5% UK hotel service charges seem to be spreading

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• Numpty says:

  21 Apr21 April 07:22

  Ah foggy Dundee airport. Should be renamed Logan Roy airport, drum up some tourism.

  • Stu N says:

    21 Apr21 April 08:11

    Bob Servant International Airport, surely? 🙂

    • Peggerz says:

      21 Apr21 April 08:56

      And Bob could do the catering…. 🍔

  • Andrew. says:

    21 Apr21 April 09:10

    Definitely not. It should be called the “Humza Yousaf International Airport” to reflect the pride that Dundonians have that their local man is leading the country.

    Not sure if there is still the appetite to rename Prestwick after their local hero though.

  • Numpty says:

    21 Apr21 April 09:14

    Then how about we agree on The Beano International Airport?

• Alan says:

  21 Apr21 April 07:24

  5% service fee a disgrace, will definitely be asking for its removal if I get it on a bill!

  Not sure LHR is an upgrade for Dundee flights. You presumably can’t buy a through ticket so with a separate connection wouldn’t be protected. If going to London itself then generally LCY much quicker/easier experience.

  • Flying Scotsman says:

    21 Apr21 April 07:49

    Hi Alan, apparently ‘ The change will mean clients can book single-ticket, assured connections to and from Derry via Heathrow to 119 destinations in 56 countries and from Dundee via Heathow to 97 destinations in 45 countries. These range from Singapore and Hong Kong to Buenos Aires and Budapest’ .

    • Lady London says:

      21 Apr21 April 10:05

      I’ll be flying it if there’s a BA codeshare. I’m guessing a longhaul ticket with first sector coded Loganair is going to be much more expensive. Agree that LCY was a much better airport if you weren’t connecting to longhaul though.

• Save East Coast Rewards says:

  21 Apr21 April 07:52

  The current Stansted-Derry flights are bookable under BA codes on BA.com so is it possible the codeshares just haven’t been moved yet but will be available soon?

  Alternatively is it possible that BA aren’t allowed to codeshare on these routes due to whatever deal they agreed with the EU when they bought bmi?

  Can anyone find out? After all the route to Derry would be so much more useful if you could book it as part of a connection.

  • Save East Coast Rewards says:

    21 Apr21 April 08:02

    Arrgh! Wish there was a delete button here!!!

    When this route was announced a few days ago the codeshares on LHR-LDY weren’t available. So as the article said no BA codeshare I believed the article and assumed this was still the case. I’ve just checked and currently one flight a day is bookable under a BA code on BA.com so it looks like they’re in the process of setting up the codeshares.

    I can now book a through ticket from BLQ to LDY, so now I need to see if there’s anything interesting to do in Derry

    LHR-DND is not showing any BA codes as yet, but will it.

    • Stu N says:

      21 Apr21 April 08:13

      Walking tour of the walls, and hire a car and you are well situated for the spectacular Donegal and Antrim coasts. Easy long weekender.

      • Nick says:

        21 Apr21 April 08:48

        Derry is a marvellous city break, one of the best I’ve done. So much history in a small area, and everyone is so welcoming.

        If you hire a car be very careful with the terms, many companies don’t allow it to be taken across the border.

        • StephD says:

          21 Apr21 April 11:09

          Hertz used to let you drive without extra fee but it is over except for Gold Plus members booking straight with them (like so many things post covid, companies are very creative in finding ways to make up for the lost money at the expense of their customers). Most companies allow you to cross the “border” but you will pay a fee (usually 20 to 30£) and therefore need to tell them of your intention to go to the Republic (same happens the other way around)

    • Bluekjp says:

      21 Apr21 April 09:02

      I have a BA code share ticket for LHR to LDY and for LDY to LPL on the same day. So, both sectors on different BA flight numbers. Travel is in June.

      • Save East Coast Rewards says:

        21 Apr21 April 10:07

        HfP needs to update this article

        • apbj says:

          21 Apr21 April 13:00

          So it seems codeshares have been loaded for LDY – but only for weekdays, and only for the morning rotations. For example, there no way to book with BA for a London – Derry weekend break departing Friday night returning Sunday despite the excellent flight timings. While that probably makes commercial sense for Loganair and BA, it’s a bit annoying.

          Doesn’t seem to be bookable at all for LHR-DND but Loganair did tell me there would be a BA codeshare added.

          I get the convenience and simplicity of LCY but the Elizabeth Line has pretty much eliminated any advantage over LHR in terms of central London access for point-to-point; there will always be people who find one more convenient than the other for their own personal circumstances, but it matters much less than serving the route in the first place.

