ZDNet UK


Skip to Main Content

ZDNet.co.uk - Winner of Best Business Website 2007
  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Blogs
  4. Reviews
  5. Jobs
  6. Resources
  7. Community
  8. My ZDNet

 

ZDNet UK RSS Feeds


Network management Toolkit

BT's free flights offer hits turbulence

Graeme Wearden ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 03 Sep 2004 16:30 BST

  • Email
  • Trackback
  • Clip Link
  • Print friendly
  • Post Comment

BT's offer of free return flights for customers who signed up for one of its consumer broadband packages has hit problems reminiscent of the infamous Hoover free flights fiasco.

Several ZDNet UK readers have complained that they have encountered setbacks when they tried to claim their free economy flight to one of eleven destinations in Europe and the US.

Some say that they were told they weren't able to get flights to the destination of their choice, even though this should have been possible under the terms and conditions of the offer. Others have reported that they have struggled to get any details about the state of their applications.

BT has admitted that some people have encountered difficulties getting their flights. A BT spokesman said on Friday that this was "less than 1 percent" of those who applied, which he said equated to "hundreds" of people.

BT is adamant that the problem isn't on the scale of Hoover's, whose offer in the early 90s of a free flight to America with every purchase worth £100 or more went badly wrong.

But Harry Cichy, who led the fight against Hoover, believes BT could be facing big problems.

Cichy told ZDNet UK that he has been contacted by a significant number of BT customers complaining of problems. He believes that the issue will snowball over the next few weeks.

"There should be more control on free flight offers," said Cichy.

"I was very surprised that a company of BT's pedigree should go to the level of offering free flights to sell its broadband," Cichy added.

There has been concern in the advertising industry about BT's offer.

"We've heard rumours of the promotion going off the rails," said a spokesman for the Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP). He added that ISP had not received any official complaints and wasn't treating it as a significant issue at this stage.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has already received one complaint from a BT customer who claims to have encountered problems with the offer. This complaint is currently being investigated by the ASA.

BT insists that everyone who is entitled to a free flight will get one, and blames the "extreme popularity" of its offer for the hundreds of people who have been hit with problems.

But according to Cichy, one factor is that the travel company handling BT's offer is also processing a similar offer from Sainsbury's, and is struggling to cope.

This company, called Rise Travel, had not returned requests for comment at the time of writing.

