Tour Operators are Ripping Off Families

[Michael Browne]

Some travel companies seem to be using to force parents to pay a premium is by charging MORE for children than they do for adults.

 

Website HolidayPirates have got some operators rumbled and have shown that some parents are being hoodwinked into paying premium by charging them MORE for children than they do for adults.

 

In one case, they found that a holiday was being sold as £245 per person (including all extras for the school holidays), but the holiday is based on four adults sharing. However, if you swap two adults for two kids – for the same flights, same hotel, same everything – the price goes up to £344 each.

 

 

 

Some tour operators will tinker with prices dependant on the child’s age.

 

 

If you book one holiday for a family of four (two adults, one infant and one child aged 12) and one for exactly the same sized family but with the child being 13 (two adults, one infant, one child aged 13), you’ll see a big hike in the price of £133 each.

 

 

http://www.holidaypirates.com/others/three-ways-tour-operators-are-ripping-off-families

[Tryst]

I have always been very dubious about the prices these tour operators charge. A hotel room costs the same no matter whether it's 4 adults or 4 children and often, the beds are all singles. It's the same with single person costs, a hotel room costs the same no matter how many people stay in it.

 

That's why I always sort out my own holiday, I buy my own air ticket and sort out my own accommodation and the rip-off travel agents can go to hell. It normally ends up costing less than any travel agent charges for the same holiday. I can choose my own hotel, so I normally go for a cheap no star one because I don't aim to use it for any more than sleeping in. Not being the type that will spend their entire holiday in the hotel, I want to see the country I visit so I don't need all the extras the hotel offers. With the internet, so much can be arranged online now, that there is no need for travel agents any more.

 

I also find that the cheap hotels often treat you better because they don't get the custom from the travel agents. That means they are usually struggling for customers so they are glad of any they can get and often make sure you enjoy your stay to get you to come back or recommend them in future. They may seem scruffy and rough looking but what do you expect from a company running on a shoestring budget? If you're only using it to sleep in, who cares?

 

The big 5 star hotels normally don't give a damn about their customers because they charge big bucks and get all their tourist trade handed to them by tour operators around the world.

[topcat1802]

Obvious answer to this is to book 4 adults!

[Bennevis]

Quite right as well

People who take kids on planes deserve to be charged more - a lot more.

[renegadeimp]

Quite right as well

People who take kids on planes deserve to be charged more - a lot more.

 

Lets not troll here ok?

[Tryst]

Lets not troll here ok?

So true, his comment was obvious flame bait.