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| Thomas Cook let me down with its promise of ‘special assistance’ | Thomas Cook let me down with its promise of ‘special assistance’ |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| I booked with Thomas Cook to fly with my family to Florida for my wedding. I have a mobility disability, which, among other things, means I can’t bend my knees enough to sit in a regular seat and need extra leg room which cannot be next to an exit for safety reasons. | I booked with Thomas Cook to fly with my family to Florida for my wedding. I have a mobility disability, which, among other things, means I can’t bend my knees enough to sit in a regular seat and need extra leg room which cannot be next to an exit for safety reasons. |
| Because I know there are only a few seats on any aircraft I can use, I organised everything 14 months in advance with the “special assistance team” and paid an extra £380. | Because I know there are only a few seats on any aircraft I can use, I organised everything 14 months in advance with the “special assistance team” and paid an extra £380. |
| Two months later, I received an email to say the flight out had been cancelled and we had moved to one leaving a day earlier. It transpired they had moved us into standard seats – despite the “special assistance” booking. After dozens of phone calls I eventually managed to get a suitable seat, with one member of my family nearby for assistance and the others scattered around the plane. | Two months later, I received an email to say the flight out had been cancelled and we had moved to one leaving a day earlier. It transpired they had moved us into standard seats – despite the “special assistance” booking. After dozens of phone calls I eventually managed to get a suitable seat, with one member of my family nearby for assistance and the others scattered around the plane. |
| Mysteriously, shortly afterwards, the “cancelled flight” was reinstated, with significantly higher prices, though we weren’t offered the chance to move back on to it. | Mysteriously, shortly afterwards, the “cancelled flight” was reinstated, with significantly higher prices, though we weren’t offered the chance to move back on to it. |
| Next, we were told our alternative flight had been moved back by a few hours and that we had again been scattered around with no extra leg room. This time the reason was that Thomas Cook had redesigned the front few rows as “Premium Economy” and we had been moved to make room for these passengers who paid more for their tickets. | Next, we were told our alternative flight had been moved back by a few hours and that we had again been scattered around with no extra leg room. This time the reason was that Thomas Cook had redesigned the front few rows as “Premium Economy” and we had been moved to make room for these passengers who paid more for their tickets. |
| This time they could not offer me a suitable substitute and the booking had to be cancelled. By this time there were no other economy seats left on other flights from our local airport. We have had to fly from Manchester, a four-hour drive away, at significant additional cost. Overall, we are over £500 worse off. | This time they could not offer me a suitable substitute and the booking had to be cancelled. By this time there were no other economy seats left on other flights from our local airport. We have had to fly from Manchester, a four-hour drive away, at significant additional cost. Overall, we are over £500 worse off. |
| It’s impossible to get anywhere with Thomas Cook and its online complaints form doesn’t cater for people who haven’t taken a flight. SW, Glasgow | It’s impossible to get anywhere with Thomas Cook and its online complaints form doesn’t cater for people who haven’t taken a flight. SW, Glasgow |
| Thomas Cook’s disregard for your condition is shameful. Only after I contacted its press office did it bestir itself to offer you £500 compensation. That is the extra cost of your rebooked journey, but it doesn’t take into account the four-hour drive to the airport, or the time and stress involved in trying to break through the intransigence. Worryingly, in its tardy response to you, it blamed an issue with its IT systems, which means that when scheduled flights are altered, specific seat requirements are not carried over. That could have significant implications for other travellers with disabilities. | Thomas Cook’s disregard for your condition is shameful. Only after I contacted its press office did it bestir itself to offer you £500 compensation. That is the extra cost of your rebooked journey, but it doesn’t take into account the four-hour drive to the airport, or the time and stress involved in trying to break through the intransigence. Worryingly, in its tardy response to you, it blamed an issue with its IT systems, which means that when scheduled flights are altered, specific seat requirements are not carried over. That could have significant implications for other travellers with disabilities. |
| Thomas Cook Airlines says: “We changed the departure time and aircraft type for the flight, which meant there was a change to the seats which the passenger had booked. We were unable to provide the same seats with the new flight and recognise that she did not receive the support that we should have provided to reallocate her seats.” | Thomas Cook Airlines says: “We changed the departure time and aircraft type for the flight, which meant there was a change to the seats which the passenger had booked. We were unable to provide the same seats with the new flight and recognise that she did not receive the support that we should have provided to reallocate her seats.” |
| If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions | If you need help email Anna Tims at your.problems@observer.co.uk or write to Your Problems, The Observer, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. Include an address and phone number. Submission and publication are subject to our terms and conditions |
| Thomas Cook | Thomas Cook |
| Your problems, with Anna Tims | Your problems, with Anna Tims |
| Travel & leisure | Travel & leisure |
| Consumer affairs | Consumer affairs |
| Consumer rights | Consumer rights |
| Disability | Disability |
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