Avoid Touchdown Ski Holidays!
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Avoid Touchdown Ski Holidays!
Just gone on a ski trip with Touchdown holidays to France. Stayed in the Hotel Verseau, Brides Les Bains, Meribel, with 3 other aircrew. Hotel is used by Touchdown but run by a couple of essex wide boys out to make a quick buck. This will be the worst hotel you've ever stayed in, avoid it at all costs, tell your friends for next year.
Details (horror stories) on request.
[This message has been edited by e-mac (edited 13 February 2001).]
Details (horror stories) on request.
[This message has been edited by e-mac (edited 13 February 2001).]
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Well, I'd have to comment that staying down at Brides les Bains at 600M, when Meribel itself is 1450M, was going for the "Bargain Basement!" Not so good, eh? May I ask what you paid for this, excluding lift pass, ski hire, lessons, etc?
One small consolation, you picked one of the better weeks for snow in what has been a pretty indifferent season in the Alps (Italy excepted.) Over the mountain at Courchevel this morning, everything below the Altiport at 2000M (6580ft.) is melting like mad. Everything above is getting skied out, because it's the French school holidays. This is as reported by my spy in Courchevel 1850.
One small consolation, you picked one of the better weeks for snow in what has been a pretty indifferent season in the Alps (Italy excepted.) Over the mountain at Courchevel this morning, everything below the Altiport at 2000M (6580ft.) is melting like mad. Everything above is getting skied out, because it's the French school holidays. This is as reported by my spy in Courchevel 1850.
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Another couple of warnings about Touchdown. Two separate people have told me that they had their holiday flights cancelled at the last minute by Touchdown. It was all meant to be confirmed, but the tickets never arrived and when queried it turned out that the flights hadn't been booked.
Both people only found this out at the last minute so had to try and book something else at the 11th hour.
Both people only found this out at the last minute so had to try and book something else at the 11th hour.
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They're a bloody useless bunch of chancers.
If you try phoning them you can't get through...they never answer telephones. They won't respond to emails. Their website had some form of 'booking on-line' link the last time I visited it (which was a good few months ago) and it was returning error messages when you tried it!
So the only resort (?!) you have is to Fax them their booking form, including your Credit Card details...and wait. And believe me, they won't get back to you too snappy. You might find (like me) that they'll finally contact you on the day of departure (seriously!) to tell you the booking is now OK'd, and they'll post you your tickets!!! This was after I'd spent a week trying to get through (long distance!) on their phone line. They didn't answer faxes either!
So I told 'em no thanks I'd been forced to make other arrangements, and anyhow posting tickets today, when I'm leaving tonight....come on!
They could not offer an airport ticket collection....wanted me to go to central London, to some office? Not a chance!
They then got stroppy and told me I'd have to pay a cancellation fee. When I told them to sod off they actually rang my airlines Staff Travel department and threatened to pull their product from all the employees of the airline if I didn't cough up!!
These people are unreal, and there's obviously a crying need for some enterprising folk to move in and provide a decent service to this niche market. Since Touchdown can't be bothered to answer their phones there must be an opportunity...and someones making a lot of money for old rope at the moment.
By the way....I didn't pay their cancellation fee, and never will.
(PS The booking I wanted...I went ahead and contacted the provider directly, and got it for the same price Touchdown was advertising. They also informed me that Touchdown had not in fact made any request to them for the service...and Touchdown wanted me to pay a cancellation charge?
The one good thing about Touchdown is the glossy brochures give you the names and nice pictures of the hotels that give good airline staff discounts at your chosen destination. Take your pick and then get on the net and do your own booking....much more satisfactory).
[This message has been edited by CaptSensible (edited 19 February 2001).]
If you try phoning them you can't get through...they never answer telephones. They won't respond to emails. Their website had some form of 'booking on-line' link the last time I visited it (which was a good few months ago) and it was returning error messages when you tried it!
So the only resort (?!) you have is to Fax them their booking form, including your Credit Card details...and wait. And believe me, they won't get back to you too snappy. You might find (like me) that they'll finally contact you on the day of departure (seriously!) to tell you the booking is now OK'd, and they'll post you your tickets!!! This was after I'd spent a week trying to get through (long distance!) on their phone line. They didn't answer faxes either!
So I told 'em no thanks I'd been forced to make other arrangements, and anyhow posting tickets today, when I'm leaving tonight....come on!
They could not offer an airport ticket collection....wanted me to go to central London, to some office? Not a chance!
They then got stroppy and told me I'd have to pay a cancellation fee. When I told them to sod off they actually rang my airlines Staff Travel department and threatened to pull their product from all the employees of the airline if I didn't cough up!!
These people are unreal, and there's obviously a crying need for some enterprising folk to move in and provide a decent service to this niche market. Since Touchdown can't be bothered to answer their phones there must be an opportunity...and someones making a lot of money for old rope at the moment.
By the way....I didn't pay their cancellation fee, and never will.
(PS The booking I wanted...I went ahead and contacted the provider directly, and got it for the same price Touchdown was advertising. They also informed me that Touchdown had not in fact made any request to them for the service...and Touchdown wanted me to pay a cancellation charge?
The one good thing about Touchdown is the glossy brochures give you the names and nice pictures of the hotels that give good airline staff discounts at your chosen destination. Take your pick and then get on the net and do your own booking....much more satisfactory).
[This message has been edited by CaptSensible (edited 19 February 2001).]
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Just wanted to say thanks for letting people know about these cowboys; it's all too easy to get taken for a ride.
Seems to me though there's one rule that is more true of holidays than anything else; you get what you pay for! I think we'd all be better off if we took a step back sometimes and thought "Why ARE they 500 quid cheaper than everyone else?"
Seems to me though there's one rule that is more true of holidays than anything else; you get what you pay for! I think we'd all be better off if we took a step back sometimes and thought "Why ARE they 500 quid cheaper than everyone else?"
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Just a note to say that I've used them five times, twice to Madeira, once each to Sweden Canada and Iceland. We have had no problems with them at all, the Swedish and Canadian holidays were skiing trips, with the Canada trip being our honeymoon. Perhaps you people have just been very unfortunate, at the moment I would be happy to use them again.
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I have just returned from a Far East holiday with Touchdown and I have to say apart from one minor inconveniance concerning the transfer airport in KL everything went like clockwork. This is the third time I have used Touchdown and I do agree that they are difficult to contact by phone but they have always replied to any queries made in writing.
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I've used Touchdown for two ski trips in the last three years to Banff in Canada and haven't had a single problem.
Both holidays went smoothly and I'd have to say I'd never ski in Europe again. Travellers Inn in Banff was great, food is cheap and three ski resorts with around 250 runs in total to choose from what more could you want - oh and no ignorant french and germans who do not understand the concept of a lift queue!!
Both holidays went smoothly and I'd have to say I'd never ski in Europe again. Travellers Inn in Banff was great, food is cheap and three ski resorts with around 250 runs in total to choose from what more could you want - oh and no ignorant french and germans who do not understand the concept of a lift queue!!
