Discount holiday specialist accused of false advertising
Discount flight specialist Travel O World has been accused of misleading customers after it claimed to offer flights almost a third cheaper than the actual fare.
Advertising watchdogs investigated the company after a customer complained that they had seen a flight from London to Johannesburg on traveloworld.co.uk in January for £439 but when they phoned to book the cheapest available was £679.
In its defence, Woking-based Travel O World told the Advertising Standards Authority that the £439 fare was valid on dates in January, February and March 2013, and provided receipts to show five return flights had been booked at that price.
It stated that, although it always attempted to keep its fares as up-to-date as possible, there were occasions when a fare was only available for a limited number of dates, especially when the expiry date for an offer was approaching.
However the ASA said it had not seen any evidence to show Travel O World had flights available for £439 on the dates stated in the ad, so it concluded the price claim was misleading.
It ordered the company not to advertise prices for flights unless it held evidence to show that a reasonable proportion were available at the stated "from" price.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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