Why your cheap holiday may not be such a bargain after all.
Cheap holidays may sound enticing but they are more expensive than they seem. According to The Trading Standards Institute, customers are paying more than they bargained for.
The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) has condemned the hidden charges including extra fees for checking-in luggage and other extra fees consumers have to pay, accusing such holiday providers and budget airlines of misleading customers.
Bruce Treloar, the TSI's Lead Officer on travel said: 'This misleading and illegal cocktail of confusion is being allowed to flourish, and consumers are clearly being enticed to check out particular holidays and flights with unrealistic prices.
'Travel firms are adding the word 'from' – as in 'Lanzarote, from £75' – and then think it is acceptable to fail to offer any holidays which even come close to that magical figure, once must-pay supplements are added in.'
'Consumers have more choice than ever before, but are being let down.'
Under particular scrutiny was the fact customers were asked to pay extra charges for fuel not mentioned to them beforehand.
Mr. Treloar also added: 'We are requesting that immediate co-ordinated action is taken against travel companies, particularly in respect of the compulsory fuel levy and their failure to include this in their lead-in price.'
'Shops that advertised goods for sale at a particular price and then tried to charge a higher price at the till by telling customers they had to pay towards the shop’s lighting and heating costs would be rightly criticised.'
'Yet parts of the travel industry are allowed to advertise holidays abroad to consumers at one price – and then add on compulsory extra charges to cover the cost of the fuel to fly you there, for the use of the airport and even for printing out the tickets.'
