Thomas Cook

by **BeeDee** on Sun Jun 01, 2008 9:59 am

I recently returned from a wonderful trip to El Quesair, organised by Thomas Cook. It was ruined because T C decided to send our baggage (and that of another 100 passengers) to Manchester instead of Gatwick. If this wasn't bad enough, when we arrived at Gatwick, we were told (because we weren't going home for another four days) that we should buy what we want and then submit the bills to TC. You probably guessed the result! Yes, we did just that and T C have told us to get lost! We had been very frugal in what we bought - the bare neccesities. What an outfit! Never again T C, never again!

by **sophie321** on Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:08 pm

Again, Thomas Cook at their best!!!

Biggest bunch of S***S on this planet

by **Mitac** on Sun Jun 01, 2008 2:15 pm

Thomas Cook dont just book it Thomas oh forget them its a pity now we cant as Thomas Cook and My travel are all one thats a laugh start with and Thomson and First Choice another joined force team ,so really they have us by the short and curlys , the monopolies comission failed in not spotting these mergers would leave the holiday companies at an advantage , so now they dont give a hoot as two holiday companies have the travel industry by the 13alls as to say and no competition as before, suppose My Travel would have gone bust sooner than later followed by Thomas Cook so at least the two worst are together for a few years heres hoping and if they go under theres only one left ,oh god what shall we do then ,hope Jet2 and Easy jet dont get greedy and join up or it will be a fiasco then and as for ABTA they wont be needed soon as we wont have a travel industry ,what plonkers for allowing this mess

by **rooftop** on Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:01 pm

we returned yesturday from a week in benidorm.
Flew out of Manchester with Thomas cook 24/5 but on arriving at alicante and being stood at the luggage carosel for nearly two hours it was then advised Thomas cook had left 60 cases at Manchester.

I believe they took this decision deliberately following the loss of two departure slots.

Our Thomas Cook rep in trying to sort out and located the luggage was terrible. She advised as a rep her role is more to do with local knowledge - pointing people in the direction of local buses etc?!

Finally resolved ourselves by speaking to airports direct. Cases arrived 48 hours later. Thomas Cook then took until day before departure to offer us �25 compensation.

Departure home with Thomas Cook was then delayed by two hours.
Would be v reluctant to travel with them again.

by **IainW** on Mon Jun 02, 2008 2:55 pm

Hi BeeDee,

Typical, i haven't heard of this sort of turn around by a company before, do you have a memo that they gave you stating that you can buy some assentials and they will pay for it?

On TV you get the Watchdog programmes, Tonight programmes and so on always telling consumers to go to the "main" holiday companies as you know where you stand with them + they won't go into administration. This does scare people in not using smaller operators.
With the smaller operators you will usually benefit from far better customer service, and when a situation like yours arises i think the chances of them honouring the costs are greater.

We work tirelessly for our customers and 99% of it is unappreciated, when holidays go well and again about 99% of them do, it's not often you get praise but when things go wrong then everyone comes down on you hard.
The logistics of organising 1000's of customers holidays is challenging, i blame the tour operators themselves for poor customer service and dirty tricks that they attempt to pull + the media, it's great TV to attack tour companies.

I sympathise with you escpecially as you didn't go mad and buy expensive products.

Hope your holiday was good though.

by **BeeDee** on Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:39 pm

Hi, thank you for that information. No, I didn't receive any written authority to buy emergency necessities, but I do have a couple of independent witnesses who can (and will) corroborate the fact that I was told to do so. I now intend taking Thomas Cook to the small claims court to recover my expenditure and the costs. That should be interesting.

by **Gralor** on Mon Jun 09, 2008 4:30 pm

Beedee, see the other TC threads - I took them to Small Claims Court and they caved in completely. Go for it. The procedure is easy.

Oh, and don't bother with ABTA, they are totally useless and it is actually cheapert to go to Court than to have ABTA arbitrate - thats assuming you could arose ABTA from their comfortable slumbers that is....!

by **Fred 2** on Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:07 pm

This seems to have lost its way rather badly. It is neither timeshare nor holiday club and shouldn't be here.

by **HW Bex** on Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:58 pm

Thanks for pointing that out Fred. It has now been moved to the relevant forum.

Bex

by **BeeDee** on Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:12 pm

Hi, Thanks for your interest. Just to update you, I have been collecting statements from my witnesses and it is looking good! A retired editor from the Guardian and a leading light in the W Sussex CAB are not bad for starters - and I'm hopeful that there will be some more - perhaps as a result of this column! I am told that I will get a hearing at court relatively quickly. And I've got to tell you, I'm looking forward to it!! I really can't believe that Thomas Cook can act like this. My first letter was answered by a bag-handler, the secon, to the managing director, was ignored