Arrrgh!!! problems with Thomas Cook

[Guest maxxangel]

:arghh:I have just had a right farce with Thomas Cook trying to get tickets issued with the baggage allowance that Emirates will give us. Hopefully my writing about it here will help people to avoid the same pitfalls as myself.

 

My problems started because I couldn't book directly through the airlines without a credit card or visa debit card (I only have Maestro). So I had to use a travel agent. I ended up using Thomas Cook because I could get a one way flight online with them on Emirates who I knew would give the extra allowance. What I should have done is booked with them on the phone so that I could get tickets straight away which would show the extra baggage allowance. So I have been writing to Emirates to get the extra baggage allowance in writing, then trying to call Thomas Cook to get the tickets changed to allow the 40kgs of baggage. The first woman was foreign and I couldn't get her to understand what I was trying to tell her. She wouldn't let me speak to anyone else either. So I had to get another customer service number from the site and hold for ages at 8p per minute. She couldn't help me and passed me on to wait elsewhere, but finally I have paid an extra £180 to get the tickets changed.

 

I wouldn't recommend Thomas Cook for customer services at all.

[Guest Django]

Message for us all there. If its just flights you're after deal directly with the airline. No middlemen taking their cut and less things to go wrong and less communication issues.

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

Pete

[andy and lindsey]

Hi there

 

We booked our tickets through an agent and then emailed Singapore Airlines who replied saying that we could have 40kg luggage allowance - printed this off and took it to the airport with us, no problems. There was no mention on the tickets about extra baggage allowance!

 

Lindsey

[Guest graandjac]

:confused:when we came over we were told by singapore airlines that as long as the words ....and i quote " permission to stay in Australia indefinitely" was in your visa (which is on all permanent visas) then thats all we needed at check in.

 

Cheers Graham

[Guest maxxangel]

Maybe the tickets thing is just something Emirates demand then.

[Guest Aussie pat]

Since reading this thread it has got me thinking and I've been looking at the various airlines as we are leaving in Nov. I've learned the following things:

 

-Arab Emirates won't allow the extra luggage if you have a stop over

-Your visa must give you indefinate leave to remain i.e. must be permanent for most airlines

-If you do a validation visit your visa will have already been stamped and you will no longer qualify for the extra luggage

-My kids have Aussie passports and even though they've never lived in Oz they do not qualify

-Make sure you have something in writing or your ticket stamped with the extra allowance before you get to the airport to avoid a delay at the airport

 

Quote from email I received last pm:

 

"Please be advised that Singapore Airlines is very strict regarding the Migrant Baggage Allowance Policy. To be entitled for the Migrant Baggage Allowance, passenger need to hold a valid Unused Migrant Visa which is not stamped and states that it is valid for an Indefinite stay in Australia.

 

In lieu of the above mentioned policy, and the fact that you are permanent resident, your baggage allowance would be 20 kilo per person. The inconvenience is regretted but we are not in a position to authorize the double baggage allowance without the correct visa."

The most galling thing is that if I was flying from the USA, even as a tourist going economy, I would qualify for double the weight limit on many airlines. Do they pay more than us for this? It would be interesting to know.