Have you been affected by these problems? Let us know, or post a TalkBack below

  • Email
  • Trackback
  • Clip Link
  • Print friendlyPrint with Konica

Did you find this article useful?
50 out of 97 people found this useful


In association with Intel

Talkback

Post a comment


Full Talkback thread

226 comments

  1. Not another Hoover. I am still waiting its been we... Anonymous
  2. I read up on all the problems others were hav... P.
  3. Contact numbers for Rise Travel: Tel: 0161 877 11... Anonymous
  4. Been waiting since the 2nd August.Offered cru... Anonymous
  5. Daily Express £10 Cruise Offer/Rise Trav... Andy & Kay
  6. Saved vouchers from Daily Express,... David Leeson
  7. I've just had the phone slamme... Andrew Lobb
  8. Apart from the rather unfortun... John B
  9. I am going on a £10 cruise,5th... Fiona Whitehouse
  10. In answer to Fiona's posting -... andrea warner
  11. It seems as if Rise are "cherr... Anonymous
  12. Still waiting for my flight from Da... GCP
  13. As expected the ASA have come down... Anonymous
  14. I have just been on my £10 cruise i... Alison Lee
  15. Those of us who applied for th... Carol Beavis
  16. THE A.S.A. have produced a rep... STEPHEN JENKINSON
  17. ASA and Trading standards - wh... Mick
  18. Re The £10 Express offer it is beco... Robin Morgan
  19. Yes , I think the offer is a fraud, this... Anonymous
  20. well if that really is the case the... Anonymous
  21. i too have had problems with this e&j gallo p... Anonymous
  22. RISE TRAVEL TOLD ME OVER PHONE YESTERDAY THA... Anonymous
  23. free flighs yeah pigs might fly just got... Anonymous
  24. mkms shares are down to 4p each, th... john grealish
  25. i am amazed that RISE TRAVEL,... Anonymous
  26. BBC Watchdog programme was ano... Anonymous
  27. I used to work for Rise Travel... Anonymous
  28. The Daily Express have now tak... Anonymous
  29. I was offered a cruise on 11th... Ken
  30. The main number and contact at... Anonymous
  31. I sued them !! I got so fed up... Mitchell
  32. Well, Rise travel are still in... Anonymous
  33. Complaints can be made to ASA on this offer, ( Adv... Anonymous
  34. You need to tell the ASA, what flights you tried t... Anonymous
  35. I like a fool not only applied for the free f... Janette Rowlett
  36. Complaints on this offer can also be directed to t... Anonymous
  37. what was the matter with the hoover offer? I... Anonymous
  38. Rise Travel makes statement. After weeks of silenc... Harry Cichy
  39. They've just done the same to me with a Littl... Anonymous
  40. Rise Travel comes under Trafford Metropolitan Boro... Anonymous
  41. I also bought dozens of Daily Express papers... Anonymous
  42. I am also one of the hundreds of people... Jane Oxby
  43. Somebody on the Holiday Truths web-... Anonymous
  44. MKM Marketing & Promotions are behind these promot... Anonymous
  45. A complete travesty. Just spoken to MKM Marke... Raymond Pusey
  46. Re: Express £10 Cruise Offer. I have ju... Sherilynn Dewberry
  47. Dear Raymond and all In ref to the 10pou... Anonymous
  48. MKM / Express Cruise Offer. May I add my... Tim Little
  49. if you think that complaing to ASA... MKM
  50. I have just returned from my... Anonymous
  51. Free Flights problems? Sent your application no re... Anonymous
  52. I bought the Daily Mail last year to save tokens f... Anonymous
  53. I saved tokens from Daily Mail 2005 and I thi... Anonymous
  54. Is anyone else having trouble with Rise Travel re.... Anonymous
  55. Rise are OK! Kept me in the picture i.e delay... RJP
  56. I applied for both Express offers and ha... E Jones
  57. i was promised free 2 days in NEW Y... STEPHEN JENKINSON
  58. I along with 3 friends all collecte... Robert Martin
  59. To: RJP, North Yorks: I've received an... Anonymous
  60. Just like RJP,from N Yorkshire. I have b... WS
  61. TO RJP NORTH YORKSHIRE. SINCE MY LA... Anonymous
  62. Was just Googling RIse Travel and about... Anonymous
  63. My adivce is don't bother. I have b... Gavin Tillson
  64. express /mkm/rise free holiday... JUDGE TRUTH
  65. MKM Raring To Go that's the he... Raring To Go
  66. MKM Concepts Raring To Go. I s... Katheryn Wilkins
  67. To anybody who has had an issue wit... Anonymous
  68. From the Chester 6 - we have also been g... Veronica Gay
  69. On the comment from RJP (Banker) I have... Bob Middleton
  70. Rise are NOT okay. It is now December 20... lyddy
  71. Rise / MKM have said that they will... Anonymous
  72. collected tokens for daily express 10 pound cruise... anthony roach
  73. Daily Express Cruise offer--is it just a scam... Anonymous
  74. I collected the 35 tokens and sent them... James
  75. Reponse to James - Birmingham James... Harold Oak
  76. Cheers Harold The problem with... James
  77. Has anybody been of a £10 crui... Gordon Brewin
  78. Collegue at work has just rece... Anonymous
  79. Re express £10 cruise offer.... Anonymous
  80. This Cruise offer is a shambles, I... Peter Comrie
  81. Since appearing on the BBC's W... Andrew Lobb
  82. I meant to mention in my last... Andrew Lobb
  83. I have finally got a £10 cruis... AC
  84. My mother-in-law has been stuffed on the... The Big Stoat
  85. The 'Express' has to be held accountable... Anonymous
  86. Sirs You may be aware that well over tw... David Winder
  87. In response to Anthony Roach's posting about... Emma Pearce
  88. Head of Marketing and Promotions. No smo... David Gibson
  89. David is right - there is no smoke... Harold Oak
  90. Buy Shares in MKM, excellant I... Harry Cichy
  91. sorry fellow BT-ITES. Am i bei... tess johnson
  92. Maybe Harry should look at the... pauline holmes
  93. HEAD OF MARKETING, EXPRESS, ITS NICE TO... Anonymous
