Thomas Cook advice: Thomas cook holidays has extended its payment window to force customers to pay an extra 2 weeks earlier, the balance is now due 10 weeks before, despite the trade fighting off a similar proposal by Tui Travel last year.
However the late deals with Thomas Cook have always been the cheaper option, so in reality this change makes very little difference.
This means any Thomas Cook deal within 10 weeks of departure will now require payment in full..
The revised terms demand payment 10 weeks instead of eight weeks before departure, and come into force on May 1.
A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said agents had been given “several weeks’ notice” of the change and the move to 10 weeks brought Cook in line with other operators.
Last year Tui consulted the trade about extending its payment window to 12 weeks from departure, but backed down in the face of stiff opposition.
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hi i have just booked a holiday with Thomas Cook traveling 10/9/11 full balance to be paid 14 weeks before. we too have not budgeted for this and would have gone else where if i had known,
we have booked several times with them but this could be the last
Hi Carol is this just a reminder, give them a call and demand to know why they are wanting payment 14 weeks before…
the same has happened to myself, we fly to Cuba on the 6th July 2011, but Thomas Cook are constantly ringing me for the balance of the holiday!!
I was under the impression we had to pay the outstanding balance 10 weeks before the departure date? We havent budgeted for this, (weve budgeted Aprils payday) and are now really worried we lose, the £900 weve already paid!
Reading the above article about thomas cook asking for full payment 14 weeks in advance,has caught my eyes,due to the fact that that my wife and i have booked a holiday to turkey in a thomas cook store,and we have also been asked for full payment 14 weeks before our holiday.please could you tell me if this is correct.thanks
I have just been reading Brian Evans’ article re. Thomas Cook extending
balance due requests to 10 weeks prior to departure.
This is now in their T&Cs so why am I being requested to pay in full 14
weeks prior to departure for a holiday commencing 17th May 2011?
Despite the current situation in Egypt, myself and others who have booked
holidays there for May of this year are being asked to settle payment for
balance of our holidays a month earlier than stipulated in their own Terms &
Conditions.
Whilst we accept that we will undoubtedly forfeit our deposits,
substantially more would be lost if the advice given by the Foreign Office
“hardens”, or the situation in Egypt further deteriorates. As frequent
travellers to Egypt we are hopeful that the situation there will change.
However, we shouldn’t be expected by to what to all intents and purposes is
a British company – almost a national institution, to gamble heavily on
that.
After all, regardless of if we lose just the deposit or the full cost of the
holiday, Thomas Cook will be getting their money – unlike the hotel we are
staying at or indeed the Egyptian economy in general who in all likelihood
won’t see any.
It would be interesting to hear their explanation for their “stuff you – pay
us!” attitude. More pressingly is the need to let others know before they
too are coerced into making what could possibly be an expensive mistake.
Hi Karen,
Did you book direct with Thomas Cook or an agent, also can you get me your booking ref number.