Thomas Cook: NI people speak out over 'devastating' firm collapse
- Published
It has been three weeks since Thomas Cook collapsed, stranding more than 155,000 UK tourists
It has been three weeks since Thomas Cook went bust, but many in Northern Ireland are still dealing with the fall-out.
The firm's collapse put 9,000 jobs at risk and stranded more than 155,000 UK tourists.
Former customers have told BBC News NI of how the firm's collapse affected them, from extra wedding costs to cancelled holidays.
For one devastated customer, it meant missing his son's wedding entirely.
Michelle and Martin Burch from Bangor, County Down, were on holiday in Salou, Spain, on a Thomas Cook package holiday.
The pair were due to fly home the day after Thomas Cook collapsed, but they were split up and it took Martin 35 hours and four airports to get home.
'Tears flowed'
"My husband missed out on our son's wedding day completely," said Mrs Burch.
"He has been extremely traumatised by these events.
"He had no money or heart medication with him."
Instead of getting a direct flight home from Reus airport to Belfast International, the couple waited six hours in the airport only to be told there was only one seat left on the flight.
"My husband and the group of 'left behinds' all agreed that I should get home for the wedding the next day," said Mrs Burch.
Martin Burch missed his son's wedding when his flight home was cancelled
"Tears flowed at having to leave my husband there. He, too, was in tears along with many others who all crowded and comforted him.
"Family memories were made and missed and never can be recreated."
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) organised the repatriation programme to provide seats for all expected passengers.
According to the CAA, 94% of people affected flew back on the original day of their cancelled Thomas Cook flight.
What happened to Thomas Cook?
Thomas Cook collapsed on 23 September after talks failed to produce a funding lifeline for the travel company.
The company went into liquidation, with all flights and bookings cancelled.
On Monday, the CAA bought more than 140,000 people back to the UK through its repatriation plan Operation Matterhorn.
The CAA also launched an online refund claims form for customers affected by the liquidation
More than 360,000 Thomas Cook holidays that are Atol protected, covering trips that would have been taken by 800,000 people, are expected to be refunded.
It will take 60 days for people to get their money back, the CAA has said.
Meanwhile, Cookstown couple Peter Mitchell, 36, and his wife Samantha, 32, were due to get married in Paphos, Cyprus, on 30 September.
The couple booked their wedding through Thomas Cook and said they paid about £7,000 for the whole package.
Peter and Samantha Mitchell were out of pocket for their wedding after Thomas Cook's collapse
When the company collapsed, they had to pay for the wedding all over again.
"Not only had we lost our flights and all that package, but we had paid in full for everything else," said Mr Mitchell.
"We further paid for the hairdressers, entertainment, the food, the drinks reception, the bus... all of that stuff was lost."
He said it was not clear which parts of their package were Atol protected and which parts were not.
Leslie and Diane Moffat had their original holiday cancelled
Leslie and Diane Moffat, from Newtownards, had their Thomas Cook package cancelled a few days before they were due to travel.
Since they could not change their annual leave, they booked another holiday through a different travel company to Majorca with Easyjet.
But these flights were cancelled to repatriate Thomas Cook customers stuck abroad.
"Everything was booked and paid in full for a six days all-inclusive package, but the very next day it was cancelled," said Mr Moffat.
"It's very disappointing."
- Published7 October 2019
- Published15 October 2019
