Thomson defends fuel surcharge initiative
Thomson has defended itself against a barrage of criticism during a webchat with customers over its fuel surcharge initiative.
The tour operator was accused of misleading its customers by using the slogan ‘no fuel supplements’ in its advertising.
One disgruntled customer called Dawn wrote: “So your advertising ‘no fuel supplements’ is a false statement as you are still charging fuel supplements but you no longer list them as a separate charge. Looks to me like you have a lot of unhappy customers (me included) because of your scam.”
In response, sales director Derek Jones said: “It’s great to get this feedback but surely it’s better to be honest about our prices, than to publish artificially low brochure prices then add on a supplement later? This is what all the other major operators are still doing!”
Other customers who had booked before Christmas complained that they were being penalised for booking early.
But Jones explained: “Regardless of when you booked you will still be paying for the fuel. Thomson’s new, honest pricing means this lower cost of fuel has been fully absorbed into the brochure cost of its holidays. The difference with Thomson is that we won’t bait you with an artificialy low brochure price and then slap you with a fuel supplement later. Our new brochures include the full cost of fuel in the brochure price…honest, transparent pricing!”
A travel agent who took part in the webchat said: “I have worked in a travel agency for two years, and have seen many different ways that agencies are able to “disguise” the costs of what customers are paying for. ie. a “free” airport hotel is often not free, but money taken off the customers holiday instead.
“I have to ask, is this the same as what will be happening with fuel charges, will they be “hidden” in the adult price of their holiday? Personally, I have searched through yours and other tour operators holidays, and cannot actually find a difference in price which is levied to the same cost of these fuel charges.”
Jones replied: “Good to hear from a travel agent! The point about our initiative is that there’s no more ‘disguising’ the true cost of our holidays. The full price of fuel is now in the basic price so what you see is what you get… no more baiting customers with low prices then adding it back on later. I know travel agents hate it when tour operators do this!”
Concluding the webchat, Jones said Thomson would make efforts to better explain its policy to its customers.
“Obviously, it’s not all plain sailing with this initiative and we need to work even harder to explain to existing customers why we’ve made the change and why we’re not backdating prices.”
To see the webchat in full, go to http://hosting.twofour.co.uk/tui/webchat/170107.htm
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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