United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Thomson calls for ‘immediate’ OFT action on pricing
Thomson has called on the Office of Fair Trading to take immediate action against airline and travel companies displaying misleading headline prices (see previous TravelMole story).
The operator’s sales director Derek Jones, responding to the OFT’s move to crackdown on companies with hidden add-ons, said there was concern about a lack of a timetable for action to be taken.
“We want enforcement action to be taken immediately against all non-complying suppliers, including non-ABTA members and airlines,” he said.
“Thomson introduced an Honest Pricing campaign to try to steer the travel industry away from becoming part of ‘Rip-off Britain’, and to make it clear to our customers exactly what their holiday will cost from the outset.
“Yet even now, all of the other major tour operators are being allowed to bait customers with artificially low prices then sting them with a supplementary charge at the end of the booking.
“We want the OFT to take immediate enforcement action industry-wide to create a level playing field. Whilst we’re glad they’ve recognised the issue, we remain hugely concerned that there are no firm timelines for enforcement.”
Thomson has been lobbying the OFT since last autumn to take action against those who continue to levy fuel surcharges.
The operator removed fuel supplements in December last year and introduced an ‘Honest Pricing’ campaign in January, with all fixed non-optional costs included in the basic price.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel