Holidaymakers in Sharm complain about lack of information

Holidaymakers stranded in Sharm le Sheikh are complaining about lack of information from their travel companies.

Thomson customer Kate Dodd, travelling with a four-month-old baby, told BBC news this morning she was having to rely on her family and news websites to find out what was going on since the suspension of flights on Wednesday night.

She said she was stuck on the tarmac for two hours yesterday and was initially told there were air traffic control issues.

Eventually, the 240 passengers on her plane were told to disembark and were taken to hotels for the night.

She said she has not been told when she is likely to fly home.

On the Thomas Cook Facebook page, Margaret Forsyth said her family are currently in resort and are due to fly home back.

"That’s strange saying they are keeping everyone informed. I have family there at the moment and they are relying on updates from me!! They have received no information from their customer relations desk," she said.

Another stranded holidaymaker Sarah Cotterill told the BBC was due to fly home to Gatwick with easyJet last night.

She said after spending around three hours at the airport, passengers were bussed back to the hotel.

"This morning we have not seen or heard from anybody… All we know from easyJet’s website is that it’s not likely [we’ll fly] today," she said.

Other customers, due to travel in the next few weeks, have taken to social media to voice their concerns.

Thomson customer Lucy Croft is due to fly to Sharm on November 22 and says she has been battling with Thomson for three days.

"I am absolutely not going!! They want to charge £50PP to change holiday! Their customer service is an absolute shambles and they have no regard for their customer’s thoughts and feelings. Nothing will change in 10 days and it’s totally unacceptable to try and get money out of such a horrific accident!!

"If they don’t offer me a full refund I will have a lot to more to say about this situation. I would have been happy with changing holiday for the same dates but after the way this has been handled and the complete lack of customer care, I don’t ever want to use Thomson ever again!!!!!"

She claimed she was told on Monday that if the Russian airliner crash was confirmed as a terrorist attack, she would be offered a full refund with no changes.

"The FCO haven’t changed the status because it was a technical fault have they! I will be calling up again today and expecting a full refund."

Another customer, Zoe MacKenzie, said she had the same issue.

"I was told in store Sunday I take my own risk flying they had no sympathy what so ever. Never again will I book with Thomson, I have been battling since Sunday as well."

Thomson urged customers to ‘please bear with us as we manage this evolving situation’.

It is giving all customers due to travel until Thursday November 12 a full refund or the chance to exchange their holiday

"If the new holiday is taken before the end of April 2016 we are also offering a £30 per person discount," it said in a statement.

"As a priority, we are contacting customers due to travel today and ask those travelling later in the week to please bear with us as we manage this evolving situation."
 
It said experienced overseas resort team are updating all customers currently on holiday in Sharm el Sheikh. Customers who are delayed are being accommodated in their hotels on the same board basis.
 
"Holiday reps are regularly visiting all hotels and can be contacted for the most up to date information when it is available," said the statement.

"Customers are advised to keep an eye on the noticeboards in the hotels or our website for the latest information."