruffily dressed individual who had no means of identification but who claimed to be a Mr ******* and announced he was a ‘team leader’ for Airtours. This individual upset and antagonised all present with his abrasive and arrogant manner in which he suggested that we were stupid if we expected anything other than the position we found ourselves in. He refused to sit down and pointed at people, raising his voice and appeared angry and abusive. It seemed to those present that he had lost his temper. It was a truly amazing performance from somebody claiming to be a senior representative of Airtours. All responsibility, he claimed, lay with the travel agents, who had misrepresented the holidays. It seemed somewhat surprising that all the travel agents had misrepresented the holiday in an identical way. I pointed out there was a link between Airtours, MyTravel and Going Places. He denied this, claiming Airtours had nothing to do with the others. When I asked this individual who his senior was, indicating that I was not happy with his manner, he refused to give a name. Instead he walked away and spent much of the evening sitting at the bar. In view of the manner in which he had heightened distress among those present and his obvious desire to be confrontational we decided there was no purpose in trying to pursue him. I was also rather concerned that to make an approach might produce a physical response. On 24th December we met with the representative ***** who informed us that to obtain accommodation of the standard we requested would cost us 407 euros. We pointed out this was the standard that had been requested when we booked and did not consider there should be any charge. We were surprised when it was implied that the cost was for ‘upgrading’. Was this now an acknowledgement that the facility we were in did not meet the standard that had been booked ? The facility mentioned, the Jupiter Hotel, is rated at the same level we booked. We were told other hotels in the area were full and no space available. We were further surprised that the 407 euros could only be in cash. Credit cards, debit cards, personal or travellers’ cheques were not considered acceptable. I later discovered that a family who had moved were given a piece of headed notepaper that noted the payment. I would have expected a proper receipt to have been issued and find it more than a little surprising that large sums of money were being exchanged which might easily fail to find their way into the accounts. As the number wishing to make complaints increased the individual who had claimed to be a team leader was seen to make a hurried exit through the front door, walking briskly from the scene. We asked for further opportunity to make a written complaint and this was given only after we persisted with the request. At the same time four ladies who also wished to make a complaint were told by the representative ***** to stop bothering ***** and to leave him alone. The same representatives chose a public lobby by reception to demand cash from a party of four, refusing all other form of payment even though a lady from the party was in tears and clearly very distressed. Further behaviour of the Airtours Representatives in the bar area that evening was also disturbing to our party and that of another. That behaviour may well be notified to the appropriate authorities in Portugal for further investigation. All these representatives claimed to have training in Customer Services. Is this behaviour acceptable to Airtours ? Does it represent and reflect the training received by these representatives ? Airtours have been given a number of opportunities to retract the claims made about the brochure and a holiday provided as per their contract. They have indicated they are standing by these statements. I leave readers to form their own judgements ! From David Hopcroft