Halsbury Travel Group
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Reviews 220
Chloe
Apr 01,2023I can't express the emotions that I am feeling. My daughter was supposed to go on the ski trip with her school to Italy this morning, twenty minutes before they were due to leave the travesty hit. All the teachers that were due to go on the trip were called into the meeting room next door to the hall were all the girls were held; while they were in the hall my daughter expressed how sad the head teacher looked who was at the head off planning. I hate to say that they came back in and the news hit, there weren't going on the ski trip. There was tears absolutely disgraceful behaviour, months and months of planning down the drain all because some stupid bus company had double booked. Do not book this company, they didn't have the desancy to tell the teachers this early this morning, I hope the school sues.
Julie Halliday
Apr 01,2023Very bad show Halsbury. 65 kids from Chulmleigh College, Devon gathered in the school hall to be told their ski trip tomorrow is cancelled - someone forgot to book the coaches. Full refund and compensation just isn’t cutting it with my 15 yr old.
Lucy
Apr 01,2023Do not use this company. Children all packed to go on the school ski trip tomorrow and they cancel the trip with no explanation today. Absolutely shocking behaviour . At least Halsbury travel did refund the money though and pay some compensation which was a relief but my daughter still would have preferred a ski trip with her friends before she leaves school .
Rebecca Ogden
Apr 01,2023Devastated to find out at lunchtime today that my children's ski trip, due to leave tomorrow morning, has been cancelled (coaches weren't booked). This is a trip we signed up for 18 months ago and my 2 children were really looking forward to. A huge disappointment for all concerned, staff and students alike. This is not what is expected from a company with so many years experience. The children have missed out on so many trips due to Covid, we really believed this would be the one that would go ahead. Disgusted and disappointed.
Georgina
Apr 01,2023Not even worth one star. Ski trip cancelled less than 24 hours before they were due to leave. Absolute waste of money. Blaming the coach company because they didn’t confirm? You the travel agent are meant to confirm with them. Excuses all the time. Did you even really bother trying to find an alternative? Seems to be the same response told to every school.
Andrew Finney
Apr 01,2023Cancelled a ski trip because they can’t get a coach 24 hours before they are due to leave. Absolute shambles.
Dan Needham
Apr 01,2023Absolute Shambles:- Our Year 11 child went to school this morning excited at the prospect of their first ever school residential trip (hasn’t been possible in preceding years due to the pandemic). Less than 24 hours before departing for a ski trip in Italy we are advised that Halsbury have forgotten to confirm the coach bookings and the trip is cancelled due to inability to arrange replacement travel (due to air traffic control strikes - had Halsbury not acted with such gross incompetence the replacement travel wouldn’t have been required). Can’t begin to express the level of upset and disappointment the pupils have had to deal with at such a late stage, not to mention all the expense of ski gear and preparatory lessons bought as birthday and Christmas presents and the sheer excitement of going away with school friends only to be told the day before……
PT
Apr 01,2023The company cancelled ski trip with less than 24 hours to go. No coaches??? Despite the country being full of them! Devastated kids- 12months to cancel and day before!! Avoid!!!!
SP Nair
Mar 31,2023Halsbury travel has cancelled a week long school ski trip to Italy as they did not have coaches. The trip was planned a lot in advance and I struggle to understand how a trip can be cancelled a few minutes before scheduled departure. Parents had gathered outside the school to wave goodbye instead we had to bring our kids back home. My daughter was part of this trip. The school had planned the trip last year for a March 31 departure; a lot of time was invested from then until now. Cancelling school trip a few minutes before planned trip is simply unacceptable and it is unprofessional.
Natasha M
Mar 31,2023Inexcusable to be honest ! Twenty minutes before the coach leaves to ski in Italy , the school is notified that there are no coaches and the trip is cancelled. Unprofessional doesn't go anywhere near enough to describe this. What on earth is going on at Halsbury ? Does no one think to check things until Departure Day !! The poor kids ( mine included) and teachers are devastated.
