Holiday firm comes to rescue after date mix-up

A DREAM holiday turned into a disaster for a Port Talbot family who discovered at the airport that their trip was booked for 2013.

Marisa Jasperse, along with her partner Dai Morgan and four children, arrived at Cardiff airport with their bags all packed for a seven-day all inclusive get away to Majorca.

But disaster struck when they found out the holiday they had paid £1,700 for was actually for next year.

Luckily, the company they booked the trip with, On the Beach, has now booked them a new trip, although its chief marketing officer said the company did not "accept responsibility of the incorrect holiday booking".

The new holiday has come as a relief as the family were left devastated when the mix-up was discovered.

"I have spoken to a manager today who has been really helpful," said Miss Jasperse.

"All we wanted was another holiday because we were devastated. We were just all crossing our fingers that we would still be able to go away."

She said their holiday hopes turned into a nightmare on Wednesday.

"It was a total disaster," said Miss Jasperse, 33.

Dream

"We got to the airport with all our bags and we thought the flight was for 3.45pm.

"At the airport we couldn't see the flight so we went to the Thompson desk and they said it had been booked for next year.

"I thought I was in a dream.

"The children were all excited but they were crying and were heartbroken when we couldn't go. We were all gutted."

Miss Jasperse, 33, thought she had put in the correct dates online and had believed the holiday was correct as they were told to pay a deposit by August 19 — four weeks before they were due to depart.

"I booked it in July and I thought I put the dates in that we wanted," she said.

"We paid our deposit for £600, and they gave us a final date to pay it by.

"They advertise on the website you can pay your balance four weeks before your holiday.

"Our date was given as August 19, 2012.

Wrong

"Last week we rang to get the transfers and we gave them our reference number.

"They did not pick up on it at all.

"I feel they should have noticed that the dates were wrong."

Miss Jasperse, however, admitted she did not read the confirmation documents properly before they set off.

"We printed out our confirmation on Monday," she said. "I was rushing and it was a fault of my own that on the confirmation it said 2013.

"I was flustered and missed it. The transfers were for this year but the flights are for next year."

Miss Jasperse said they had been saving up for the holiday for months.

"Dai booked the week off from work and he has been working overtime for the holiday," she said.

"He works at Intertissue in Briton Ferry and has been doing 12 hour shifts for us to have our holiday money."

Chief marketing officer at On the Beach Alistair Daly, said: "Customer satisfaction is of paramount importance to On the Beach and we take every customer complaint very seriously.

"While On the Beach does not accept responsibility of the incorrect holiday booking made on our website, we understand how difficult this has been for the family and appreciate that the agent who booked the transfers several days later, failed to see that the dates requested by the customer did not match those on her holiday itinerary.

"As a gesture of goodwill, and in order to ensure the family enjoy a much-needed holiday, we have offered the customer an alternative all-inclusive holiday in Spain which the customer has accepted."

gill.roberts@swwmedia.co.uk

01792 514626