A Fallin couple were thrown out of their Spanish hotel after refusing to stump up £1300 following the collapse of Thomas Cook.
Ellen and Roy Jackson, of Bandeath Road, had been enjoying an all-inclusive sunshine break in Fuerteventura when news broke that the holiday giant had folded.
The couple, who spent more than £2000 on the holiday with Thomas Cook, were ordered by the manager of the hotel in which they were staying to cough up or get out. They were among scores of people across the Stirling area who have had their holidays or travel plans ruined by the demise of Thomas Cook.
Tesco worker Ellen, 53, and 51-year-old plasterer Roy had been staying at the Bahía de Lobos, owned by Labranda Hotels and Resorts, when they received a text message from their daughter on Monday morning telling them of the company’s collapse.
A short time later they received a phone call to their room asking them to meet the manager of the four-star hotel in the reception area. The couple say when they ventured down the manager, flanked by a burly security guard, issued them with an ultimatum: pay the hotel a further £1300 to cover the cost of their room or leave.
Ellen said they were subsequently locked out of their room and later thrown out in to the streets with their suitcases when they refused to pay the cash.
She added: “At first the manager was very nice about it. But then he told us we would have to leave. We had contacted the Civil Aviation Authority who told us not to pay anything as he had no legal right to demand money from us.”
It’s believed nine other families staying at the hotel, who had also booked through Thomas Cook, also faced the same ultimatum. Ellen was left so stressed by the demand to leave the hotel that she became unwell and had to go to a nearby pharmacy for medication.
She added: “There was one guy, maybe in his 20s, who was holding a baby who was told to pay or leave.
“They had us out in the streets with our suitcases. There were no Thomas Cook representatives around the hotel to speak to because they were obviously all out of a job.”
The couple then went to four separate hotels looking for accommodation until their flight home tomorrow (Thursday).
They eventually found a place to stay but had to fork out an additional £660.
The couple had taken out travel insurance prior to their departure from Edinburgh airport on Sunday, September 15, and hope to reclaim the £660 back through that and hope that they will be refunded the sum of their holiday through the repatriation process.
Ellen added: “It’s been a nightmare and I just can’t wait to get home now. We’ve been told that we will be able to fly home on Thursday as we were supposed to, but I just want to go now.”
Other Stirling sunseekers were also left in limbo following the collapse.
Stirling woman, Angela Neil, was awaiting a return flight from her family holiday to Menorca.
She said: “We’ve been told they can’t check us in because they had the wrong information and nothing was matching. Everyone has actually been calm apart from a Thomas Cook rep crying when she was making an announcement
“When we arrived at the airport we weren’t told anything, just to go to the gate. We stood there for over three hours but thankfully everyone was patient, although a few folk were getting anxious and annoyed.”
Lorna Watt, from Stirling, flew out to Marmaris, Turkey, on Friday, September 13 and is due to fly home on Saturday, October 12. She was told that she could get an alternative flight up until October 6, but will need to pay a substantial amount to get home via another airline. She said: “I’m absolutely gutted that Thomas Cook has gone bust.”
Avril Ballantyne, from Menstrie, was on holiday in Zakinthos, Greece. She had been due to fly home at 10.45am on Monday, arriving in Glasgow at 12.45pm.
She said: “We were allowed to check in but the new plane was 24 seats short. Some people have been put on the Edinburgh plane at midnight. They are looking to get us on the Manchester flight at 5.30pm.
“The government representatives are great at trying to keep us informed as best as they can. We just need to arrange our own transport from Manchester.
“We’re with two friends and all have work tomorrow (Tuesday) and two of us have children to get back to as it was just a girls’ long weekend holiday to relax.
“Some people who were delayed were shouting and swearing but it’s really no-one’s fault, they really are trying their best.
“Some Thomas Cook staff are still here although they have no jobs, trying to help.”
