NO WIGGLE ROOM
We paid £120 for extra legroom seats but didn’t get them and TUI won’t refund us – it could happen to anyone
Our consumer champion helps two travellers get their money back
Q)I BOOKED a return flight with TUI from Birmingham to Rhodes for me and my wife and paid an extra £120 for extra legroom seats.
We regularly fly with TUI and as soon as we boarded the flight we realised there had been an error.
1
There was nowhere for us to move to, so TUI staff advised us to make a complaint - but we’re going round in circles trying to get a refund.
Can you help?
Mark Vickerstaff, Wolverhampton
A)YOU couldn’t wait for your summer trip to the island of Rhodes in Greece in June.
But when you boarded your flight from Birmingham Airport, you immediately realised you hadn’t been allocated the extra legroom seats you’d paid an extra £60 each for.
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You fly with TUI regularly and find the extra legroom seats more comfortable, as you have some difficulty with your mobility.
But on this occasion, you ended up on a plane operated by a different airline, and your knees were touching the seat in front of you.
You asked to switch seats, but there was nowhere free to move to, so a staff member advised you to make a complaint after you landed.
When you contacted TUI and asked for a refund, a customer service agent insisted you had been sat in extra legroom seats.
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You checked the seating map for your flight, which suggested you had in fact been given standard seats.
But despite your protests, TUI wouldn’t budge - until you contacted me and I got in touch on your behalf.
It’s since refunded you the £120 and apologised for the mix-up.
You’re pleased with this outcome, but I found what happened to you concerning.
Airlines often charter other planes to fly their routes, and if those planes don’t have the same seating arrangements, customers who have forked out extra could miss out.
It’s important airlines have a system in place to refund customers who don’t get what they paid for in these situations, so I’ve asked the airline to investigate further to stop this happening in future.
It is understood TUI is investigating the issue further.
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To get help, write to our consumer champion, Laura Purkess.
I love getting your letters and emails, so do write to me at [email protected] or Laura Purkess, The Sun, 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF.
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