Ask Gill: online booking errors; insurance for older travellers

By Gill Charlton Published: 12:12PM GMT 05 Mar 2010

Spelling mistakes can infer dear when engagement online Photo: CORBIS

Booking online? Beware typing errors

Robin and Susan Laurence, London, writes

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On Jan thirteen we attempted to book a moody to Marrakesh and road house place to live by the website, ebookers. Each time we pulpy the buy add-on we perceived a summary that pronounced something like: "This engagement cannot be processed." After watchful 3 days to see if a acknowledgment email arrived, we gave up and requisitioned a identical legal holiday with Lastminute.com.

So it was with abhorrence that twelve days after we saw on the bank matter that ebookers had taken �554.19 from the account.

After prolonged discussions with the company"s patron services in Manila, we eventually perceived a reinstate of �414.19. We are still �140 out of slot since ebookers says it cannot get a reinstate from Royal Air Maroc.

Ebookers says the contract was finished from appurtenance to appurtenance and nobody was wakeful of the unsuccessful smoothness of the acknowledgment email. It says we didn"t get the email since we submit @btinternet.comr with a brute "r" at the end.

Surely ebookers has someone who looks at bounced emails in box such a inapplicable designation has been made. We have trafficked with the association prior to so it has all the sum on jot down and my series was on the engagement form.

Gill Charlton replies

Ebookers says that it has no jot down of any online blunder messaging in tie with your booking. It says that the engagement would have unsuccessful to finish if an blunder summary came up.

Readers continually hit me about carrying identical problems when engagement transport online. This is since it"s so critical to take a "screen grab" (literally a sketch of what"s on the screen) as explanation of an blunder summary utilizing the applicable set of keys keys.

Ebookers says that business have dual opportunities to check the engagement sum prior to submission. They can additionally ask a cue for an online comment to examination the engagement (that would have shown the confirmation).

"While it is unfortunate Mr Laurence unsuccessful to notice the blunder when entering his email address, the make use of group have finished their pinnacle to secure the extent reinstate possible," an ebookers orator said.

I think you will have to accept this loss, astray though it might seem, since you did have this error. Once you come in remuneration sum it is necessary to write the association to check the engagement standing prior to creation alternative arrangements.

Your experience highlights only how programmed the routine of engagement flights and holidays online has become. Ebookers confirms that the engagement routine is right away entirely programmed and is finished utilizing sum as entered by the consumer. If a patron enters an improper email address, there"s no human to mark or scold it or to see in to email smoothness failures.

A in vogue shoulder bag

Zoe Knight, York, writes

Where can I find a shoulder bag that is not a carrier or a board purse that leaves me with one shoulder reduce than the alternative after a day"s sightseeing? I need something to take a camera, a bottle of water, a guidebook, a mobile phone, a request wallet and alternative pieces and pieces.

Gill Charlton replies

I don"t similar to travelling with a daysack, either. It should be carried on the behind utilizing both straps, but that creates a security complaint in swarming places. I right away make use of the Healthy Back Bag, a tear-shaped bag in leather, string or microfibre that comes in 4 sizes and is written to be carried over one shoulder or opposite the body. The pattern spreads the weight by the bag so it doesn"t lift on your shoulder, and the main zip hugs the contour of your physique to assistance better thieves.

The small distance will take a compress camera. If you are receiving an SLR camera you will need the middle distance or right away ignored in the sale in black and taupe the small bag with a wider body.

Prices for small bags begin at �44. For stockists call 020 7812 9800; for online sales see www.healthybackbag.co.uk

A road house in France for a 40th anniversary

John Rockett, Portsmouth, writes

To applaud the crimson marriage anniversary we would similar to to stay in Burgundy or the Loire Valley. Can you suggest a ancestral hotel, with a great restaurant, in pleasing surroundings?

Gill Charlton replies

I sought recommendation from VFB Holidays (01452 716840; vfbholidays.co.uk), not long ago voted debate user of the year by readers of Which? magazine.

It has worked with most of the 3 and four-star hotels in France for some-more than twenty years. Key criteria are location, cuisine and character. Most hotels have about thirty bedrooms and are family-run.

In Burgundy, it quite recommends the Hotel de la Poste in Beaune if you are seeking for a place in a small city. Other recommendations are the Chateau de Pizay nearby Macon, that has an indoor pool and sauna and produces the own wine, or the flattering Hotel le Montrachet, in a encampment on the Route des Vins. In the Loire, the 17th-century Relais des Landes (pictured), a three-star road house south of Blois, has a really great repute for the food.

If you wish castle grandeur, try the four-star Domaine de la Tortiniere, a 19th-century palace in the heart of the castle, nearby Tours.

If you book prior to Mar 17, you can suffer 7 nights for the cost of 6 at all of the company"s French hotels.

FAQ: Insurance for comparison travellers

I am in great health but right away I am over 75 it is formidable to find transport word I can afford. Any suggestions?

Gill Charlton replies

The great headlines for comparison travellers is that whilst a little word companies have marked down the extent age for transport insurance, others have not long ago scrapped the top limit.

Once you are over 65, premiums enlarge steadily, so that by the time you reach 75 they have mostly doubled. Even so, the cost varies at large generally once any existent healing conditions are taken in to account. It is critical to emporium around.

I asked 7 insurers that specialise in covering comparison travellers to allude to for annual multi-trip cover worldwide for a 76-year-old lady with no health problems.

Flexicover (0800 093 9495; flexicover.co.uk) was cheapest, quoting �229. Broker FT Insurance Services (0116 272 0500) quotes �249 with an top age extent of 85. Co-operative Insurance (0845 300 3525; co-operativeinsurance.co.uk) quotes �275. Staysure (0844 277 0844; staysure.co.uk) quotes �318.50, shortening to �196.09 if container is excluded.

Saga (0800 015 8055; saga.co.uk) quotes �372 and Intune (0800 022 3192; intunegroup.co.uk), that represents Help the Aged and Age Concern, quotes �384. There"s a saving of around twenty-five per cent on these rates for couples receiving out word together.

World First (0845 908 0161; world-first.co.uk), that specialises in insuring people with existent healing conditions, has not long ago increasing the top age extent to 100 for single-trip policies.

Also try myholidayinsurance.co.uk

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