Thomas Cook delaying tactics

[TheBadTouch]

I raised a complaint with Thomas Cook concerning my holiday to Turkey back in July 2006.

 

Not much of a surprise but they took the full 28 days plus a few more, then sent a letter requesting another 28 days.

 

After this time I received a "Full Response where they "statistically" dismissed the major parts of the complaint and also failing to address certain aspects of it.

 

I phoned and spoke to them and advised I was not happy with the response especially the fact that one paragraph mentions "only two other people complained about this in an hotel of 210" hence their reason for dismissal. They told me it would be reopened and I would receive a response within 28 days from reopening, yet today I have received a letter asking for a further 28 days to investigate further....

 

To me it seems they are dragging the complaint out for no particular reason, although they insist they are within ABTA guidelines to do so...

 

Any ideas, or experiences to share? I understand the initial 56 days but I don't think it's right that I should have to wait a further 56 days just to get my complaint answered properly??

[TheBadTouch]

Oh the reason they say they are entitled to another 56 days is because they automatically close complaints when they send you there response. if you want to continue you have to reopen the complaint.... I don't think this is good business practice at all!!!

[TheBadTouch]

Anyone had any similar experiences when complaining with Thomas Cook ???

[TheBadTouch]

Are they just in requesting another 56 days after automatically closing the complaint without my permission?

[Sp00ky]

they are more than within their rights to send out a holding letter to you to advise of a further 28 days. When a response is sent to you the case is classed as closed as with anything really and should you wish it be relooked at, you must contact them again.

[TheBadTouch]

I have contacted them and recently got a 2nd response, a half page letter saying they cannot add anything more to the initial reply, except when I asked them to look into it again it was because areas of my complaint were not addressed in the initial response, and because dismissing a complaint statistically is not in my opinion investigating a complaint.

[demon_x_slash]

Stop playing to their timetable! What do you actually want from Thomas Cook -a refund, partial refund, apology, compensation...? Who have you been writing to so far? Their complaints department, or Customer Services, or Head Office?

 

Write a letter, sent recorded delivery, stating your complaint, what TC can do to resolve it, and your timeframe for doing so (i.e. 14 days from receipt of letter). State that you would have continued to use Thomas Cook even after the holiday you'd had if the after-care hadn't been so awful.

 

Send one to whoever you've been dealing with, but make sure you put at the bottom of that one that you've copied it to:

 

Manny Fontenla-Novoa

Thomas Cook Business Park

Coninsgby Road

Peterborough

PE3 8SB

 

Mark the Manny envelope Private/Urgent/confidential etc. He's the CEO and may be interested. See what happens after that.

[Sp00ky]

Stop playing to their timetable! What do you actually want from Thomas Cook -a refund, partial refund, apology, compensation...? Who have you been writing to so far? Their complaints department, or Customer Services, or Head Office?

 

Write a letter, sent recorded delivery, stating your complaint, what TC can do to resolve it, and your timeframe for doing so (i.e. 14 days from receipt of letter). State that you would have continued to use Thomas Cook even after the holiday you'd had if the after-care hadn't been so awful.

 

Send one to whoever you've been dealing with, but make sure you put at the bottom of that one that you've copied it to:

 

Manny Fontenla-Novoa

Thomas Cook Business Park

Coninsgby Road

Peterborough

PE3 8SB

 

Mark the Manny envelope Private/Urgent/confidential etc. He's the CEO and may be interested. See what happens after that.

 

 

ABTA are the ones that set the time frames for a response. They are

 

14 days to acknowledge receipt of the letter

28 days to respond or reacknowledge

56 days to respond so long as a reacknowledgment has been sent out.

 

Theres no point in specifying your own timeline as ABTA are an independent governing body and its the same for any tour operator.

 

All letters of complaint should be sent to the Bradford Customer Relations address which is

 

Thomas Cook Customer Relations

2-4 Godwin Street

Bradford

West Yorkshire

BD1 2ST

 

You should think yourself lucky that its not a complaint regarding the airline as they are not goverened by any timescale and it could take months to get a response !

