I booked a holiday with them a few days ago and have been comprehensively stitched up, and am having to take legal action. To put  it briefly:

They advertise their holidays as “all inclusive”, and when you have selected everything you want, a “Total Cost of Holiday” price in shown at the bottom of the page, and you have to click “Buy”, which commits you to a non-refundable £400 deposit.

Shortly afterwards, I received a confirmation e-mail which had added £180 to the price. They said this was for “compulsory airline meals”, which I didn’t want or need, and transfers to and from the airport, which were also not included! Despite the fact that it says in their FAQ, for example, that they don’t provide in-flight meals, and that you are welcome to bring your own food onto the plane!

I am trying to get my money back, but it's a hell of a struggle – their attitude is “Nothing to do with me Guv – it’s the airline/the Turkish government/Santa Claus”. If you try to talk to them – very politely – on the phone about problems, they just put the phone down.

Whatever you do, for God’s sake don't use this company – it's the most shameless rip-off I've encountered in my 52 years.

This sounds absolutely appalling and possibly illegal. I didn't just come in to say that.

1) Compulsory paying for airline meals came up here not so long ago. What the middle man said was it wasn't their fault and I think they had a get out clause it was the particular airline and it was! you could try searches in the box above next to sign in and Google.

2) surely whoever you dealt with is responsible for sorting this out?

3) Spoken to Trading Standards?

4) Made app at CAB for 30 mins of a lawyer's time free?

Really hope this is of some help.

ty4that:

This sounds absolutely appalling and possibly illegal. I didn't just come in to say that.

1) Compulsory paying for airline meals came up here not so long ago. What the middle man said was it wasn't their fault and I think they had a get out clause it was the particular airline and it was! you could try searches in the box above next to sign in and Google.

2) surely whoever you dealt with is responsible for sorting this out?

3) Spoken to Trading Standards?

4) Made app at CAB for 30 mins of a lawyer's time free?

Really hope this is of some help.

 

Yes thanks, doing all that! I expect to have to take them to court though, as they just put the phone down when you identify yourself etc. But my main point in posting here is to warn others - nobody should have to be treated like this, and people like that shouldn't be allowed to trade.

 

Hmm phone em up and be very polite and reasonable on more than one occasion and hope they are award winningly unprofessional. Now you know how to switch off the recorder don't you? :-) I did it once and it nearly made my life. Reputable scottish institution, someone got cold feet about what they said and changed their story to boss. I e mailed boss and asked if he would like to here tape? Oddly enough he didn't and sorted things out double quick. Companies must inform a caller that they are recording but believe it or not they can do as little as put it on their letter heading!!! Make a letter heading, put it at the bottom, leaving it in what the Americans call 'the bathroom', when you win celebrate with a glass of Shampoo and perforate the letter heading.

Heh heh yeah, you never know. Interestingly, since I complained, their website went down for most of yesterday, and they've altered the Terms & Conditions now to include a tiny piece fo small print sayign that airport transfers aren't included!

 Good thing I saved all their original pages on my computer before they did so... B)
 

Hi Hogweed

My neighbours suffered problems with otb following the collapse of CT2 nad it got reported to the CAA. I t turned out the CAA (Do i need to say allegedly here?) were investigating them already.Prior to going to court you should contact the CAA - Civil Aviation Authority that is - and also ABTA. I think you would find them very useful and helpful. ABTA have a legal dept I'm sure and an Ombudsman. But I think if you told OTB the CAA and ABTA were getting involved they'd soon back down.

matt r:

Hi Hogweed

My neighbours suffered problems with otb following the collapse of CT2 and it got reported to the CAA. I t turned out the CAA (Do i need to say allegedly here?) were investigating them already. Prior to going to court you should contact the CAA - Civil Aviation Authority that is - and also ABTA. I think you would find them very useful and helpful. ABTA have a legal dept I'm sure and an Ombudsman. But I think if you told OTB the CAA and ABTA were getting involved they'd soon back down.

Thanks for that, good advice. But we’ve already involved ABTA and they haven't; replied. CAA... might be worth a try!

What was CT2?

 

Club Travel 2000. They were a flight only company to the Canaries and ITB used them to provide flights and then when they went bust there were no end of problems. Good Luck.

Thanks for that Hogweed I was just about to book with them.  I was wondering if everything was included and now I know.  I will stick with greatlatedeals instead, at least they tell you before taking any money what the "TOTAL" cost is after adding on the transfers etc.

 Don't give up getting justice, companies like this need people like you.

 

on the beach! they shouldn't be allowed to trade.

We booked a holiday with these people to the Dominican Republic @ the Bahia Principe.

whilst there the hotel was closed down as all guest we're suffering from some kind of food poisoning/water polution.

We had two small children with us and we was very frightened with this experiance.

On our return to the UK we got intouch with Onthebeach...

They have refused any refund or compensation." apparently there is a loop hole where this can company refuse any liability due to them booking seperate flights & accomadation." {something to bare in mind}

Not only did we lose £3,500 on a holiday, we have all suffered seriouse illness in the uk.

Thomas Cook however did compensate thier customers with around £5,000 comensation each!!

we've learnt the hard way but it really doesn't pay to go for the cheaper option.

So sorry to hear that you have had such bad luck with onthebeach.com we went with them in 2006 and found them to be helpful we are due to go to fuerteventura with them in march and are now a little worried ,we can only hope that they are as much help as they were in 2006 we have asked for help and at the moment they have been very helpful towards us again so sorry to know that you have had such bad luck

i was just about to book with onthebeach.com and strayed onto this site, thanks for the adv, ive not much money to spare so grateful for the warning, i wont bother with the site any longer

hi there we booked with ont to egypt i have to say they were excellent/we weretold therewere meals on flights olso there were no transfers unless you paid extra/the hotel was one of the best hotels we have been in/that includes cuba/brazil/magarita and the usual resorts in europe i would use them again