Thomas Cook Holiday Complaint - Help Please!

pw2989

Hi, I'm wondering if any of you can help me with my complaint, here is a brief explanation of the nature of my complaint:

I travelled to Jamaica 8th Dec - 23rd Dec 2008. The holiday was booked through Directline Holidays, the tour operator was Cosmos and the flight was with Thomas Cook. The holiday was advertised being a direct flight from Manchester to Jamaica and vice versa. The tickets were sent to me a couple of weeks before the holiday and also said it was a direct flight.

On the way there, we boarded the plane to see many passengers were already on the plane, they had boarded the plane in Gatwick and were VERY unhappy to find they had to stop at Manchester to "pick us up" on the way.

On the way back, we checked our baggage into the airport, boarded the plane and was then told we would not be flying direct to Manchester, we would be stopping at Gatwick first and then going to Manchester. I was very frustrated as this was the first we had heard about it, and we were already on the plane - nothing we could do about it.

After a long flight we finally landed at Gatwick, there were delays there and ended up waiting for 3 hours (whilst sat on the plane) for us to set back off to Manchester. In all of the 3 hours we were never once offered a drink and you can imagine how de-hydrated we were anyway. We weren’t even offered a drink on the flight back to Manchester.

It was a massive inconvenience, my dad was ready to pick us up from Manchester Airport at 07:40am, and we actually got there just after 11:00am.

I was very mad as we actually paid extra for a direct flight, we could have booked the holiday cheaper elsewhere if we didn't require direct flights.

Who should I to complain to?

I complained to Direct Line Holidays back in January, 2 months later after various emails and phone calls they are ignoring my complaint, saying they have never received it, when I actually received various emails from them advising me they have received the complaint and will look into it.

I then complained to Thomas Cook, who advised me it was not Thomas Cook who I should be complaining to, it should be Cosmos.

So I complained to Cosmos, they advised me I should complain to Thomas Cook! So once again I emailed Thomas Cook to complain.

I eventually received an email back from Thomas Cook this week advising me there is nothing they could do for be basically, trying to fob me off.:mad:

I just would like you advise if I should take this further, and should I expect some sort of recompense? What should I do from here?

All advise greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Incapuppy

A direct flight is different from a non-stop flight and can involve stopovers.

For example: I took a direct flight from Dubai to Colombo but we stopped at Male on the way.

bagand96

As incapuppy said, in the industry non stop is different from direct. Direct means you get on the plane, and don't have to get off it until reaching you're destination. But can include a stop off (for fuel or other passengers etc). Non stop means it takes off from airport A and lands in airport B.

Regards to you're complaint, if it was a Cosmos package holiday, then I think its Cosmos that you need to chase this up with (and probably direct line holidays). Thomas Cook would have been chartered to operate that flight for Cosmos, or Cosmos would have taken X amount of seats on the flight. However, Cosmos would be aware of the routeing of the flight.

pw2989

Thanks for the replies,

I just thought it was a bit unfair as the tickets stated we were departing at x time, and landing in Manchester at x time. For us to find out this wasn't the case when we were already on the plane doesn't seem right. They could have wrote to us and let us know.

Do you not think I have a leg to stand on about conpensation?

Everybody on the plane was going mad, I heard one hostess explain to the passengers to get in touch with Thomas Cook for some sort of recompense.

Thanks

Voyager2002

Look up the EU regulations on flight delays. What is important is that you arrived three and a half hours later than scheduled, rather than the 'plane stopping to drop off passengers on the way.

And make your complaint by means of a letter sent recorded delivery, not by email.

Pollycat

Re the 'direct' versus 'nonstop' flight, I think even some travel agents are unclear about the difference.

Years ago, booking flights to Kuala Lumpur in a high street shop, I asked if the flight was nonstop. The SA said 'yes, it's direct'.
After to-ing and fro-ing for some minutes, I eventually got through to her what I meant - i.e. did it leave Heathrow and land in KL without stopping on route.
As Incapuppy points out, lots of charter flights to the Indian Ocean, including Goa are direct but not non-stop, many refuel in Bahrain.

Good luck with your complaint, pw.

ahrimaniac

Just wondering - what should you be compensated for? Were you injured or just inconvenienced? Did you ask for a drink on the plane or did you sit there thirsty?

Diamond_Olly

You need to complain to the company your contract is with - in this case DirectLine Holidays. The code of conduct from ABTA says that complaints have to be acknowledged within 28 days - which they have now done. Chase again after another 28 days if you haven't had a reply. If Directline are part of ABTA - and you don't get a satisfactory response, contact them. Airlines will say that changes may have to be made for operational reasons - so you probably won't get much joy there. However they should (for goodwill, if nothing else) provide you with refreshments. They have to do this on the ground with delays over 4 hours - so should do so in the air.

pw2989

ahrimaniac wrote: »

Just wondering - what should you be compensated for? Were you injured or just inconvenienced? Did you ask for a drink on the plane or did you sit there thirsty?

I was just under the impression that we were entitled to something, as the air hostess mentioned this to people complaining whilst departing the plane when we landed in Manchester.

I just feel if the flight schedule has changed they should have wrote to us to advise us, the reason for the complaint is due to the inconvenience, I had travel arrangements planned for when we were due to land in Manchester, the time printed on the tickets.

I just wanted to know if there is any point me chasing this up with Direct Line Holidays, or if it would just be a waste of time if I'm not entitled to anything.

Thanks for everyones advice

ahrimaniac

Fair enough - I wasn't meaning to sound catty, just curious as to what you think you should get! Wish you the best of luck

Pollycat

pw2989 wrote: »

I just wanted to know if there is any point me chasing this up with Direct Line Holidays, or if it would just be a waste of time if I'm not entitled to anything.

Thanks for everyones advice

You'd waste a bit of time writing the letter (be brief, unemotional and to the point) and the cost of a stamp, I'd say worth a try.

One other thing you might want to consider:
This website has a travel law solicitor (Ros Fernihough) who offers free, impartial advice - it might be worth getting in touch to see if any recompense is likely.
http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=49&sid=8564b45d73da2444b6caf50e5fcc0de0