[TheBadTouch]

But the company is not abiding by these guidelines I am having to phone them up to remind them of these timescales and then they get a letter in a post to me asking for 28 more days.... I've made a little more progress I have a senior manager who has asked me to specifically put in writing what I require and she will investigate it - to be honest all I am asking for is a apoligy and a partial refund for the services I was not able to use, due to sharing the hotel with a unrulely team of rugby players. If I don't get anywhere with this letter then I will contact the CEO directly and if that fails then ABTA it is as I'm sure they will be interested in the fact that Thomas Cook fails to adhere ridigly to their guidelines.

[Dani]

Just a word of warning, don't pin all your hopes with ABTA doing something - in my experience with them, they aren't that bothered. I never received any help from them regarding my complaint, even though I won my case in the end!!

[Sp00ky]

But the company is not abiding by these guidelines I am having to phone them up to remind them of these timescales and then they get a letter in a post to me asking for 28 more days.... I've made a little more progress I have a senior manager who has asked me to specifically put in writing what I require and she will investigate it - to be honest all I am asking for is a apoligy and a partial refund for the services I was not able to use, due to sharing the hotel with a unrulely team of rugby players. If I don't get anywhere with this letter then I will contact the CEO directly and if that fails then ABTA it is as I'm sure they will be interested in the fact that Thomas Cook fails to adhere ridigly to their guidelines.

 

 

how many further 28 days have you been asked for??

 

As for the behaviour of other guests, no tour operator can be held responsible for the actions of other guests. If you look in the booking conditions it will clearly state this. You might get an apology, but dont pin your hopes on a payment. I know thats not what you want to hear, but i am not going to try build your hopes up in any way.

[darrenaanderson]

Hi

 

Had a similar experiance with TC this time last year. Had a horrific holiday to the Maldives August 2005, made a complaint in resort, on the way home and then repeatedly for several months when we came back. Eventually after talking to trading standards and still not getting anywhere i obtained the home address's of each of the directors (£1 from companies house) and wrote to each of them a few days before christmas, telling in detail what had happened, the run around i have had and what i was expecting them to pay or that i would start court action against them. I also clamed 50% of the cost for distress. They settled before new year.

 

Might be worth a go!

[mooreda]

there you go - take them to Court - no more messing about

[darrenaanderson]

Hi

 

Badtouch PM me and i'll send you a copy of the letters and details of my claim against them if you want.

[Sp00ky]

i was just going to say, different cases warrant different payments (if any) to a guest. badtouch may have had a completley different complaint to darren's, so i wouldnt be so quick to push someone into a court case when it could end up in them losing money cause they may lose.

[TheBadTouch]

>As for the behaviour of other guests, no tour operator can be held >responsible for the actions of other guests. If you look in the booking >conditions it will clearly state this. You might get an apology, but dont pin >your hopes on a payment. I know thats not what you want to hear, but i >am not going to try build your hopes up in any way.

 

So cos Thomas Cook decided to book 32 rugby players into a hotel I have to have a dimished quality of holiday for the entire 2nd week - thats not right!

[Sp00ky]

>As for the behaviour of other guests, no tour operator can be held >responsible for the actions of other guests. If you look in the booking >conditions it will clearly state this. You might get an apology, but dont pin >your hopes on a payment. I know thats not what you want to hear, but i >am not going to try build your hopes up in any way.

 

So cos Thomas Cook decided to book 32 rugby players into a hotel I have to have a dimished quality of holiday for the entire 2nd week - thats not right!

 

Do you know for sure they were Thomas Cook guests? Where they British or another nationality? Also, in cases like this, it is VERY VERY rare that 32 men will book a holiday all together at the same branch/time. You will probably find that whoever they booked with, they will have booked in groups of upto 4 at time, and with that sort of situation, no tour operator is a mind reader and would know that they are all travelling together

[heidi1]

It is of course possible that all 32 did book together.... it can be done. The above poster does have a valid point though. Maybe they did book in dribs and drabs. Were Thomas Cook the only T/O to use that hotel??

