‘I am heartbroken at losing holiday’
ONE islander who has seen her holiday plans ruined by the collapse of Thomas Cook said yesterday that she was ‘heartbroken’ that her holiday had been cancelled.
Sophie Maire-Ann Stanford was meant to be travelling from Gatwick to Fuerteventura with her young son on 12 November.
‘I am absolutely heartbroken,’ she said.
‘This was my first holiday abroad with my son. I’ve been ringing Thomas Cook and my insurance company and Atol, but no answer or help at the moment – I feel like crying.’
The 178-year-old holiday firm went into liquidation after last-minute talks for contingency funds to keep the firm running failed.
Its collapse has affected more than 600,000 people and led to more than 150,000 British holidaymakers currently abroad needing to be repatriated in the biggest peacetime operation of its kind.
Among those still abroad is Emma Jane Corbishley, who is a former Guernsey Grammar School and Sixth Form Centre student, who went to Egypt to celebrate her 25th birthday and booked her holiday through Thomas Cook.
She said she is worried about how she will return.
‘We are confused and a little upset that we weren’t notified sooner,’ she said.
‘The news or our holiday provider didn’t inform us, maybe they didn’t know? We have heard rumours that easyJet will help but I cannot confirm this.
‘Everyone at the hotel resort has no idea what is going on, [we’re] just hoping that the government will sort it out as our holidays are Atol-protected but we still are sitting ducks.’
Miss Corbishley, who flew out from Manchester on 16 September, is booked to return on 30 September.
‘I just hope they will have it figured out by the time we fly out as we don’t want to pay extra for flights as we were unaware of the issues before we left the UK.’
Another Thomas Cook customer affected is Andrea Coulding, 54, from Jersey.
She was meant to be going with her 28-year-old daughter to Holguin in Cuba to their favourite hotel, Playa Costa Verde on Playa Pesquero beach, for Christmas.
‘Thomas Cook were the only company that flew from the UK to that area of Cuba,’ she said.
‘I realise that they have to get the current holidaymakers back home first and we will get our money back at some point and will be able to book somewhere else.
‘It would have been the seventh time at the hotel and have met lots of friends there over the years. Now I’m hoping another company will take over the route.’
Providing perspective on her own situation, Ms Coulding expressed concern over the loss of 22,000 jobs worldwide, including 9,000 in the UK.
‘We’re upset, but are hoping another company will take over the route,’ she said.
‘We will have a chilled holiday somewhere else – it is the staff who worked for Thomas Cook I feel more sorry for as they have all lost their jobs.’
All flights have been cancelled, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
The UK Government has asked the CAA to launch a two-week repatriation programme, which started yesterday running through to Sunday 6 October.
All customers currently abroad with Thomas Cook who are booked to return to the UK over the next two weeks will be brought home as close as possible to their booked return date, the Department for Transport have said.
Thomas Cook package holiday customers will also see the cost of their accommodation covered by the Government, through the Air Travel Trust Fund or Atol scheme.
Customers currently overseas have been informed not to travel to the airport until their flight back to the UK has been confirmed on the dedicated website thomascook.caa.co.uk.
The helpline number for people in the UK is 0300 303 2800. The number from abroad is +44 1753 330 330.
Some local travel companies are offering help for affected Thomas Cook passengers. For more information click here.
