First Choice
Hotel Courchenerge
Price……………………….ú1,300
Nights……………………………10
Date……………….Dec 29 1999
Inghams has been forced to clarify its millennium pricing in its ski brochure after ABTA ruled it was contravening the Package Travel Regulations.
The move followed a complaint lodged by rival First Choice Ski that claimed the published prices in Inghams Earlybird brochure were misleading. Contained in the booking conditions was a clause that stated millennium prices could rise as contracting had not been finalised when the brochure was printed.
It said customers were entitled to cancel their holiday with a full refund if the increase in the brochure price exceeded 10%.
“The published prices were not those the customers will pay,” said First Choice Ski marketing and planning director Adrian Harwood. “Some of the prices were 20% below ours, which obviously gives them a commercial advantage. It just wasn’t a level playing field.”
He argued many groups – which make up a substantial amount of early sales – would not bother cancelling even if the price increase was more than 10%.
“People will pay the increase rather than face the inconvenience of cancelling and trying to rebook with another operator,” said Harwood.
ABTA said only if a price rise is unforeseen can a brochure price be increased. “This is clearly not the case,” said a spokesman. “If contracting had not been completed it should not have printed the brochure.”
Inghams sales and PR manager Lawrence Hicks said customers making bookings will now be told of the condition by agents while clients who have registered for the millennium will be sent a letter clarifying the position.
“We believe this issue is a grey area,” he said. “But the matter has now been closed. As far as we are concerned it is just a matter of clarifying theposition.”
Inghams
Hotel Courchenerge
Price……………………….ú1,519
Nights……………………………10
Date……………….Dec 29 1999