Thomas Cook - poor service

[831badger]

On Monday 21st December 2009 we were due to fly back to Manchester from Las Palmas, Gran Canaria with Thomas Cook. Due to the weather situation in the UK we were told at around 0930 hours that we should expect lengthy delays though would be picked up and taken to the airport as normal at 12 midday. I asked the rep why we could not remain at the hotel rather than being sat at the airport for hours on end and was told that should they be able to fly in another aircraft we would need to be at the airport in order for them to take us (call me a cynic but i guessed immediately that this wouldn't happen given that an aircraft was already chartered to fetch tourists out...)

 

We got to the airport and our rep told us that we would be left in the capable hands of the Thomas Cook airport team...

 

We checked in and were immediately given a 10 euro voucher each that could be used in one of the food outlets in the airport. We very quickly discovered that 10 euros each didn't go very far in the airport and ended up having to use our own money to supplement something to eat.

We then noted that other tour operators in similar situation had provided there customers with 12 euros each...not much but significant in the circumstances.

 

Throughout this part of the experience when we could find a member of the Thomas Cook Team they gave very scant information and what they did was incorrect which we were quickly able to prove by speaking with family back home who had access to the tv and interent. When the TC staff were challenged with this they set off to discover the truth and managed to evade being questioned on this again. By now the staff were becoming hard to trace.

 

7 hours later we were hungry, had seen flights cancelled, seen people been told that flights were airborne en-route to collect them only to discover that they were still static in their country of origin.

 

I managed to locate a member of the TC staff and asked if we were getting any more vouchers to assist us in eating at the airport. The staff member immediately started walking away from me and talking back as she walked telling me that we would be issued with a further voucher. I told her that all food places appeared to closing and she told me that she would hurry up and sort it...this was the last time any TC staff were seen...we ended up purchasing food with our own money...

 

Our flight finally took off almost 10 hours after its scheduled time and we were not even offerred so much as a complimentary drink on the flight back...

 

We paid for good flight times and a good service from Thomas Cook...we appreciate that the flight time could not be avoided due to the weather but felt really let down by the poor level of customer service. We felt like we were abandoned at the airport and the staff there had no intention of keeping us informed or helping us...

 

Where do I stand with this?

[Loubychew]

It is normal for passengers to still have go to the airport even if it is a lengthy delay. You still have to check in and they need everyone in one place just in case things change and they find an aircraft or if they need to transfer you to a hotel. If they left everyone in the hotels it would be a logistical nightmare. What if they couldn't contact all 300 or whatever passengers to rearrange transfers? What about the flight only passengers? Who can say if you would have been able to keep your room on? Would you want to sit around in your hotel reception for hours (more comfoartable I know), indeed if the hotel allowed this.

 

10 euros is not bad. My husband was delayed 8 hours MAN - PFO with Cyprus Airways last week and he got 6 quid to spend on food. That doesn't go too far at Manchester Airport. Here is Cyprus, you get 8 euros.

The Air Traffic Users Council website says you should be given refreshments vouchers in relation to the delay. If other passengers got more than you it is probably just that their tour op has a different policy.

 

I work for a tour op (not TC) and we had flights due to arrive in Cyprus that were affected by the bad weather on Sunday and Monday (one was delayed 22 hours). Manchester Airport website was not updated regulary, their phone lines permanantly engaged. It was a nightmare. I am not surprised that info you got from TC was scant or incorrect. We get so many mixed messages/wrong info it is very hard to be accurate.

 

I am surprised that you found a member of TC staff in the departure area as normally reps are not allowed airside. I don't know why she said she would arrange more vouchers as it is not a reps job to do this, it is the responsibility of the handling agent. Tour ops pay them to do this.

 

Are you entitled to compensation? Well delays happen and in this case it was bad weather that affected you and thousands of other travellers this week. Lack of information - as I described above, it is not easy to give correct and timely info. It is a damned if you do/damned if you don't situation for airport staff as things are constantly changing and added to this was the very, very poor guidance from Manchester Airport.

You could check your travel insurance for flight delay cover and also write to TC. Be prepared for TC to just say sorry for the inconvenience and blame it on the weather.

Edited December 23, 2009 by Loubychew
Added a bit.

[Guest Old_andrew2018]

Bumping your thread in the hope that you receive replies from someone with expertise, and may help you construct a complaint