We booked with First Choice (Unijet actually, but First Choice represent about 20 companies, including, Unijet as we were soon to find out) because they put the usual selling points in the brochure about the hotel being wonderful and the Reps being the best thing ever invented. They were right on the hotel, they we were wide of the mark with the Reps, so wide that it insulting.
Lets begin at the start. We arrived at the Airport as per normal and we asked at the check in desk whether the flight was on time. We checked due to the Taxi Drivers strike over in Ibiza. We were told that the plane was in the sky and was heading our way. Out flight was due to take off at midnight, so we had a couple of pints, and made are way through to the departures lounge. Then the announcement, your plane will not be arriving for four hours due to Air Traffic Control restrictions. Ok fair enough, that’s life deal with it. Then the hours ticked by, we got on the plane, as stated, four hours late. The Captain then informs us that the reason we were delayed was due to the Taxi Strike. So were told by First Choice it was due to Air Traffic Control restrictions and now by the captain due to the taxi strike. I don’t like lies.
Anyway, we get to the Airport, no reps there. Got in the queue and proceeded to queue for 5 hours in the blistering sunshine and soaring temperatures for a taxi. Airtours and Thompson were running around handing out sun cream, hats and water to their customers. We had………..nothing, not even a Representative. Got to the front and we were put into a taxi thanks to the nice Thompson woman, because our rep was driving people to the hotels. Now sorry for being a bit dim, but is it not, more important for the rep to be with the hundreds stuck at the airport or to be driving 3 people to the hotel. Well obviously the latter, just a shame we never got that treatment.
We arrived at the hotel (and yes, this was a wonderful place) and we started our holiday, albeit late. We didn’t have a welcome meeting, we didn’t get told about the trips available, we didn’t even know the name of our rep. Next day we tracked him down, asked him when we needed to depart from our hotel, his response “Why the hell do you want to know that, you have only just got here”. I held my calm and walked away. We hardly saw him after that, he was to interested in the bar staff.
The holiday was wonderful, the company we went with was a laughing stock, with our representative being as helpful a chocolate sun hat. Maybe we just had a bad deal, but we will never go with First Choice again. I advise you to check whether your company is listed under First Choice, as ours, UniJet was. If so, don’t go!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
A well written review, and informative as far as your troubled holiday is concerned, but in defence of First Choice I must admit I've used them for the last 9 years and so far found them to be really helpfull
petersmyth1 05.09.2001 15:46
I don't really know how to rate this opinion. 1 you're making no allowance for the panic situation in the Balerics at that time. 2. I thought holidays started from the minute you left home and the flight there and back were part of the holiday package. Still the content was well expressed and that's what we rate on not whether we agree with it so have a VH. Cheers, ....Peter
Connoisseur_Haggler 05.09.2001 15:42
sorry to learn of your lack of travel support with this company. I tend not to use package holiday companies -not fond of travel reps:) prefer to do things indepndantly but as you had paid for this package holiday WITH reps they should have been there for you. Superb opinion, very informative -thanks -CH
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Winterwonderful 24.01.2007 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of First Choice
Sep 5th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