 

Sometimes T/Ops are the only company to supply a particular property in the UK, but in most cases, there maybe 3 or 4 different companies all using the same hotel, not to mention all the accommodation only companies (theres around 15 or more of these!!)

 

If you want to find out if TC is the only op to use this property in the UK, all you need to do is look in the brochure, it will clearly state it in there (I would be very surprised if it doesn't) Or pm me and I will find out for you.

 

All correspondence should be going to the Bradford office too, thats is their HQ.

 

It could be that TC did not book these guys, then you have no complaint against them. It could be that they did book them..... should they tell them they cant go on holiday together to that hotel, should they dictate to them where and when they can go??

 

Of course its not a nice experience I'm sure and I'm sure I would complain too. I think to expect compensation is a little too much, though there is no harm in trying!

 

Heidi

[TheBadTouch]

Yes Thomas Cook did book them all as the property is a Thomas Cook exclusive this is the blurb in the brochure...

 

"UK Exclusive - Sometimes we come across a property we like so much we reserve it entirely for our customers; though sometimes we do have to share with overseas operators. Every Thomas Cook Sunset UK Exclusive property is highly rated and available in the UK only through Thomas Cook Sunset."

[TheBadTouch]

Heidi1 (or anyone else on this thread) - do you work for TC if so PM me as I have some questions.

 

Your right I have asked for compensation as if you dont ask you don't get but if Thomas Cook were to refund my out of pocket expenses and actually investigate the complaint properly instead of trying to fob me off with statistics about other peoples holidays?

[heidi1]

Hi, no I dont work for TC, I work for an independent Travel Agency.

 

If these guys were British then its plain for all to see that TC did book these guys.

 

You are in a difficult position now because TC could argue the point that they cannot or will not refuse a holiday to people just because they are a large group. Group booking are very lucrative for any booking agent.

 

The rugby players more than likely booked through an agency rather than through TC direct (which you may or may not have done), and of course is this is the case, then the agent will have had no way of knowing any different.

 

You are right in what you say, you dont ask you dont get!! I hope you get something back from them. I also think to a point that TC should take some responsibility for the behaviour of the customers, if theyare behaving in a manner that is upsetting other poeple, then that is not on in my book. I have stayed in places where similar things have happened and people (the culprits) have been moved out of accommodation, and not re-accommodated elsewhere.

 

I'm sorry I'm not much help on this one! I just want you to understand the arguements you may come up against so you can prepare yourself with and even better comeback!!

 

As far as other issues you have, I would continue your complaint, theres no harm in trying!

 

Heidi

[Sp00ky]

Heidi1 (or anyone else on this thread) - do you work for TC if so PM me as I have some questions.

 

Your right I have asked for compensation as if you dont ask you don't get but if Thomas Cook were to refund my out of pocket expenses and actually investigate the complaint properly instead of trying to fob me off with statistics about other peoples holidays?

 

 

Your right to ask for compensation. However that does not mean you are entitled to it. Many tour operators will not take responsibility for the behaviour of other guests and you still dont know if the rugby players were booked as a group or not. However, there are measures in place to deal with troublesome guests and this is a 3 strike rule that ends in an eviction.

 

If TC or any other TO have recieved no other complaints or very few from a vast number of guests then you are also unlikley to get anything.

[TheBadTouch]

In my first response it stated something along the lines of "we only received three other complaints about noise in the hotel during this period, therefore is seems that most other guests we satisfied."

 

So thats 4 complaints... to me that indicates a problem as not everyone is inclined to write letters into companies... typical english attitude is just to put up with it!

[TheBadTouch]

Taking into account the Hotel has 66 rooms and this Rugby team would have occupied at least 16 of these rooms if they were double occupied.

[TheBadTouch]

Usual BS reply from Thomas Cook - they seem to just ignore the issues I raise and just state they cannot add anymore to the complaint.

 

So next course of action? Letters to the directors or go to ABTA?