  • orudge says:

    21 Apr21 April 10:38

    KOI-DND-LHR is showing up as BA7855 (e.g. on 4th July), BA.com allowing me to book it when connecting to another flight. If I want KOI-LHR directly though I only get EDI/ABZ/INV connections, which doesn’t seem surprising.

• Jonathon says:

  21 Apr21 April 07:54

  “Costs associated with our employees”

  You mean like their wages, which *you* are supposed to pay?

  Please, let’s not become the US.

• Freddy says:

  21 Apr21 April 08:22

  The 5% surcharge is the type of underhand tactic that causes me to book elsewhere. No-one likes feeling scammed on a stay

• George K says:

  21 Apr21 April 08:28

  Trying to figure out how this 5% charge is passed on. If you book directly, online, is the 5% included in that?

  So far, I’ve had two instances where the 5% showed up at check-out. You couldn’t miss it, as the total was different to the rate booked and I had no extra charges to calculate so it stuck out like a sore thumb. It was removed as soon as it was pointed out.

  Which also makes me wonder how this could work with express check-out…
  Is there a possibility where the 5% would be part of the nightly rate?

  • NorthernLass says:

    21 Apr21 April 08:38

    Because of consumer laws here (as opposed to the US), it’s either part of the advertised, full rate, or it’s discretionary. I imagine they might be cheeky enough to charge it to your card if you used express checkout and you’d then have to ask for it to be refunded, which would be extra hassle and defeat the object of the express process!

    • Andy says:

      21 Apr21 April 08:54

      I always thought this with cruises, which is why the fare has to include the service charge if booked from the UK. But now it’s creeping in. My 2 latest booked cruises have a clause that I will be charged £12 a day service that will be added to my account and be payable at the end

    • Andrew. says:

      21 Apr21 April 09:15

      Consumer laws need to be tightened up a bit if these things are slipping through.

      (It’s also incredibly annoying the way some retailers are now doing the charity donation thing at check out.)

      • NorthernLass says:

        21 Apr21 April 10:07

        @Andy I always thought cruise companies managed to get away with all sorts of nefarious practices because they operate internationally (like the miserable pay they give the crew), but some clarity on exactly what they can and can’t charge on UK bookings would be interesting.

• DaveJ says:

  21 Apr21 April 08:35

  Scum bags. I won’t be booking any UK hotel that does this

  • NorthernLass says:

    21 Apr21 April 08:39

    We need an HFP list of shame! In the US there’s a quite vocal movement against this – I think legal action has been initiated in some states but no idea whether it’s actually been successful.

• Numpty says:

  21 Apr21 April 09:00

  Feels like the kind of tactics budget airlines use. Next thing will be charging a cleaning fee if you want your room cleaned each day.

  • Novice says:

    21 Apr21 April 09:45

    Don’t give them ideas😒

    I absolutely hate the tipping culture. I’m only ever happy to “tip” if I actually get a service that was above and beyond and that’s a very rare occurrence. Otherwise, I only tip if I absolutely can’t get away with it. Even then I make a point to give the minimum amount I can.
    When a person books a hotel room, the rate stated should be the final rate otherwise in my pov it’s just deceptive to add charges on later which weren’t actual charges (f&b, spa etc) and also restaurants should not try to use these tactics.

    • Londonsteve says:

      23 Apr23 April 18:03

      What happens if one refuses to tip while in the US? Like, nothing at all; explain tipping is contrary to your religion as it involves gifting material wealth for no consideration and you’ll end up in hell if you do. I seriously wonder what would happen. Would save a fortune on any trip!

  • Lady London says:

    21 Apr21 April 10:12

    They’re already doing that.
    Apparently room only with separately charged services – like cleaning – which are theoretically optional is where a lot of new investment in hotel industry is going.

    Full service hotels probably will polarise away from the rest of the market leaving us with what hotels maybe hope is room only at full service prices then lots of Ryanair and Easyjet-type service charges added on top that used to be included.

    If I want bare bones I won’t be staying in a hotel.

    • JDB says:

      21 Apr21 April 10:31

      @Lady London – Room Mate which is trying to bridge the gap is getting a huge investment also. It’s essentially a bed and breakfast only hotel of a high standard with interesting design and in prime locations. No spa, restaurant, bar etc. none of which I want in a city location. I’m looking forward to trying it.

      • Lady London says:

        21 Apr21 April 21:14

        could be interesting.

        My worry is that pricing wil remain the same or get much worse but with zero service

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