  94. Really? Well, it's now 1 December (2005!... lyddy
  95. Go to www.holidaytruths.co.uk and look under... Anonymous
  96. I took the Daily Mail up on its cruise offer,... Katherine Cameron
  97. I have been getting the runaround from rise travel... jim rennie
  98. I have called Rise any number of times and al... Keith Gough
  99. I have just got my ticket to New York it... Anonymous
  100. ,my cruise to the caribean departs in 6days t... eddy jones
  101. OPEN INVITATION To the MD at Rise Travel & MKM Mar... OPEN INVITATION
  102. We have also been waiting for weeks, being pr... Anonymous
  103. I have just been told the computer is down for upd... Anonymous
  104. To: Emma Pearce, In response to your note, e... Anonymous
  105. Did everyone see watchdog last night and... Harold Oak
  106. I was allocated a Daily Express cru... Jane Clark
  107. I am also in the same position... Anonymous
  108. I also was allocated a cruise... anna
  109. I was offered a Daily Express... Grace White
  110. Spoke to Rise Travel ysterday... Alex Duffey
  111. i am in the same boat was due... ALLAN RULE
  112. I too have received a call fro... josie bilton
  113. I was also meant to be going i... Disapointed
  114. I have also been allocated a c... Richard Duckett
  115. I would be interested to hear... Michael O'Neill
  116. I think that nearly every Rise Trav... Anonymous
  117. i was offered a cruise on 12 march with louis crui... joanne burrow
  118. Rise Travel flight applications. Could all po... Harry Cichy
  119. I have aplied to Rise Travel for free fl... Terry Roberts
  120. RISE TRAVEL/MKM MARKETING - SUCCESS... Elaine Purtell
  121. Ii too have had problems obtaining... Anonymous
  122. Sucess, today after so many calls t... Chris
  123. Rise Travel are owned by a Company... C. Caine
  124. daily express £10 cruise scam.In Oct i was al... Pam Harvey
  125. was allocated a £10 cruise to the med de... karen
  126. I have also been contacted by Rise... Ian Thompson
  127. my sister has had exactly the same exper... jeanette thompson
  128. Daily Express £10 cruise scam I was allo... Nellie Longstaff
  129. re express cruise as I work nights I hav... babs
  130. I was suppose to go on a Med cruise on the 12... Anonymous
  131. Re Daily Express £10 Cruise Offer. Like many other... John McEwing
  132. 21/01/05 There is a very active thread on the... Anonymous
  133. I to was offered a cruise to the med on... Pauline Neumann
  134. after having my cruise canceled sev... pauline neumann
  135. Pauline , you should be OK on... Anonymous
  136. Regarding the Express Cruise o... John Banham
  137. I took up the Daily Express o... Anonymous
  138. Have been told by the help lin... Anonymous
  139. Disappointed with Daily Expres... Anonymous
  140. Like everyone else on here, I... Amanda R
  141. I was allocated a cruise from... Geri
  142. I am still waiting for the exp... Martin Roberts
  143. Rise Travel owned by MKM go ba... Berney Cooper
  144. They are keeping the legal act... Colin Wickes
  145. Martin Roberts: the DE & Rise... A Friend
  146. Another dissatised customer. R... susan spear
  147. At the end of October 2004 I was told by... Alan Crabtree
  148. I am in the same position. Offered... Anonymous
  149. My friend has managed to get a crui... AC
  150. AC - How did your friend manag... andrea warner
  151. Hi Andrea, my friend sent an e... AC
  152. The Holiday Truths discussion... Anonymous
  153. Yes you might just get all the... Anonymous
  154. I am another unhappy reader that seems t... barbara blake
  155. How do companies like Rise Travel g... Monica Morgan
  156. It appears that the reason tha... Anonymous
  157. After spending many wasted hou... Fiona Whitehouse
  158. just had the phone call from rise travel offe... steve wesson
  159. Hi steve wesson We are talking about thi... Jenni64
  160. Like many of the above I collected... Deeply disappointed and jilted
  161. Daily Express £10 cruise scam. I don't know h... Angelo Carraro
  162. Ive just had thev phone call as well eit... mr allan rule
  163. I though this might be of interest... Anonymous
  164. The £10 cruise offer is a scam. I agree... Anonymous
  165. i have sent several letters to Daily Exp... Marie Edmead
  166. Rise travel told me that they were... steve ormondroyd
  167. A claim in the County Court ag... Anonymous
  168. I think you can only do this as an... Anonymous
  169. I have just received the ubiquitous phone cal... Anonymous
  170. We too have had the same experience of the £1... Sarah jackson
  171. Rise Travel rang me in Sept 2004 to say that they... Anonymous
  172. Same here,I got confirmation from Rise travel... Anonymous
  173. Similar to previous comments, a call fro... Anonymous
  174. A Communication from Rise For those... Anonymous
  175. looking at all these e-mails I see that watch... barbara blake
  176. I too am being given the run around by MKM Makerti... Anonymous
  177. I have been told my Rise Travel that they nev... np
  178. Have I been had! You never expect to get some... Anonymous
  179. Also offered Mediterranean Cruise under £10 Daily... Anonymous
  180. Emailed Express and Rise on Tuesday evening.... Anonymous
  181. Have sent vouchers back and rung the number p... Richard Duckett
  182. Something significant is happening with... Anonymous
  183. I have just returned from my £10 cr... Anonymous
  184. i applied for the express cruise offer as did 2 os... Anonymous
  185. I see some one got a call - no single cabins on th... Richard P
  186. I was allocated a cruise on 12 March round th... Judith Tewson
  187. These numbers may help people, apparentl... Judith Tewson