Flight delay and cancellation compensation, Thomas Cook ONLY

southy1

Lucile_park wrote: »

Hi all

After chasing TC for 3 months, have finally been emailed the outcome today.....

Dear XX

I am writing in response to your letter regarding your recent travel arrangements with Thomas Cook.
It is with regret that I note your flight with us was delayed. Whilst delays are an unfortunate part of air travel, I would like to assure you that a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to ensure that any disruption to our passengers is kept to an absolute minimum.
When a delay is initially identified, it is not always immediately apparent as to when a revised take off time can be secured. A number of factors have to be considered, which can vary dependent on the reason for the delay, and quite often we are reliant on outside influences, such as Airport Authorities or Air Traffic Control. Throughout, however, as soon as confirmed information is available, this is passed onto our customers as quickly as possible through our handling agents at the airport.
Although delays do occur on occasion, they can arise for a number of different reasons, and having carried out a full investigation the specific circumstances surrounding the delay to your own flight were of a technical nature, which were extraordinary, despite Thomas Cook taking all reasonable precautions necessary to prevent the situation. All aircraft can experience technical problems that are totally unforeseen, despite all reasonable attempts to ensure they are maintained to a good standard, in line with CAA regulations. This can be compared to any mechanical breakdown which can happen at any time without prior knowledge or warning.
I can see that passengers were provided with welfare during this time, which was deemed appropriate for the length of your delay. It is with regret to inform you that we will be unable to consider any claims for compensation as a result of the delay to your flight.
Please be assured that on-time performance is a key measure for us as a business, and we constantly review our operations to ensure we deliver the best results, and service. I would like to offer our apologies for any inconvenience you were caused on this occasion and I hope that despite this, your stay was found to be an enjoyable one.


We also spoke to them today also and thery stated that although it was a technical issue, as the aircraft had been serviced recently- this was unforeseen and therefore does not qualify for compensation. Seems like an excuse really.

Any advice on next steps from here would be much appreciated. TC on the phone said we should approach the CAA, but not sure what that will achieve.

Thanks

hahaha tc emails busy today daughter got same email at 3pm:rotfl:

bobsa1

Hi all any help appreciated. Back in Sept 2011 our Thomas Cook flight from Sanford to Manchester was cancelled. As soon as we got back to the uk- More than 24hrs later than expected we contacted Thomas Cook who said that the compensation was not payable.
After latest EU ruling we again got in touch and they said circumstances could not be foreseen but would not say what they are.
We contacted them again this week and today got this response, twice!

Any suggestions on how we respond much appreciated.Email below;


Thank you for contacting us again regarding your recent holiday, I write further to your most recent correspondence and I am sorry that you remain unhappy with the response you have received so far from our Customer Relations Team.

Unfortunately we are not able to provide you with the answers to the questions raised in your correspondence detailing the cause of the breakdown as this is a private matter to be addressed by Thomas Cook

The cause of the breakdown could not have been foreseen prior to your aircraft departing and for that reason, we class this flight delay as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and no compensation would be applicable.

We, as Thomas Cook, stand by our decision and should you wish to pursue this matter further, I would therefore suggest that this is done through the Civil Aviation Authority by logging on to their website https://www.caa.co.uk

I thank you once again for taking the time to contact Customer Relations and whilst I appreciate your disappointment at present, I hope that Thomas Cook may be of assistance to you in the future.

Kind Regards,

Alistair Nottingham

Customer Services

Just to be clear our aircraft did not depart as it was never in Sanford and we were told that lack of flight due to a plane breaking down in the Bahamas and them running out of planes.

We were actually flown out on a plane which came from the UK the following day with new holiday makers on.

Airedalejoe

Airedalejoe wrote: »

Result!!
Template letter mid January, one of the pro-forma replies from TC 1st February and again 18th February saying blah blah.
Emailed them yesterday asking for a decision and this morning a voucher arrives through the letter box! Tend to think it was already on it's way though.
Have emailed again asking for a cheque.
Many thanks to the good folk on this thread:j

Haha, not such a great result after all, I'm still waiting for my cheque from these lying scumbags.
As I said above, emailed mid March asking for cheque to be sent, no reply by 2nd April so I ring the wrongly titled customer services asking why not. Was told that I had to return the voucher to them before they would issue a cheque. No answer given when I asked why I hadn't been contacted.
Posted voucher to them recorded delivery that day and they signed for the letter 4th April. Annoyingly I waited 28 days for my cheque which didn't turn up so I ring them again on 2nd May. Spoke to the obnoxious and very unhelpful Christopher who specialises in talking over the top of people. He told me that there was absolutely no record of my claim and I would have to start again!!!
Put phone down and rang their legal dept and spoke to a helpful fella in there who said that there should be no need to return the voucher as it can just be voided??!!
Re-rang TC same day and spoke to Stacey who was helpful and said she had found my claim record after all and apologised for her colleagues stupidity and informed me that a Cheque had been 'requested' on 15th April!! Hurrahhhhh!! But wait.....She promised to call me the next day to confirm when it was sent...I'm still waiting for that call.
Made several phone calls in the mean time confirming my cheque had been 'requested' on 15th April.
Ring today after 29 days and again spoke to the awful Christopher who again spoke non stop over the top of me. I was told that the cheque had not been requested on 15th April and I would have to wait another 28 days whilst a new one was requested!!!! If I could have reached down the phone I would have strangled him.
I'm getting to the end of my tether.

