Travel Question: Can’t we benefit from price drop?

Q I was interested in booking a holiday in Lanzarote for March 2019 and saw a package online with Thomas Cook. Over a couple of days I kept looking and finally booked online yesterday. A couple of hours later I wanted to check the type of room I had booked. I then saw that the price quoted was £60 less per person for us as a couple.

I wondered if there was a cooling-off period but Thomas Cook refused and just said that prices can go up and down. I know that Ryanair do this sort of thing, but am surprised that a holiday with Thomas Cook should be reduced more than four months away.

We are an elderly couple. My husband is 90 and this is likely to be our last holiday abroad, so we feel very disappointed.

Hazel P

A Sorry to hear about your infuriating experience. But I am afraid that almost all travel companies take the not-unreasonable view that if you buy at a specific price, you are by definition happy with that deal. If the price subsequently falls, as happens fairly often, that is just tough luck.

Some airlines, notably British Airways, have a 24-hour cooling-off spell. So you can book a flight and then check to see whether the fare has fallen (before the 24 hours is up, obviously). If it has, you can phone to cancel for a full refund and rebook at the lower price.

Despite the frustrating prelude, I hope your holiday goes well and that you continue to holiday abroad. In future, though, I strongly advise against booking five months ahead for an off-peak destination/departure date combo such as Lanzarote in March. It is extremely unlikely that the holiday will be sold out with, say, a month to go. The price may have gone up a bit, or possibly fallen, compared with five months earlier. But by buying later, you sharply reduce your risk exposure.

As you will appreciate, all manner of issues may intervene between booking and the trip itself, not all of which are insurable. While the uncertainty may be unsettling, I believe it is preferable to remain optimistic that your chosen trip will be available, rather than committing financially to a trip which you then have to cancel – taking some or all of your cash.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder