Miscellaneous - Holiday Rip-off

Room supplements, in-flight meals, transfers and security tax are hidden extras that are pushing up the cost of our sunshine breaks. That means people should shop around to find out what they will be charged for before signing on the dotted line. People could now have to pay extra for meals on the plane or transfers to accommodation, as well as pre-bookable seats, bigger luggage allowances and shorter check-in times.

A family of four, booking a one-bedroom apartment in Kos with Airtours, would pay a supplement because the apartment is classed as sleeping four adults. That means that their four-year-old, even though their place on the holiday came free, would land the family with a £146.58 under-occupancy surcharge because they were classed as only having three adults in the apartment. But Thomas Cook's free child place meant exactly that - no extra charges for under-occupancy.

Unijet
Basic cost: £1,697
Sandy's Studios and Apartments are rated as three star and according to Unijet's "Greece and Turkey" brochure, are family-friendly and situated in a tranquil area on the fringes of Kos Town. For two weeks in a one-bedroomed apartment (sleeping four adults), flying from Birmingham International Airport on August 13, 2003, the cost is:

£496 per adult holiday fee (£1,488), £209 per child holiday fee (£209) £40.80 per adult for under-occupancy supplement (£122.40), £34 per person flight supplement (£136) and £5 per person coach transfer (£20). In-flight meals are included and the price includes free insurance.
Total cost: £1,975.40

Airtours
Basic cost: £1,707
Lydia Apartments in Kos Town are rated three star by Airtours and described as "great for families ... who want to get away from it all". For two weeks in a one-bedroom apartment, flying from East Midlands Airport on August 14, 2003, the cost is:

£569 per adult holiday fee (three adults = £1,707) £48.86 per adult for under-occupancy supplement (one adult missing = £146.58) £7 per adult for security tax (three adults = £21) £1874.58 total price of the holiday. In-flight meals, insurance and airport transfers are free, as is the child's place. If booking by credit card, there is a 1.5 per cent charge, which, on a booking of this type, would mean an extra £28.11.
Total cost: £1,874.58

Thomas Cook
Basic cost: £1,827
The Thomas Cook Greece brochure describes the Poseidon Hotel and Apartments in Kos Town ideal for those looking for roomy accommodation". For two weeks, in a one-bedroomed apartment, flying from East Midlands Airport on August 13, 2003, the cost is:

£609 per adult holiday fee (three adults = £1827); £70 per adult flight supplement (three adults = £210); £7 per person for aviation security tax (four travelling = £28); £15 per person for transfers to and from the airport in Kos (four transfers = £60); £8 for an in-flight meal on a return trip (four people = £32); £10 for holiday insurance (four people = £40); less an agency discount of £492. The child goes free.
Total cost: £1,705

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