HOLIDAYMAKERS ‘FOOLED’

CONSUMERS are being “fooled” into paying more than they need to for flights and holidays in misleading time-limited deals, a watchdog has found.

Which? Travel found some popular holiday companies may be breaking the law with adverts misleadingly portraying a deal as a time-limited bargain.

The consumer group tracked time- limited deals over three weeks in July and August and found the same offer was available for the same price or cheaper in 16 out of 30 cases after the deal had ended.

Holiday companies Kuoni and Inghams told Which? they had reviewed how they promote offers as a result of the findings, which the watchdog has shared with Trading Standards and the Advertising Standards Authority.

Advertising such deals could breach consumer regulations if they are found to be misleading and are likely to lead to the average person going ahead with a transaction they would not otherwise have made.

In October Sandals offered a seven-night all inclusive break to Jamaica from £1,465 per person as part of its Summer 2018 Mega Sale – but the price dropped by £50 per person the day after the sale ended, Which? found.

Its Halloween promotion followed immediately after, with another seven days added to the same deal.

Lastminute.com’s “flash sale” offered a night’s stay at the Hotel R Kipling in Paris with flights from London discounted to £139 on bookings made by August 23. But the following day the same night’s stay at the same hotel fell to £126 and was still available a week later.

Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “The tight deadlines, emotive language and countdown clocks are all designed to rush us into making a decision but it might not be the right one. Don’t be fooled – compare prices with other holiday companies and travel agents to check savings are genuine.”