Denied check-in on Thomas Cook flight from Goa

IronLung

Hello all,

Last month I was in Goa, India. I initially booked my flights there and back with TUI, however a couple of days before I was due to fly home I got very sick and decided to postpone my journey home. I tried to contact TUI to cancel or change my flight but was unable to do it online and could only get through on the telephone to their Indian offices (who couldn't help me) so in the end I just booked another flight out of Goa via Skyscanner with Thomas Cook due to depart 5 days later.

When I tried to check in at Dabolim Airport the Thomas Cook reps refused to do it. They told me that Indian Aviation rules state that if you fly into Goa on a chartered flight you have to fly out on a chartered flight NOT a scheduled one! I immediately contacted my mum in the UK and asked her to call Thomas Cook on my behalf as the staff at the airport were being very unhelpful and offering me no alternatives. Whilst I was waiting for the response from the UK I Googled this rule and found very, very little info about it - and most of what I found was on travel forums, I could find no information on any official airline websites or similar. My mum got back to me having spoken to Thomas Cook in the UK and told me that they had said that the TC reps at the airport MUST check me in and allow me on the flight. I told the reps this and they still refused to check me in and I ended up having to get a cab back to where I still had friends staying in Goa on my own at 3am (I am a female and was travelling alone).

I spent the next day in contact with Thomas Cook and they booked me onto a TUI flight departing 2 days later, at no extra charge (I paid £130 for the flight home with TC). I caught that flight home and then lodged a complaint in writing to Thomas Cook within a couple of days. I've recently received a response from them saying they will not be offering me any compensation even though I had to pay for an extra 2 nights accomodation, food, pay for taxis to and from the airport - not to mention the stress and worry. I also lost out on 2 days work. They say that it's my responsibility to check the local rules regarding travel on flights - however their member of staff that my mum spoke to whilst it was happening obviously had no idea about this rule and there is precious little clear information regarding this rule anywhere on the internet! I'm planning on responding and pointing this out to them, just wanted to post my experience here in case anyone reading has any idea where I stand with this and have any tips for what further action I could take or anyone else I could contact regarding this matter.

Many thanks!

pimento

Does your holiday insurance have a delay or sickness clause that will pay out?

Voyager2002

Nightmare!

Thomas Cook were wrong to sell you your ticket, and more generally to fail to alert customers to this strange Indian rule; TUI were wrong in failing to respond to your email. I just hope that you were well-insured, preferably with legal cover.

IronLung

My travel insurance only covered me until the day I was supposed to fly back initially with tui and I stupidly forgot to extend it (in my defence i was really ill).

Heliflyguy

What a stressful situation and if anyone could make it complicated and bureaucratic then you were in the right place.

You may have to chalk it up to experience but at least feel reassured you have added to the knowledge of others.

I did find this and it does clarify things but doesn't help you much.

See 4.1 xi

http://dgca.nic.in/aic/aic02-04.pdf

Its from 2004 and sounds like its still in force.

Voyager2002

IronLung wrote: »

My travel insurance only covered me until the day I was supposed to fly back initially with tui and I stupidly forgot to extend it (in my defence i was really ill).

Usually if something happens to prevent you from returning on the planned date, your travel insurance is extended automatically. Do check if that applies to you.

Voyager2002

Heliflyguy wrote: »

What a stressful situation and if anyone could make it complicated and bureaucratic then you were in the right place.

You may have to chalk it up to experience but at least feel reassured you have added to the knowledge of others.

I did find this and it does clarify things but doesn't help you much.

See 4.1 xi

http://dgca.nic.in/aic/aic02-04.pdf

Its from 2004 and sounds like its still in force.

Look at p3, point xi. That does suggest that TC were wrong to deny boarding: if so, they become liable for the costs incurred as a result of their mistake.

unforeseen

It contains the little word MAY. I'm guessing that you have to ask the DGCA first.

IronLung

Thanks all for the responses so far.

Voyager2002 I'll contact my insurance provider and see what they say.

headpin

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Nightmare!

Thomas Cook were wrong to sell you your ticket, and more generally to fail to alert customers to this strange Indian rule; TUI were wrong in failing to respond to your email. I just hope that you were well-insured, preferably with legal cover.

Not a fan of awkward travel companies, but how are TC supposed to know how the traveller arrived in the country? It may be a silly rule or law but to be honest it is really the travellers responsibiloty to be aware of any restrictions or the like that they may fall foul of. And as indicated elsewhere if you are sensible then you will have suitable Travel Insurance that covers such situations.

Heliflyguy

I will have to disagree with you there.

TC check in staff seemed to know and it should have flagged up some sort of warning when the OP purchased a one way ticket from TC.

There are several ways the system can prompt when certain booking types are made.

I would agree had it been a visa issue then there is plently of online resourses but for this it didnt exactly jump out during an online search.

I think your being overly harsh.

At least TC could apologise and give it the old "Lesson have been learnt" line.