why not go down on National Express, a fraction of the cost of flying and must be quicker too in the long run or find your own flights with other airlines that can get byou to LHR in good time for your departure

There are no flights from BHX to LHR as they're too close to each other otherwise that would be an option. One day if LHR ever gets another runway they might have the take-off and landing slots for a couple of puddle hopper flights into there.

I always prefer to drive than use a coach or rail but that's of course just a personal preference.

There is a good reason for this £69 charge - let me explain...

When we cost up our holidays we always base it on London flights. If we can find regional departures, we secure them really far in advance. So if you have to pay the £69 supplement, it will be because the flights are £69 more than what we have paid to secure the London flights. Of course, this supplement completely depends on which airport it is.

I hope this helps and you understand where this price comes from.

Kindest regards,

Monty

Hi Debbie.

Someone from customer service team will be giving you a call about your queries. In regards to our flight seats, we allocate a certain amount of seats for each tour from each airport, and these seats usually cost more than the main London airports - hence the regional flight fee. Unfortunately there is no more availability for flights from Birmingham airport.

I hope all of your questions can be answered by our customer service team, and if you have any further questions, please let me know and I will look into it for you.

Kindest regards,

Monty

The key word there is 'usually'. I would like to suggest you charge the actual difference, including passing on any reductions in price for flying from regional airports and not set a blanket increase under an assumption that it will cost more.

I travelled from Birmingham in October via Paris on the Chile, Argentina and Brazil trip which cost £69 more. Seeing as the actual airline used for the leg was a budget airline, an Air France codeshare, I checked out the fares when I got back and found out they would have been £30 cheaper than Heathrow's equivalent Air France flight booking direct (including after a 23kg hold bag charged as an extra) - so was absolutely fuming that I'd effectively been charged £99 more than I should have been for an equivalent margin take for the company compared to those flying from Heathrow. It's these kinds of sharp practices that really annoy customers.

Not that I ever need it as an independent person and traveller (but I fully understand that it's part of your service for those that need reassurance), but there was no Just You meet and greet person at check-in as I was the only person flying from BHX, so it wasn't extra money used to cover their wages either.

On Monday this week i booked the Costa Rica & Nicaragua tour leaving on the 5 September with Jane. I asked to fly from Birmingham airport but she told me that all the reserved seats had gone. She said she would try and get me on the flight but it might cost more than stated in the brochure. I thought we were paying £69 more because the seats were not reserved and you were doing it person by person since you were not sure how many people would choose to fly from Birmingham. I phoned back yesterday to find out the departure time from Heathrow if i could not get a flight from Birmingham and the lady i spoke to said that you were arranging my flight from Birmingham. I told her what Jane said and she said that you do not reserve seats at Birmingham, Glasgow or Manchester since you do not know how many people would choose to fly from them and that is why it costs a bit more to cover this. So my question is are the seats reserved in which case why is it dearer? Or are they booked person by person as needed and the price is as stated in the brochure to cover this?

Debbie Workman.

Hi Debbie,

How are you doing? America seems a long way away now!! I'm off to Japan in May. Hope you are keeping well.

Luvpxx

Someone from customer service team will be giving you a call about your queries. In regards to our flight seats, we allocate a certain amount of seats for each tour from each airport, and these seats usually cost more than the main London airports - hence the regional flight fee. Unfortunately there is no more availability for flights from Birmingham airport.

I hope all of your questions can be answered by our customer service team, and if you have any further questions, please let me know and I will look into it for you.

Kindest regards,

Monty

Debbie Workman.