Valued Customer
Mar 31,2023shambles cancelled school trip to Berlin / Poland excuse coach broken down can not get a replacement coach lots of very unhappy students 3 hours notice shame on you no backup plan
William
Mar 31,2023Absolute shambles. Cancelled a ski trip to Italy with less than 24 hours notice. How can a travel company not book a coach!
Sarah Kempster
Mar 31,2023You let down 80 children and their families plus numerous teachers. A year of planning and excitement ruined less than half an hour before setting off. Absolutely fuming. Never use this company.
Sue Ranson
Mar 31,2023This Company is not fit for purpose, to let down 89 pupils and cancel an entire weeks ski trip 20 minutes before the coach was due to depart is a disgraceful. Avoid at all costs. The teachers had worked so hard to carefully plan the trip!
Heidi Hutchins
Mar 31,2023If I could give a zero I would. Less than 24 hours away from travel and they discover they haven't secured the coaches for the school ski trip. 5 schools without coaches for a trip to Italy! Basic elements for a established school travel agent you'd think. My child is beyond upset, its been the first opportunity to travel abroad with school due to COVID. First ski trip, he's had lessons, money spent on equipment and clothing and was all packed to go. This was booked and planned 18 months ago and we get 24 hours notice. Yes, they tried to make alternative travel arrangements but due to air strikes this wasn't possible, but it should never have got to that. The poor teachers are the ones who have put in all the effort and planning and they were the ones who had to tell the kids they were not going whilst Halsbury Travel get to stay arms length away from this disappointment and anger from the pupils, parents and staff. A full refund does not make up for the lost opportunity, expense and disappointment. What are you going to do about this Halsbury Travel?
Ed Harris
Mar 31,2023My daughter was meant to go on a ski trip this afternoon with her school and it was booked via Halsbury. Twenty minutes before she was due to leave they contacted the school to advise that the coach company had cancelled and they would not be able to go on their ski trip. To say she is devastated is an understatement. Months of planning by the school, 80 children due to ski and teachers giving up their time and Easter holiday to take them. What a shambles and totally unprofessional. Steer clear of this company.
Thomas Kempster
Mar 31,2023My daughter was due to travel on a ski trip today - they have totally messed up and pulled out of the booking today with no notice on the day of travel, leaving 3 coaches full of children devastated after many months of planning and build up, emotionally drained, parents out of pocket, brand new ski gear wasted. Children all stranded in the school hall.
Craig Thirkell
Mar 31,2023As a parent of a child waiting to go skiing to Italy in the morning , to find our less than 24 hours before departure that the coaches have not been booked and so the whole trip is cancelled is a complete farse! Our son has been looking forwards to this trip for months. He has been unwell and this is the one thing motivating him forwards. In addition we have spent hundreds of pounds on our son for this first ever ski trip for clothing and equipment, and all this will be lost as by next years trip he will have grown and will need all new again - who is going to cover these costs? Stand up Keith Sharkey and take accountability for this complete mess and make it right for the schools, the children and the parents. If you work in this industry you have a duty of care to take responsibility when things go wrong, just like you take the profit when they go right. If you have a look at Companies House at this business you will see that Keith Sharkey (MD) and his wife (Director) are no longer registered as named Directors and the company is now under the control of 'Huron Bidco Limited', - which has a MR01 Charge against it, which basically means the company is owned by the Bank and it's running on borrowed money from Natwest? Is this why the busses were not booked? Did you book them, just not pay the bill?
Mark
Mar 31,2023Dreadful Cancelled school ski trip to Italy less than 24 hours before departure. They forgot to book coaches to drive children to ski resort only informing school with a day to go Pupils beyond upset and parents plans in tatters Totally unacceptable
Sarah Belcher
Apr 01,2023Do not use. Halsbury ski cancelled school ski trip to Italy less than 24hrs before departure leaving 41 students, mine being one of them, devastated. A lot of time and effort has gone into planning this trip by the teachers involved and parents have spent a lot of money on the trip itself and the purchase of new ski gear. I don't want Halsbury to "reach out to me" and apologise, it just isn't good enough. A refund is fine but it's absolutely no consolation to the students who have been looking forward to this for over a year. The company is a shambles.