p26-27 Letters Oct23 20/10/09 17:36 Page 27
ttglive.com
letters
Al-Qaeda brochure enquiry Haven Holidays and Hopton Why is there not a standard
brings smiles to the office Park rescued my summer size for all airline baggage
Just thought I would pass on an enquiry that I A huge thank you to Haven Holidays and Stuart Having spent a summer working for a no-frills
received yesterday as it made me and the rest Cowell, Bourne Leisure’s key account manager airline, one of the biggest arguments I noticed
in my office smile. for the south of England, for saving my holiday! at the check-in stage was the “does it fit”
A gentleman recently phoned up the office Myself and my family were on a rather syndrome.
and the conversation we had went as follows: disappointing holiday in Kessingland in a grim It must be appreciated that most airlines
chalet, but thanks to Stuart we managed to get now support online check-in as the way of the
Customer: Hi love, I popped into the office booked into Haven’s Hopton Park on short no- future, and clearly state the overall dimensions
yesterday and picked up some brochures and tice and ended up having a lovely holiday. of cabin baggage.
we want to travel with Al-Qaeda We stayed in a Prestige grade caravan, which However, the complaints I heard were always
Myself: Who sorry, sir? was super – really clean and modern. The park surrounding “but I was allowed this with ‘so
Customer: You know, Al-Qaeda, around the was also great for our two-year-old twins who and so’ and I brought the bag from ‘xyz’ which
fjords enjoyed seeing the characters and playing in said it conforms to airline standards”.
Myself: I think you mean Arcadia, sir the playground. Surely the Department for Transport should
Customer: Oh yes, that’s the one! lay down a standard across all operators to
Gina Smith achieve continuity.
I hope this gives you a smile, as it did with us! travel agent, Thomson I appreciate the different internal cabin
configurations for overhead lockers, but isn’t it
Emily Anderson Sunvil moved orphanage about time someone stood up against all
travel consultant, Wayfarers Travel, Guernsey staff to tears on fam trip airlines and set a clearly defined standard for
I have just returned from the Azores on a size and weight allowed.
Collette knows the true superbly organised fam trip with Sunvil. In one case recently, a senior cabin crew
meaning of agent support We Island-hopped, visiting Sao Miguel, Santa member complained that there was insufficient
I recently had a customer enquiry about a Maria, Pico, Faial and changed aircraft in room to fit the volume of cabin baggage
Collette Worldwide tour. He had already been on Terceira. boarding his flight but again is that due to the
the phone to them, and so when I called Collette We did volcanoes, hot springs, amazing sheer amount of people being driven to
myself, speaking to Laura, they were aware of restaurants, whale and dolphin watching, hotel not checking-in hold baggage? No doubt
the customer in question. and self-catering inspections, lunch with local this will continue until a set standard is
After getting prices for him, it seems he went farmers, horse and cart excursions and much applied.
back to Collette to try and get the holiday more.
discounted, and even though this didn’t happen, The quality of representation on the ground Roger Dobson, via email
he still ended up booking there and then. was second to none – nothing was too much
Because Collette were aware that I’d already trouble, everything ran like clockwork and
been dealing with this customer, I’ve just had a people were charming.
What do you think?
call from Laura to say they’ll be paying me the We lost our Sunvil colleagues one afternoon,
commission I’d have received had he booked for a few hours, and discovered that they had The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday.
through me – now, that’s what I call true agent “sneaked off” to the Casa de Gaiato in Sao We need your name, job title and company
support! Miguel (an orphanage and childrens’ home for address. These will be withheld on request.
I’m obviously going to work harder to support disturbed youngsters) to present a cheque for Priority is given to letters sent exclusively
Collette in return, and promote their tours to ¤3,500 which they had collected. to TTG. Please limit letters to 250 words
my customers where I can. Why can’t other Apparently the staff were reduced to tears of maximum. We reserve the right to edit.
operators learn a thing or two from Collette’s disbelief as they expected £200! Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com
example? Fax: 020 7921 8033
Christine Blocksidge Comment: Or have your say on stories on
Andrea Wren senior travel advisor, ttglive by clicking on “Comment on this Story”
owner, Wren Elite Travel Garstang Travel & Cruise Shop
In association with
ttgluxury seminar
Headline sponsor
Creating and Maintaining
Success in Luxury Travel
Co-sponsorIn association with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
Wednesday November 4th a73 InterContinental London Park Lane
register now at: ttgluxuryseminar.com
23.10.2009 27
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68