Airedalejoe

Plus, it appears that they've latched on to the fact that the CAA are a toothless tiger which will take up many more months of wasted time as I was advised 6 times in this last call to contact them!!!!

maghater

bobsa1 wrote: »

Hi all any help appreciated. Back in Sept 2011 our Thomas Cook flight from Sanford to Manchester was cancelled. As soon as we got back to the uk- More than 24hrs later than expected we contacted Thomas Cook who said that the compensation was not payable.
After latest EU ruling we again got in touch and they said circumstances could not be foreseen but would not say what they are.
We contacted them again this week and today got this response, twice!

Any suggestions on how we respond much appreciated.Email below;


Thank you for contacting us again regarding your recent holiday, I write further to your most recent correspondence and I am sorry that you remain unhappy with the response you have received so far from our Customer Relations Team.

Unfortunately we are not able to provide you with the answers to the questions raised in your correspondence detailing the cause of the breakdown as this is a private matter to be addressed by Thomas Cook

The cause of the breakdown could not have been foreseen prior to your aircraft departing and for that reason, we class this flight delay as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ and no compensation would be applicable.

We, as Thomas Cook, stand by our decision and should you wish to pursue this matter further, I would therefore suggest that this is done through the Civil Aviation Authority by logging on to their website www.caa.co.uk

I thank you once again for taking the time to contact Customer Relations and whilst I appreciate your disappointment at present, I hope that Thomas Cook may be of assistance to you in the future.

Kind Regards,

Alistair Nottingham

Customer Services

Just to be clear our aircraft did not depart as it was never in Sanford and we were told that lack of flight due to a plane breaking down in the Bahamas and them running out of planes.

We were actually flown out on a plane which came from the UK the following day with new holiday makers on.

No point in mucking around, time to send them a NBA, looks like it was down to knock on effects, which shouldn't be covered by extraordinary circumstances. I doubt the CAA will help as your delay wasn't in the UK, but probably worth getting it in writing just to show what a pack of so and sos TC are

bargain_hunter_2

Airedalejoe wrote: »

Haha, not such a great result after all, I'm still waiting for my cheque from these lying scumbags.
As I said above, emailed mid March asking for cheque to be sent, no reply by 2nd April so I ring the wrongly titled customer services asking why not. Was told that I had to return the voucher to them before they would issue a cheque. No answer given when I asked why I hadn't been contacted.
Posted voucher to them recorded delivery that day and they signed for the letter 4th April. Annoyingly I waited 28 days for my cheque which didn't turn up so I ring them again on 2nd May..

Hang in there Joe -we had similar scenario -quoted 28 days from requesting cheque instead of voucher -rang after 28 days, told it would be 28 days from phone call :mad: however, cheque appeared 7 days later and banked immediately :T

willarikk

Dear All,

Not to gloat, but I sent an email 14 days ago to the CEO of Thomas Cook flights. Received a response from the Directors office acknowledging my complaint dating back to 2011. Got a reply on Sunday gone; 12 May 2013, offering a :Tvoucher for £700.

I advised that I had booked a holiday this year and may not take one next year, Voila........Cheque on its way to me in 28 days from Directors office for £700.:j

Never in a month of Sundays did I expect a result so quick, so folks don't give up hope. By the way flight in question

Corfu to Newcastle 27 May 2011 delayed 5 hours.

Good luck.

pip10

Excellent Willarikk.

what email address did you use?

willarikk wrote: »

Dear All,

Not to gloat, but I sent an email 14 days ago to the CEO of Thomas Cook flights. Received a response from the Directors office acknowledging my complaint dating back to 2011. Got a reply on Sunday gone; 12 May 2013, offering a :Tvoucher for £700.

I advised that I had booked a holiday this year and may not take one next year, Voila........Cheque on its way to me in 28 days from Directors office for £700.:j

Never in a month of Sundays did I expect a result so quick, so folks don't give up hope. By the way flight in question

Corfu to Newcastle 27 May 2011 delayed 5 hours.

Good luck.

bobsa1

Thanks Maghater will do that just reading some stories on here makes me so angry with so called big companies.

willarikk

Hello Pip10 I emailed the following;

[EMAIL="harriet.green&#64;thomascook.com<harriet.green&#64;thomascook.com"]harriet.green@thomascook.com<harriet.green@thomascook.com[/EMAIL]>;