Senior

In September 2002, my son and his fiancee booked a wedding trip along with 15 guests to a resort in the Mayan Riviera Mexico. The final payment was due and paid about two weeks ago for the wedding/trip in May 2003. We were just informed this week that the resort was fully booked and that we would be "bumped". We were offered another resort but the wedding date is conflicting with another wedding at the substitute resort. It is my understanding from the TA that Air Transat sold their block of rooms to accommodate a large alternative lifestyle group from the US. We are extremely upset with this very unfair practice from Air Transat Holidays particularly in view of the short notice that was provided and since this was a wedding party. The guests have all booked vacation times and the dates cannot be changed. The bride and groom are heartbroken of course. I had visited the actual resort where the wedding was supposedly to take place last year and it was upon my recommendation that they selected the resort. It appears that with the travel industry nothing is "cast in stone" until you are actually at the resort and booked into your room. Prior arrangements had been made with the wedding coordinator at the hotel and all was in order, the judge was booked and the date and time for the wedding was reserved at the resort. We were so looking forward to this very wonderful occasion. Now, plans are on hold to see what if anything Air Transat will do to accommodate the wedding party.

Kath

Keep us posted. What a terrible mess. Hope it works out.

s140

I would have an attorney contact Air Transat. What does your TA doing about it?

BeachBoi

Yours is a heart wrenching horror story and I am sorry to hear about your difficulties.I agree please follow up.This could happen to anyone unfortunately it is to you at a most hirrble time for you and the participants.

joyce

This mess was caused by Air Transaat negotiating a deal with the hotel in order to make money. Air Transaat should be fully responsible for finding you a suitable substitute - I personally would suggest Royal Hideaway (most expensive hotel in Playa) and Air Transaat should arrange (and pick up the tab) for the wedding ceremony. <BR><BR>Air Transat does not have a very good reputation, this would be the ideal time for them to show that they are a class act.<BR><BR>Get on the 'phone and start yelling at some of the big whigs at Air Transat.<BR><BR><BR>

Senior

Thank you all so much for your responses. Yes, my future daughter-in-law did contact Air Transat with respect to the problems, however, they are not willing to budge -- only to give us s full refund which at this late date is not an option. I certainly will not deal with Air Transat again and when I return from the resort they have offered as an alternative (if the wedding date is still available at the alternate resort) I certainly will be making &quot;waves&quot;. Fortunately, one of my daughter-in-laws works for CTV on their travel channel and our position will be made public along with a very strong letter to Air Transat. Since my first message posting Air Transat informed that it was the hotel who had cancelled the booking, so now it seems as though there is a lot of finger pointing. In any event I still hold Air Transat responsible. It seems as though the little guys always get shafted. Air Transat covers their responsibilities to passengers under the &quot;Terms and Conditions&quot; in their brochure and legally there is no recourse it would appear. Certainly this nightmare does not auger a positive customer service image for them.

BeachBoi

Senior<BR>Yes you are correct.A lot of &quot;not my yob&quot; and blah blha blah.Best of luck,

Suzie2

If you get enough people writing in to Transat from different travel sites such as this maybe we can all help them realize how far reaching the consequences will be. Do you have a contact email that we can all write to. This kind of thing happens all too often and there is just no excuse for it. Hopefully by the 2nd or 3rd wedding anniv the happy couple will look back on this and be able to have the happy memories that they should have. Let us know if we can help.

Suzie2

I have just send an email to Transats customer relations telling them that their treatment of your son and his fiance falls way short of what is acceptable to people like me who travel a lot. I hope others will follow.

ParrotMom

At this point instead of dealing with &quot;underlings&quot;..find the name of the top person at Air Transat (check out Google or call tie office) or their personal assistant and sit down and write a letter explaining the entire situation. Writing it all down calmly as you have in your first post may help and naming names and dates. A few years ago we had a probem with a NCL cruise cancelled two days before leaviing and received satisfaction by writing and explaining the situation to the Assistant to the V.P. at the time. Whenever there is a problem...never deal with the underlings...ask for a supervisor or find out who is in charge and research on the internet...

ParrotMom

www.transat.com/communiques.asp?lang=1&amp;mde=&amp;sct=315<BR>thi s has the name of the President and CEO --and a further search may give you the address...or call..it's worth a try.. Don't make accusations...just state your case in writng

Senior

Thanks to all for responding. I will keep you posted on my return as to the outcome of this &quot;mess&quot; and if the alternate resort meets our expectations. At the moment we are awaiting a response from the wedding coordinator at the alternate resort to find out if the date and time for the wedding is appropriate. Hopefully this all works to our advantage. Air Transat did advise that we were being upgraded to a 4 1/2 star resort in place of the previously booked 4 star resort. However, this is really not much compensation. They were also adamant that they would not upgrade any of the guests to junior suites as compensation so any of the guests would want a junior suite will have to pay the difference. I am sorry to be so long winded but as you can appreciate this has been a very upsetting experience.<BR><BR>Again, thank you for your consideration.

Celine

I hope it will work out for you, I can't believe that company's can just get away with this! Definitely contact the top people and write a letter,etc...<BR><BR>What resort were you supposed to stay at? Which one are you going to now? <BR><BR>Good luck...

Senior

Message for Celine: We were going to the Bravo Club El Mandarin and we have been bumped to the Palladium (formerly the Fiesta Grande Colonial). The Palladium is supposedly a much better resort but it has been touch and go since the wedding date may have been changed. We are now booked into the Palladium and for all intents and purposes it is a higher end resort. Unfortunately, the wedding invitations did state the Bravo Club El Mandarin. However the guests have all been informed of the change in resorts. Hopefully all will work out and we will be happier in this resort. In any event I will post a review when we return to let everyone know how it all went. We will certainly be sending a letter to Air Transat but I doubt this will do much good. They seem to be quite firm in their response. Perhaps it is the hotel but who knows!

Celine

Good luck with everything...I have heard really good reviews of the Palladium, so I'm sure you will love it!<BR><BR>We're attending a wedding in a couple of weeks, and some of the guests are travelling via Air Transat! I hope they make it!